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‘This whole situation is silly,’ says insider about the Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek Balenciaga controversy
Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek were recently caught in a whirlwind of rumours after netizens spotted an unusual exchange between the two at a Balenciaga show
Hollywood actors Nicole Kidman and Salma Hayek have recently gone viral due to a moment captured at the Balenciaga FW show on September 30, which some viewers interpreted as tense. However, an insider has shared with People that the situation has been misrepresented.
In a video circulating online, Nicole and Salma were posing for photos alongside singer-songwriter Katy Perry. During the exchange, Salma placed her hand on Nicole's arm, seemingly trying to adjust her position for the cameras. Nicole then gently removed Salma's hand and turned to embrace Katy, sharing a few words with Salma before stepping away.
“They were being bombarded by cameras at the end of the show while in the middle of a conversation. People are looking at clips and making a story out of nothing,” said the insider.
Previously, the likes of lip readers and body language experts had been utilised by outlets to understand what was being said between the celebrities. According to a Page Six piece and Jeremy Freeman, a UK-based lip reading expert, Salma is believed to say, “Let’s turn there, OK, here,” to Nicole. The Big Little Lies star responded with, “Hey, I’m fine, I’m good. There, it’s enough, it’s OK.” Salma then interjected while putting her hand on Katy's shoulder saying, “We have to.” Salma then said, “That’s fine, that’s fine,” and directed Katy to look at the photographers.
While some observers interpreted the interaction as icy, others have rightly noted that such moments are often exaggerated under the scrutiny of public attention. The high-pressure environment of a fashion show can lead to misinterpretations, especially when captured in brief clips.
Although they may not be the closest of friends, Kidman and Hayek have notable connections. Kidman recently became the face of Balenciaga, which is part of Kering, the luxury group led by Hayek’s husband, François-Henri Pinault. Additionally, Hayek has a long-standing friendship with Kidman’s ex-husband, Tom Cruise, stemming from their work together on the 2006 film Ask the Dust.
A source close to the actors remarked, “This whole situation is silly. Salma and Nicole love and respect each other.”
