Kelly Rowland Addresses Heated Incident at Cannes: 'I Have a Boundary'

Kelly Rowland has responded after she was photographed looking visibly upset with a security guard at Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday.

Kelly Rowland is opening up about the now-viral verbal altercation she had with a security guard at the 77th Annual Cannes Film Festival this week.

In a new interview with AP Entertainment, the singer, 43, explained that the incident seen in video and photos -- which show her visibly upset as she ascended the steps of the Palais des Festivals to attend the Marcello Mio premiere -- was all about a boundary that was crossed.

"The woman knows what happened. I know what happened. And, I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it," Rowland -- a founding member of Destiny's Child -- told the outlet, adding that she believes the guard was hostile with her more than anyone else. 

"And there were other women that attended that carpet who did not quite look like me, and they didn't get scolded, or pushed off or told to get off. And, I stood my ground and she felt like she had to stand hers but I stood my ground and that was it," the actress, who recently appeared in Freeform's Grown-ish, continued.

After the video began to make the rounds on social media, internet sleuths and lip readers quickly began to examine the footage and speculated that Rowland -- who was being ushered through the carpet by the guard who had her arm behind the singer's back -- told the woman, "Don't talk to me like that."

At one point in the clip, the train of Rowland's custom red gown by Anamika Khanna was stepped on and the security guard appeared to make a comment which she took issue with. The singer quickly turned to the guard on the left of her and sternly addressed the situation, pointing her finger in the face of the other woman. 

ET immediately reached out to Rowland's rep for comment but did not hear back. 

Kelly Rowland involved in an altercation with a security guard outside of the "Marcello Mio" Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 21, 2024 in Cannes, France - Entertainment Tonight
Kelly Rowland and a security guard on the "Marcello Mio" Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 21, 2024 in Cannes, France - Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Kelly Rowland attends the "Marcello Mio" Red Carpet at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival - Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Rowland's appearance at Cannes -- which came via a partnership with fragrance brand Kilian Paris -- comes months after she starred in a major film of her own, collaborating with Tyler Perry in his Netflix drama, Mea Culpa. The role was a breakout for the singer who has previously appeared in TV projects like The Equalizer and L.A.'s Finest

In the film, she stars as criminal defense attorney Mea Harper who takes on the murder case against an artist accused of killing his girlfriend. She spoke with ET earlier this year about the role and the opportunity to work with Perry, 54, after years of admiring his work as a filmmaker.

"I was floored, one, with how focused he was and how he saw things in his brain before they happened. So I watched him assess the space and know where to go. His energy and how he maneuvers through a space in a scene is like... I just want to be a fly on the wall, just to know what he's thinking," Rowland gushed. "I just love him. His Virgo qualities are just too strong not to love. And I love that he trusts his instincts."

Tyler Perry and Kelly Rowland at the "Mea Culpa" premiere in February - Getty Images

While promoting the project, Rowland came under fire after reports emerged that she left the Today show set -- where she was supposed to guest host the fourth hour of Today alongside Hoda Kotb -- over a problem with her dressing room. Rita Ora ultimately stepped in at the last minute to fill the spot. 

In a statement to ET at the time, Rowland's rep, Yvette Noel-Schure, said, "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." 

For her own part, Ora, 33, posted a photo of her own after the quick schedule change, thanking the team at Today for the opportunity. 

"Well, this happened! We had two minutes to prepare ahhh, thank you @hodaandjenna for asking me to co-host the show," she captioned a photo of her on the Today set.

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