Kelly Rowland loses it on security guard while on Cannes red carpet

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Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland gave a security guard on the Cannes red carpet a piece of her mind after they tried to force her up the stairs ahead of the premiere of Marcello Mio this week.

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In videos and photos shared to social media, the pop star was seen waving and posing for photographers on the red carpet. But as she lingered on the red carpet, Rowland was ushered towards the staircase at the Palais des Festivals. As she stopped on the stairs to wave to someone in the crowd, the crowd of black-clad ushers grows, as they firmly try to force to continue onward.

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But one of the escorts drew Rowland’s ire when she extended her arm out to prevent the songstress from delaying her entrance into the theatre. At first, Rowland smiles as if to let her know she’s fine and doesn’t need cuing. But the exchange quickly turned sour when the vocalist seemingly admonished the member of security, who also stepped on her dress.

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Lip reader Jacqui Press told the Daily Mail that after the usher appeared to step on her dress, she apologized and Kelly said: “It’s OK”

But other words were exchanged and Rowland could be seen pointing and saying: “Don’t talk to me like that! … You still don’t talk to me like that!”

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According to the Mail, Rowland became angry when she felt the usher was being “aggressive” toward her. 

“The people who are assigned to helping stars walk the red carpet were being aggressive and Kelly was trying to ignore it,” an insider told the outlet. “By the time (Rowland) got to the last woman she had had it because she scolded Kelly and told her to move when she was trying to wave to fans and help the paparazzi get their shot.”

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The insider told the publication that Rowland was trying to set a “clear boundary” with the staffer. “She doesn’t care if she comes across like a diva if she knows that she is advocating for herself. She isn’t fake,” they said.

Cannes has strict policies when it comes to decorum at its screenings. According to Variety, women were allegedly once banned from walking the red carpet if they weren’t wearing heels, although the policy has since changed after the festival received some backlash during its 2015 edition.

In response, Julia Roberts walked the red carpet without shoes in 2016, and other big stars like Kristen Stewart and Susan Sarandon have worn flats.

Last year, Jennifer Lawrence caused a stir when she paired a bright red Christian Dior couture gown with flip-flops at the film festival.

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But Lawrence insisted she wasn’t trying to make “a political statement.”

She told Entertainment Tonight: “I would really like to straighten this out. I was not making a political statement, not that I wouldn’t. I had no idea until it like, came out that there was a whole controversy with people wearing flats, or like, walking down the red carpet barefoot. I had no clue. My shoes were a size too big.”

Meanwhile, Rowland’s viral Cannes moment comes after she stormed off the Today show earlier this year following allegations she had issues with her dressing room. 

“Kelly and her team were not happy. They did not like the dressing room, so they decided to pull her off the show, leaving (co-anchor Hoda Kotb) without a guest host for the 10 a.m. hour,” a source told Page Six.

But a representative who works with Rowland dismissed the claims of diva-like behaviour, telling Entertainment Tonight: “After 28 years of knowing her, Kelly Rowland remains one of the kindest, most amiable humans I have ever met and have had the blessing to represent.”

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