Infamous Celebrity Halloween Costumes Throughout History: Julianne Hough, Ashley Benson and Beyond
Controversial celebrity Halloween costumes through the years: From Heidi Klum to Chris Brown, explore the shocking outfit choices of Julianne Hough, Ashley Benson, and more Discover the most talked-about looks that ignited debates and sparked headlines
Not all celebrity Halloween costumes are well-received, and certain outfits can lead to significant fan backlash.
Julianne Hough faced mixed reviews in 2013 when she chose to dress up as Crazy Eyes, Uzo Aduba's character from Orange Is the New Black. Hough wore an orange prison jumpsuit, recreated Crazy Eyes' signature knotted hairstyle, and applied brown face paint. This choice resulted in accusations of blackface from some individuals.
Hough wrote on social media in October 2013, expressing her admiration for the show "Orange Is the New Black," actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she portrays. She apologized for her costume choice, emphasizing that her intention was never to disrespect or demean anyone. She acknowledged that her costume had caused harm and offended people, and offered a sincere apology.
In November 2013, Aduba addressed the controversial incident during an interview with E! News. She mentioned that she held no ill feelings towards Hough, considering it to be an unfortunate event. Aduba accepted Hough's apology and believed it was time to move forward.
Scroll down to see which other celebrities have received backlash for their Halloween costumes:
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Most Controversial Celebrity Halloween Costumes Over the Years: Julianne Hough, Ashley Benson and More
Some celebrity Halloween costumes spark controversy and receive backlash from fans. In 2013, Julianne Hough faced mixed reviews for her costume, inspired by Uzo Aduba's character Crazy Eyes from Orange Is the New Black. Hough wore an orange jail jumpsuit, recreated Crazy Eyes' distinctive knotted hairstyle, and applied brown face paint. However, her choice resulted in accusations of wearing blackface.
In October 2013, Hough expressed her admiration for the show "Orange Is the New Black", actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she portrays. She apologized via social media for her costume choice, acknowledging that it was never her intention to disrespect or belittle anyone. Hough recognized that her costume had caused hurt and offense, and sincerely apologized for it.
In November 2013, Aduba addressed the controversial costume and stated to E! News that she held no grudge against Hough. She viewed the incident as unfortunate, but appreciated Hough's apology and believed that it was time to move on.
Scroll down to see which other celebrities have received backlash for their Halloween costumes:
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Heidi Klum
In 2008, the queen of Halloween upset Hindus when she dressed as Goddess Kali, a sacred Hindu deity.
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Adrianne Curry
The VH1 star dressed up as Amy Winehouse and referred to the late singer’s drug and alcohol issues by pretending to shoot up with a faux syringe in 2009.
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Heidi and Spencer Pratt
In 2009, the Hills couple dressed as controversial TLC exes Jon and Kate Gosselin. Their costume included eight baby dolls, and, of course, an Ed Hardy shirt.
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Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi
The Jersey Shore alum went as a missing girl in 2010.
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Paris Hilton
The heiress and DJ went as a sexy Indian in Native American garb in 2010 to a Playboy party.
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Chris Brown
In October 2012, the artist in question donned a controversial Halloween costume alongside companions, portraying themselves as members of the Taliban. This act, which undoubtedly provoked a negative reaction from some, prompted Brown to offer a partial apology. In an interview with Power 106, he explained that it was merely a costume and drew a parallel to the way children are often dressed up as satanic beings, demons, or mythical creatures.
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Rihanna
The same year her now ex-boyfriend Chris Brown caused a frenzy, Rihanna also turned heads as she dressed up as marijuana for Halloween in 2012 and carried a weed bouquet.
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Julianne Hough
In October 2013, Hough caused controversy when she dressed up as Crazy Eyes from Orange Is the New Black for a Halloween party. Fans were upset when she wore blackface along with her orange jumpsuit. Hough took to Twitter a few days later to apologize, expressing her admiration for the show, actress Uzo Aduba, and the character she portrayed. She clarified that she never intended to be disrespectful or demeaning towards anyone and acknowledged that her costume had hurt and offended people. She sincerely apologized for her actions.
Credit: Courtesy of Khloe Kardashian
Khloe Kardashian and Scott Disick
Kardashian was bombarded with hate after she captioned a photo of herself dressed as a cat and Disick as an Arab sheik “sheik p—y” on Instagram in October 2014.
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Lily Allen
The British singer dressed as a gynecologist in 2014 to mock producer Dr. Luke and Kesha’s ongoing sexual assault lawsuit.
Credit: Courtesy of Ashley Benson
Ashley Benson
The actress from Pretty Little Liars faced intense criticism on Instagram when she shared a picture of herself dressed as a lion and mentioned Cecil the Lion, a victim of illegal hunting, in 2015. Benson subsequently issued an apology, clarifying that her management had written the caption for the photo with her consent.
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Harry Hamlin
The Veronica Mars actor caused controversy in 2015 when he attended the Halloween party hosted by Casamigos. He dressed as Sid Vicious, the late rocker from the Sex Pistols, and wore a shirt that displayed a swastika. His wife, Lisa Rinna, also attended the party dressed as Vicious' girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. After receiving backlash, Rinna took to Instagram in November 2015 to apologize for the offensive shirt and expressed that their intention was to be authentic to the characters of Sid and Nancy, not to hurt or offend anyone. She and her husband deeply regretted the offense caused and apologized sincerely.
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Hilary Duff and Jason Walsh
In October 2016, Duff and her then-boyfriend went public with their relationship at the Casamigos Halloween Party. However, their choice of costumes caused a significant controversy on social media. Duff dressed as a sexy pilgrim, while her boyfriend wore a Native American chief costume. This led to accusations of cultural appropriation. Recognizing the impact of their actions, Duff later took to Twitter to express her sincere apology, acknowledging that her costume choice was not well thought out and expressing remorse for any offense caused.
Credit: Courtesy of Luann de Lesseps/Instagram
Luann De Lesseps
In 2017, during Halloween,
Luann De Lesseps
, from The Real Housewives of New York City, decided to dress up as Diana Ross. However, after the episode was broadcasted, viewers expressed their disapproval of her choice to wear dark face makeup, resulting in a barrage of negative comments.
"I was appalled!" exclaimed the television personality, while making an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in April 2018. She clarified that although she had applied bronzer to her face, it was never her intention to deliberately engage in blackface. "My aim was never to cause any distress. I hold a deep admiration for Diana Ross and have the utmost respect for her. This choice was sincerely meant as a tribute to her during the Halloween season."
