Lip Reader Tells Us Salma Hayek's Viral Tiff With Nicole Kidman Was Even Cattier Than It Looked

Salma Hayek and Nicole Kidman's viral tiff at a Balenciaga fashion show has gone viral! In a video that fans can't stop dissecting, the actors shared an awkward interaction which saw Hayek attempt to rally Kidman for a photo-op with singer Katy Perry, only to be repeatedly rebuffed — and it wasn't subtle either. As you can see below, Kidman seemed wholly uninterested in making the photo happen, and even initiated a back and forth with Hayek that ended with her walking out of frame, leaving Hayek looking beyond frustrated. Hayek then engaged in conversation with Perry as the paparazzi's cameras flashed.

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Nicki Swift reached out to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who exclusively broke down the interaction between Hayek, Kidman, and Perry, revealing that it was even cattier than it seemed. According to Hickling, the video starts with Hayek standing tensely with her arm around Kidman. "She says, 'Turn this way, I'll help you,'" shared Hickling. Pushing Hayek's hand out of the way, Kidman replies, "I want you to get off my back." From there Hayek has an exchange with the paparazzi, saying, "She doesn't want to," which according to Hickling, may have been prompted by them asking for the trio to pose for a photo.

Kidman's mood shifts for the better as she welcomes Katy Perry into the shot, but it doesn't last. She then turns to Hayek and points while saying something, prompting her to nod and reply, "You don't have to defend yourself, you're a woman," although it's unclear what that was in response to. After that, Kidman walks past Hayek saying, "Yes, please, that's fine." Standing next to Perry, Hayek says, "Gosh, how rude." Perry agrees with Hayek saying, "Wow... I know." Hayek then addresses the paparazzi and prompts them to start taking photos. Near the close of the video, Perry attempts to console Hayek by saying, "You gotta let it go." But Hayek isn't quite ready, saying, "I know, but I'm hurt, you know."

Although Salma Hayek and Nicole Kidman's interaction took place at the end of September, social media recently got ahold of it, and they've started to weigh in on which actor was in the right. However, without knowing what set off the awkward chain of events, there's really no way to accurately gauge who instigated the drama.

With that said, Hayek and Kidman both had vested interests in making sure the Balenciaga fashion show was carried out without any negative press (even if they definitely failed that task). You see, Hayek is married to François-Henri Pinault, who also appeared in the viral video. Pinault is the CEO of Kering, the umbrella company that owns Balenciaga along with other similar brands, so it's possible that Hayek was trying to arrange a little viral photoshoot with herself, Katy Perry, and Kidman for some positive press.

Meanwhile, Kidman is a Balenciaga ambassador, sharing on the company's website that she's taken the brand with her through some of her most notable milestones including her very own wedding day. She even avoided joining the worst dressed celebs at the 2024 Met Gala by wearing the brand. "It was based on a dress from 1951 by Balenciaga ... it was something that I saw in an Avedon photo ... in the vein of the sleeping beauties and the gowns bringing them back to life, this was one of those," she shared with Vogue. "So I consider it a sleeping beauty that's been brought back to life." Given Kidman's prior enthusiasm, her nasty feud with Hayek is a head scratcher!