Most controversial celebrity Halloween costumes that sparked outrage
While dressing up for Halloween is a fun part of the festivities, sometimes some people have taken it too far with their costumes.
Coming up with an inventive and witty costume idea is all part of the fun, whether it's trying to create a pun in your costume, like a 'cereal killer' or zombie-like 'ex wife'.
But while it's a time of year to let loose and have fun, there are still some costumes which can cross certain boundaries.
For example, costumes mimicking indigenous people in North America have previously been a popular choice, but are now widely regarded as inappropriate and offensive, especially using certain garments like war bonnets which have a very specific cultural significance.
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Unfortunately, sometimes celebrities have donned costumes which ended up causing widespread controversy, for a variety of reasons.
Julia Fox as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Dressing as a historical figure is not itself a problem, though some historical figures are probably best avoided, but in the case of Julia Fox's' costume as Jackie Kennedy, it wasn't so much the historical figure as the historical context.
At a Halloween party in New York, Fox donned a replica of a pink Chanel suit, which was intended to look like the one that the First Lady was wearing when John F Kennedy was assassinated in Texas, and even had 'bloodstains' on it.
Jackie Kennedy famously continued to wear the suit after her husband's death, with one iconic photo showing her still wearing the outfit stained with her husband's blood as Vice President Lyndon B Johnson was sworn in as president.
Fox took to social media after the controversy, writing: "[Jacqueline's] decision not to change clothes, even after being encouraged to, was an act of extraordinary bravery.
"It was performance, protest, and mourning all at once. A woman weaponizing image and grace to expose brutality. It's about trauma, power, and how femininity itself is a form of resistance."
Heidi Klum as Kali
Heidi Klum sparked outrage when she dressed up as an interpretation of the Hindu goddess Kali, including blue body paint, extra arms, and a belt made of human heads and hands, as the goddess is often depicted in illustrations.
Kali is a widely misunderstood deity in Hinduism in western countries, often misinterpreted as being bloodthirsty, aggressive, and even demonic.
In fact, Kali is worshipped as a Divine Mother, embodying a sacred feminine energy, with her association with violence and destruction being a reflection of her connection to the realities of life.
While she is a Goddess who does not suffer fools, Kali is deeply protective and is of particular importance to women.
So needless to say Klum dressing as Kali for a Halloween costume was seen as disrespectful.
Colton Haynes as Kanye West
In 2011 actor Colton Haynes, known for his role in Teen Wolf, dressed as Kanye West for Halloween.
Haynes is white, and wore blackface in the costume, drawing serious criticism.
Blackface has a long association with perpetuating racist stereotypes and caricatures, particularly in minstrel shows in the US where white performers would act out racist tropes of how black people speak and behave.
Haynes issued an apology after the controversy.
Julianne Hough as Crazy Eyes
This is another example where a celebrity wore blackface as part of a Halloween costume.
Hough dressed as the character Crazy Eyes from the show Orange is the New Black, which follows the traumas and experiences of women who are in prison.
The character was played by Uzo Aduba, and Hough insisted in an apology that she did not intend to be 'disrespectful' when she wore blackface.
"I am a huge fan of the show 'Orange is the New Black,' actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she has created," Hough wrote in an apology.
"It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way. I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize."
Chris Brown as a terrorist
Rapper Chris Brown caused controversy after dressing as a 'terrorist' in 2012, sharing a photo to his Instagram page which included him and his associates wearing turbans and large false beards, and brandishing a replica assault rifle.
The costume, which Brown wore to Rihanna's Halloween party in 2012, was slammed online over its stereotypical depiction of Arab dress.
Megan Fox and MGK Kill Bill
Fox and her partner at the time Machine Gun Kelly donned the costumes from the iconic Tarantino movie Kill Bill.
While the costumes in themselves were not offensive in the same way that others on this list were, they drew criticism for a different reason.
The pair donned the costumes in 2023 in the midst of the SAG-AFTRA strikes that were sweeping Hollywood over pay and conditions as well as proper regulations on the use of AI.
Part of the strike was Halloween guidelines from SAG-AFTRA which advised people to avoid publicly representing characters from studios which were being targeted by strikes, which included Kill Bill.
As a result, Fox and MGK were criticised by the union for symbolically crossing the picket line of their fellow show business colleagues by wearing the costumes, though criticism of them was in turn met with a strong reaction.
Kit Roberts