Nicole Kidman appears to share tense exchange with Salma Hayek on red carpet

A tense moment appeared to unfold between Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek at Balenciaga’s Paris Fashion Week show when the Australian actor seemed to reject Hayek’s attempts for a photo together.

In a viral clip that has sparked a frenzy of debate, the two actors were stood in front of a crowd of photographers alongside “Roar” singer Katy Perry before Hayek, 58, appeared to try and steer Kidman – who had her back to the cameras – by placing a hand on her side.

Kidman seemed unimpressed as she pushed away Hayek’s hand and pointed at the actor before telling her, “Don’t touch me”.

The photographer behind the camera then said, “Ladies, please,” before requesting Kidman and Hayek pose together.

Kidman didn’t oblige and instead kissed Perry goodbye and abruptly left the gaggle of press and celebrities. As she walked away, Kidman and Hayek appeared to share some last tense words.

A voice, presumably Kidman’s, is heard saying back, “you don’t need it” to which Hayek said, “yes please, that’s fine”.

Fans online were divided over the incident, with one commenter writing on TikTok: “Why is Nicole being so rude?”

Another added: “I get it, I don’t want someone spinning me to take a pic if I genuinely don’t feel like being photographed.”

“The way Nicole moves Selma’s arm! Woah!” said one commenter as another added: “The way Nicole pushed Salma’s hand down.”

Another remarked that the exchange was “So passive aggressive” as one added: “At the end Selma says ‘yes please, that’s fine’. What went down, the energy was offfffff.”

The video was captured at the Spanish brand’s spring/summer 2025 show on 30 September. In a post recapping the event shared on 1 October, Hayek uploaded a picture of herself posing with Kidman, except The Hours actor is looking down at the floor with her face covered by sunglasses.

“Finally last night the grand finale of my Paris Fashion Week 2025,” wrote Hayek on Instagram before thanking “Balenciaga and Demna for a terrific show”.

Kidman wore a black turtle neck bodycon dress with a pair of matching Balenciaga sunglasses while the Frida actor was dressed wearing a tight black dress featuring a plunging neckline, with her hair slicked back into an updo and a large bow placed on her head.

The Independent has contacted representatives for Kidman and Hayek for comment.

The Balenciaga show marked one of Kidman’s first public appearances after the death of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, who died in September aged 84.

In a statement read out on Kidman’s behalf at Venice Film Festival last month, Kidman had said she had flown into Venice, only to find out “shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed”.

“I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina,” the statement continued. “The collision of life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.”

Kidman missed out on being there to receive the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice Film Festival as a result, which she won her role in Babygirl, Halina Reijn’s erotic thriller in which Kidman stars opposite Harris Dickinson.