20 Celebrities Who Have Been Called Out for Problematic Halloween Costumes

Celebrity By TooFab Staff | 10/27/2017 12:13 PM PT

Instagram/Getty

These celebrities were all called out and/or criticized for their costume choices -- with some apologizing for their offensive looks.

1 / 21

After Julia Fox was criticized for dressing as Jackie Kennedy following JFK's assassination, she explained on Instagram she wore it as a "statement." Fox wrote: "he refused to change out of her blood-stained clothes, saying, 'I want them to see what they’ve done' ... Her 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."

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2 / 21

Schitt's Creek star Emily Hampshire apologized after dressing up as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard with a friend for Halloween. "I want to address what is one of the most thoughtless, insensitive, and ignorant things I've ever done," she wrote. "For Halloween, I stupidly thought it would be funny to dress as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. I am deeply sorry and ashamed for putting something that awful out in the universe. Domestic abuse is never, ever funny. These are real issues with real people and I REALLY regret my actions. In the future I will do better. I'm so sorry."

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3 / 21

Megan Fox was criticized for breaking SAG-AFTRA's rules about pop culture Halloween costumes amid the ongoing strike in Hollywood. Fox, who seemingly tried to taunt the union by tagging them in photos of her Kill Bill-inspired costume, was called out by other SAG members, including Abbott Elementary star, Lisa Ann Walter. "What a rebel. Keep posturing for stupid s--t, pretty lady," Walter tweeted. "Meanwhile we'll be working 10 hours a day - unpaid - to get basic contract earners a fair deal."

Get a Full Breakdown of the Controversy Here

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4 / 21

Kelly Dodd and husband Rick Leventhal were criticized for dressing as "Alec Baldwin" and a "Native American" for Halloween in 2021, shortly after Baldwin was involved in an accidental shooting death on the set of his film "Rust." Leventhal defended his costume, saying, "In no way was I trying to offend anyone, except Alec Baldwin. He's a jerk and deserves all the heat he's getting." Dodd -- who has claimed in the past she's part Native American -- said her costume was simply a celebration of her heritage. "I think the fashion is beautiful and this was a tribute and celebration," she added.

Instagram

5 / 21

Kenya Moore wore what Real Housewives of Atlanta referred to as a "Native American" costume during a Halloween episode aired in 2021. While she described it as a "warrior princess," she was called out for cultural appropriation on social media. "I want to sincerely apologize for inappropriately wearing the Native American headdress as a costume. I now realize that this was both disrespectful and insensitive and would never have done it if I had that knowledge and understanding beforehand," she said after the uproar. "I regret it. When you know better, you do better. I am genuinely sorry."

See Bravo's Apology Here

Bravo

6 / 21

This wasn't on Halloween, but Kylie Jenner got major backlash in 2019 for throwing a Handmaid's Tale-themed party for BFF Anastasia Karanikolaou. Many on social media called the festivities tone-deaf, considering the show's subject matter.

7 / 21

Brian Grazer was called out on Instagram for his Indigenous person costume, with followers writing things like, "Not woke. If you plan on going as a total douche - you have the right costume!" and "Not cool."

See More of the Backlash and Full Story Here

8 / 21

Hilary Duff apologized after she and boyfriend Jason Walsh dressed as a sexy pilgrim and an Indigenous person in 2016. "I am SO sorry to people I offended with my costume. It was not properly thought through and I am truly, from the bottom of my [heart emoji] sorry."

9 / 21

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend didn't catch much backlash for their costumes back in 2008, but they've since been filed as "offensive" on numerous websites in the years since.

10 / 21

Nicky Hilton was blasted for wearing this stereotypical Indigenous person costume in 2015, seen here with sister Paris Hilton.

11 / 21

Twitter descended on Tomi Lahren for her patriotic Halloween costume, saying she disrespected the flag with her look by violating the United States Flag Code.

See Some of the Brutal Backlash Here

12 / 21

Julianne Hough faced major backlash for sporting blackface to dress as "Crazy Eyes" from "Orange Is the New Black." She later apologized, saying, "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."

Devone Byrd, PacificCoastNews

13 / 21

Colton Haynes did blackface when he dressed as Kanye West in 2011. He apologized, adding it wasn't his intention to offend anyone.

14 / 21

Harry Hamlin apologized for wearing a swastika on his shirt as part of his Sid Vicious costume in 2015: "If I hurt you we were being authentic to the characters of Sid and Nancy for our Halloween costumes. It hurt and angered many of you and we are deeply sorry for that. That was never our intention. We did not mean to offend. With love, Lisa and Harry."

15 / 21

Kylie Jenner caught flack for labeling this costume "Eskimo" on social media, before changing the name to "snow princess" in 2015.

16 / 21

Chris Brown angered fans and critics when he went as a terrorist for Halloween in 2012. ""Ain't nobody F-cking wit my clique!!!!" he captioned the photo.

17 / 21

Scott Disick didn't win too many people over when he dressed as an "Arab Sheik" in 2014.

18 / 21

Heidi Klum was criticized for dressing as the Hindu goddess Kali, with Hindi leaders calling for an apology.

19 / 21

Ashley Tisdale was criticized for sexualizing Dia De Los Muertos with her look in 2016. She clapped back to haters saying, "My husband is half Mexican and wasn't offended."

20 / 21

Ashley Benson thought it was wise to ask, "What do you guys think of this cecil the lion costume?" after putting on this getup in 2015. Cecil was famously shot and killed by an American dentist that same year.

21 / 21

Tia Mowry didn't make many waves in this costume when she first wore it either, but has also popped up on quite a few "offensive Halloween costume" lists in the years since.

20 Celebrities Who Have Been Called Out for Problematic Halloween Costumes

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