Why Nicole Kidman really lost her cool at Paris Fashion Week with Salma Hayek
Nicole Kidman appeared to berate Salma Hayek before refusing to pose for a photo with the actress, sparking furious speculation that the pair were embroiled in a bitter feud.
But despite the furor over Kidman’s alleged cold shoulder, the actress was reportedly furious with the braying photographers.
The actresses were said to be exchanging opinions after posing for photos alongside Katy Perry at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week, when Kidman, 57, got tired of the calls for more and walked away.
“There is no problem,” an insider told DailyMail.com exclusively. ‘This is an excerpt from a video that does not reflect reality. There is a photo of them posing together. Nothing happened.
“They were talking about something about advice and having a pow-wow – while being bombarded and shouted at and surrounded by cameras on all sides. They just wanted to go.
Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek appeared to share a tense moment at the Balenciaga Paris Fashion Week show last month when the Australian star pushed her hand away
But despite the furor over Kidman’s alleged cold shoulder, the 57-year-old actress was reportedly furious about the braying photographers
“They’re friends and things are going well despite what anyone thinks.”
They added: “Nicole is not rude. Not at all. She can be clumsy sometimes, but she’s not rude.”
Kidman and Hayek, 58, whose husband François-Henri Pinault owns Balenciaga, appeared to clash when they were asked to pose with Perry, 39.
Perfect Couple actress Kidman, who wore oversized black sunglasses, appeared to slap Hayek on the hand as she motioned for her to take a photo before walking away.
Footage of the incident, which took place two weeks ago, began circulating on Sunday evening, with fans flooding Kidman’s Instagram account with taunts and questions about her alleged behaviour.
Forensic lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman has analyzed the apparent clash, claiming Hayek told Kidman and Perry to “look, look” at the photographers.
“Let’s go over there, okay here,” Hayek said, to which Kidman replied, “Hey, I’m good, I’m good.”
After kissing Perry on the cheek, she added, “That’s enough, it’s okay.”
Hayek then put her arm on Perry as she told Kidman “that’s fine, that’s fine,” before telling the Roar singer to “look, look” at the photographers.
Forensic lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman has analyzed the apparent clash, claiming Hayek told Kidman and Perry to “look, look” at the photographers.
“They were talking about something involving advice and a think tank – while they were being bombarded and shouted at and surrounded from all angles,” a source told DailyMail.com
It comes after body language expert Judi James claimed the awkward altercation stemmed from an ‘etiquette issue’.
“We can see that Salma is apparently trying to send Nicole away with an arm and a hand that, while they may not touch, could be seen or felt as directive and a bit superior,” she told the Daily Mail.
‘Nicole appears to push the hand away, suggesting that the simulated touch violates some kind of silent etiquette, as in a possible ‘I choose when I go or where I move to’.’
She added: ‘Maintaining your dignity and maintaining impeccable elegance while being jostled and waited for what can often be hours are necessary skills, and Nicole Kidman here offers what seems like a masterclass in protecting A-list parameters and status signals against all odds .’
Hours after the event, Hayek uploaded a carousel of images from the night, including one of Kidman, who was not looking at the camera.
“Finally the grand finale of my Paris Fashion Week 2025 last night… Balenciaga and Demna for an amazing show,” Hayek wrote.
“They were talking about something to do with advice and a think tank – while they were being bombarded, shouted at and surrounded from all angles,” a source told DailyMail.com
She also tagged Kidman, who was announced as a Balenciaga ambassador last December, Perry and Lindsay Lohan.
One fan wrote: ‘Nicole was so rude to you, why would you take a picture with her?’
Another wrote: ‘Nicole was mean to you but you still posted a picture with her. You have kindness in your heart!’
But some appeared to defend Kidman in the wake of her mother’s death, with one commenting: “Exposing Nicole when she’s going through such a sad time…”
The event marked Kidman’s first public involvement since her mother Janelle died. The actress and her sister Antonia shared a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram, posting several never-before-seen photos of the late matriarch.
The insider added, “Nicole is dealing with the loss of her mother, which is very difficult. The last thing she needs is for people to create something that just isn’t there. They are friends and at the end of the day there is no story.”