The good, the bad and the sad: Halloween 2022 in the celebscape

“I’m looking forward to playing new roles in future films channelling this energy,” Tara Reid announced on Twitter, sharing a photo of herself dressed as the Queen of Hearts while covered in diamond playing cards. Not quite sure what energy she is referring to (perhaps the energy it takes to stand on two legs?) but a fab addition to this year’s Halloween nonetheless. For famous people, October 31 is more than just a content mill. It’s the Super Bowl of self-branding. An opportunity to flex pop cultural allegiances, originality, and just MAYBE a sense of humour. Look at Kim Kardashian, for example, whose lifelong ambition to be iconoised as a superhero – the Balenciaga bodysuits, the prison reform, the shape-shifting body – reached a new apotheosis when she transformed herself into Mystique. 

What’s that coming over the hill?? Is it a rich person slathered in body paint? Is it Lizzo dressed as a humanoid Marge Simpson? 2022 may not have been the most memorable year for Halloween costumes but it was still better than most of the red carpet looks that celebrities managed to pull over award’s season. Glenn Martens even acquired a new gig as creative director of Spirit Halloween – creating custom pieces for Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who became Toy Story’s Jessie and the Bride of Frankenstein, respectively. More freakish than that, however, was Kim dressing North in one of Michael Jackson’s old “Smooth Criminal” fedora – ensuring her family is forever haunted by the ghouls of Hollywood past, Marilyn-style.

Another person who got their ass up and worked this year was Addison Rae, who dressed as Lady Gaga’s VMAs performance of “Paparazzi” and a 1997 Kate Moss; Janelle Monae, who went as Plavalaguna from Fifth Element; Hayley Baldwin-Bieber, who conjured the spirit of Yves Saint Laurent’s 1999 Haute Couture collection; and MUNA, who performed as Pink Slip (from Freaky Friday). But then Jessie Nelson, Liam Payne, Megan Fox, and Machine Gun Kelly all turned-up as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee independently of one another – which was actually quite a frightening turn of events. Behold! The power of a bottomless budget!! Scroll down below to watch the rest of the glitterati transform themselves into what they think are gruesome beasts.