Cannes Film Festival: Actor Massiel Taveras shoves security on red carpet following guard's altercation with pop icon Kelly Rowland earlier in week

A red-carpet row has broken out over security guards ushering celebrities up a staircase at the Cannes Film Festival. On Thursday (May 23), pop icon Kelly Rowland was seen confronting a member of security staff as she arrived at the premiere of French film Marcello Mio.

After the guard continued to usher the star up a long range of steps to the theatre, the Motivation singer was caught on camera turning and sternly scolding the guard, including raising her finger towards her. Then, on Saturday, Dominican actor and TV presenter Massiel Taveras appeared to struggle when the same security guard prompted her to make the same walk.

This time, ahead of the premiere of French film The Count of Monte Cristo, the star was prevented from unfurling her metres-long dress, which featured a picture of Jesus. The pair appeared to bicker as the guard ushered the star up the steps, and things came to a head at the top of the steps as she tried one final time to unfurl the huge, Christ-emblazoned train.

Things got physical as the guard was shoved away by the actor, having seemingly been pushed towards the entrance of the theatre. Asked about the incident later, Taveras said "there were other women who attended that carpet, who did not quite look like me, and they didn't get scolded or pushed off or told to get off".

However, colleagues of the security guard said the worker was "only doing her job".

"She was an usher working under a lot of pressure to keep people on the carpet moving, so as to stop crowds building up," said one member of Cannes staff.

"There was no pushing or shoving, or scolding. Security and safety are the priorities, along with keeping to strict timetables set according to contracts – even the celebrities have to stick to the rules.

“Lots of ushers are involved, and they always act professionally and with politeness. In this case, the usher was certainly only doing her job – she didn't do anything wrong."

They added: "Suggestions of racism are just ridiculous – visitors, and indeed staff at Cannes come from all kinds of backgrounds, and none are discriminated against."