Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek’s Fashion Week altercation has gone viral after the two celebrities appeared to collide at the Balenciaga show in Paris, and now an expert has weighed in.
Nicole and Salma were in front of photographers with Katy Perry when an intense altercation broke out, apparently because Salma touched the Australian star when they were asked to pose together.
Footage of the incident two weeks ago appeared online on Sunday and sparked a social media frenzy over who was wrong.
Body language expert Judi James has given her opinion on what really happened between the actresses, calling it “a status signaling lesson from the Devil Wears Prada.”
The altercation between Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek at Fashion Week has gone viral after the two celebrities appeared to collide at the Balenciaga show in Paris, and now an expert has weighed in.
Footage of the incident two weeks ago appeared online on Sunday and sparked a social media frenzy over who was wrong.
“The Paris Fashion Week shows are a sizzling combination of rarefied, A-list air and the sweaty lower levels of a rugby scrum,” Judi explains of the showdown’s star-studded stage.
“Maintaining dignity and maintaining impeccable elegance while being pushed and made to wait for what can often be hours are necessary skills and Nicole Kidman offers here what feels like a masterclass in how to protect A-list parameters and signs of status against all odds.
Judi, putting aside rumors that there could be a history between the actresses, believes the awkward altercation is due to a “matter of etiquette.”
“This body language seems like a matter of subliminal etiquette, based on fashion house ‘rules’ that are possibly as complex as the Da Vinci Code,” he suggests.
‘Nicole appears to be posing happily with her friend Salma, politely putting an arm around her shoulders while keeping their torsos apart. The issue may first arise when Nicole turns (with her hair covering her face from the cameras) to have a friendly, more personal-looking chat with Salma, who is still working on the pose.
“In another clip we can see Salma apparently trying to push Nicole away from her using an arm and hand that, while possibly not touching her, can be seen or felt as directive and a little superior.”
“Nicole seems to push her hand away, suggesting that the pampering touch violated some kind of silent etiquette, as in a possible “I’ll choose when I go or where I move.”
‘He turns to kiss Katy, leaving Salma bewildered. There appears to be what might look like a small flash point before Nicole walks away in the other direction.
Body language expert Judi James has given her opinion on what really happened between the actresses, calling it a ‘devil wears Prada lesson in status signals’.
Judi concludes: “Anyone who has seen The Devil Wears Prada should know that body language at high fashion events should perhaps not be judged at the normal earthly level.”
Some tweeters agreed with Judi, suggesting that Salma was simply acting her role as the boss’s wife when she tried to guide Nicole through the photos.
The actress is married to François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company.
‘Nicole is an employee of Salma’s husband, so yes, Salma can boss her around. “Plus Nicole is there working for Salma’s husband,” one commenter tweeted on Sunday.
Judi shut down rumors that there could be a story between the actresses and believes the awkward altercation is due to a “matter of etiquette.”
But online commentators have suggested Nicole’s brand ambassador deal with Balenciaga could be at risk after the confrontation went viral.
French businessman Pinault is the CEO of Kering, a company founded by his father that made a name for itself in the timber trade before taking a 42 percent stake in the Gucci Group in 1999.
The luxury goods company today owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen. In 2005, Pinault, then 40, replaced his father as CEO of Kering.
Meanwhile, Nicole was named Balenciaga brand ambassador in December 2023.
Writer and fashion commentator Louis Pisano wrote on Twitter: “Oh, that ‘don’t touch me’ from Nicole to Salma at a show for the brand owned by her husband, I’m afraid Balenciaga’s contract is in jeopardy.”
Some tweeters have suggested that Salma was simply acting out her role as the boss’s wife when she tried to guide Nicole through the photos. The actress is married to François-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company (pictured at the show)
A witness claimed that Nicole told Salma firmly: “Don’t touch me.” The viewer also claimed that Ms Perry looked “embarrassed”.
One online watcher said: “Oh God, you could cut the tension with a knife.”
After moving his hand away, Nicole turned her back on him before turning again to face Salma and gesturing to her, including what appeared to be a hand signal for her to stop. She also pointed her finger.
Kidman then kissed Perry goodbye and walked away while appearing to share several more tense words with Hayek, who seemed concerned.
Hayek and Kidman appeared on better terms in February 2003 in London.
Nicole, who won the best actress Oscar for The Hours in 2003 – the same year Hayek was nominated against her for Frida – appeared to exchange more words with Kidman off-screen.
Hayek was seen saying: “Yes, please, advice.” At which point Kidman allegedly responded, “You don’t need it,” and Hayek said, “Yeah, yeah.”
Fans were divided over the incident. One said online: ‘Why is Nicole being so rude?’
But another on Reddit said: ‘I understand that Salma was probably trying to instruct him to pose for the cameras, but some people don’t like to be touched no matter the situation, and you have to respect that.”
hayek took to Instagram on October 1 with a carousel of imagesone in which he posed with Kidman, with awkward body language emanating from both of them.