Massiel Taveras blasts THAT Cannes security guard after red carpet clash over Jesus dress: 'She should go to church!'
Dominican actress Massiel Taveras shared her side of the story following a viral red carpet clash with a female security guard at the Cannes Film Festival in France.
The star 39, suggested that the woman 'should go to church' or 'read the Bible', after the security guard prevented her from unfurling a long train with the image of Jesus on it in front of photographers.
Taveras told TMZ on Tuesday that she believes the woman was trying to stop her form sharing religious imagery at the festival, which took place last month.
The actress said she simply wanted to take one photo in order to give credit to her dress designer and share the message of the dress.
Massiel says that's when the security guard — who also clashed with Kelly Rowland, South Korean singer Yoona and model Sawa Pontyjska — 'grabbed' her and tried to 'push' her.
Dominican actress Massiel Taveras, 39, shared her side of the story following a viral red carpet clash with a female security guard at the Cannes Film Festival in France last month
The star suggested that the woman 'should go to church' or 'read the Bible', after the security guard prevented her from unfurling a long train with the image of Jesus on it
Massiel says the way she was treated wasn't 'right', adding that while it was happening she thought to herself, 'leave me alone.'
After she climbed up the famous Cannes staircase Massiel was told she couldn't come inside by a male security guard.
'I said "Why? This is Jesus Christ's face,"' the actress stated, adding, 'I have an invitation for one year in advance.'
'They didn't let me in the main room. They said "no, if you want to go in, go to the balcony." I'm like okay, fine.'
'It really felt weird. I've never had that situation before. And I think people like the fact that I did that because it shows there's boundaries in life. And, as Kelly did, I stood my ground. We did the same.'
Taveras then claimed the security guard did not want to see Christ's face.
'If you see the video, she's like covering her face,' she said of the security guard, before adding, 'She should go to church or read the Bible.'
Footage of the spat showed Taveras defy instructions and throw the train of her dress down the stairs, before the situation escalated to the actress shoving the female security guard as she walked into the event.
In the video of Taveras' confrontation, the actress seemed to plan to unravel her huge train down the steps, but was quickly stopped by the female security guard sticking out her arm.
As other staffers helped lay out the dress while Taveras waved to fans, she grew angry as the security guard kept her arm out in front of her posing.
Taveras told TMZ on Tuesday that she believes the woman was trying to stop her form sharing religious imagery at the festival
Massiel says the security guard 'grabbed' her and tried to 'push' her
Taveras claimed the security guard did not want to see Christ's face. 'If you see the video, she's like covering her face,' she said, before adding, 'She should go to church or read the Bible'
The two exchanged a few words on the red carpet as staff pulled the train up the stairs, before Taveras took the end of the dress from another guard and threw it to the floor in frustration.
The female security guard kept her arm close to Taveras as she escorted her up the stairs, although it is unclear what the reason was for the guard to tail her so closely.
When she reached the top of the stairs, Taveras - who was previously crowned Miss Dominican Republic and competed at Miss Universe - struggled to unfurl the train of her dress.
This led her to berate the security guard when she tried to step in, throwing her arms up in frustration.
After the dress finally disentangled, Taveras waved to her fans - but the female security guard kept her arm across the actress, and appeared to jostle her towards the entrance.
That move sparked an angry reaction from Taveras as she shoved the security guard away from her, before sticking up her finger and scowling at her.
It is unclear why Taveras was confronted by the security guard, three days after the staffer also raised eyebrows with her spat with Rowland.
The singer expressed shock at her treatment on the red carpet, and pointed to racism as being the reason she was targeted.
She suggested that '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 at the center of the Cannes spotlight insisted to DailyMail.com that she was acting appropriately and was 'only doing her job.'
The same security guard also clashed with Kelly Rowland three days earlier. The singer pointed to racism as being the reason she was targeted
The same woman also blocked South Korean singer Yoona's red carpet photos, in another viral moment
Elsewhere, a Ukranian model was kicked out by the same guard, but was seen fighting with the worker to get back on the stairs
'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 a Festival staff veteran, who has been working in the resort every May for 20 years.
'There was no pushing or shoving, or scolding,' he said. '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.
The usher has not been publicly identified, but she is known to be a local Frenchwoman on a short term contract with the week-long Festival.
The source added: 'Suggestions of racism are just ridiculous – visitors, and indeed staff at Cannes come from all kinds of backgrounds, and none are discriminated against.'
Following the staffer's viral run-in with Rowland, Massiel and K-pop star Yoona, fans of the stars called for the guard to be fired from her position as they accused her of chasing fame and 'disrespecting women.'
'She turned herself into the world's most hated security guard,' one X user wrote while others expressed their rage over how the minder was seemingly only 'aggressive with women of color.'
Another wrote: 'This lady is a STRAIGHT up HATER... first Kelly Rowland and NOW Massiel Taveras........ she needs to be TERMINATED.'
'Putting yourself in someone's personal space is not doing your job,' a third wrote. 'It's seems such a coincidence that it is always the same security guard that is giving the same issue. The job does not require them to become the news unless they are doing on purpose... #15Secondsoffame.'
'Like seriously why is @Festival_Cannes allowing their crazy security guards to tackle & harass guests like this?' a fourth asked. 'People should just boycott this spectacle until they learn respect. This same security guard has been harassing guests for years!'
Others stated, whether or not she was aware, the guard was putting a 'target on her forehead by rushing everyone on the red carpet.'
Following the staffer's viral run-in with Rowland, Taveras and others, fans of the stars are calling for the guard to be fired from her position
'She turned herself into the world's most hated security guard,' one X user wrote while others expressed their rage over seemingly being 'aggressive with women of color'
'Putting yourself in someone's personal space is not doing your job,' a third wrote
'Like seriously why is @Festival_Cannes allowing their crazy security guards to tackle & harass guests like this?' a fourth asked
Others stated, whether or not she was aware, the guard was putting a 'target on her forehead by rushing everyone on the red carpet'
Another shared a meme of a priest getting tackled, which they compared to the security guard blocking celebrities from posing
Some pointed out that the guard only seemed to be acting 'aggressive with women of color'
A small handful of X users, however, expressed sympathy for the woman, who they said was just 'enforcing the rules of the event'
A small handful of X users, however, expressed sympathy for the woman, who they said was just 'enforcing the rules of the event.'
'This Cannes film festival security guard needs a pay raise asap,' one X user suggested.
The growing backlash online comes after the same Cannes security guard, that clashed with Rowland, purposefully blocked Yoona's red carpet photos.
The K-pop star-turned-actress, 33, was preparing to pose for pictures on the iconic red stairs when she was stopped by the security guard.
The incident came just days after the same guard was scolded by Rowland on the red carpet, which the Destiny's Child implied was due to racism while the staffer's colleagues insisted she was 'only doing her job.'
Elsewhere, a Ukranian model was kicked out by the same guard, but was seen fighting with the worker to get back on the stairs.
