Jessica Alba, Martha Stewart and McCall DaPron face Halloween backlash: What made their Halloween costumes 2026 so controversial?

Jessica Alba's Halloween costume has caused trouble after the actress chose to dress as figure skater Nancy Kerrigan during the 1994 attack. She stood next to a friend who was dressed as Tonya Harding. They both used a baseball bat to make the connection clear. Alba has taken the pictures down from Instagram. They are still, on Threads and X. She is one of the celebrities who have been criticized for their Halloween costumes this year.

Why did Jessica Alba face backlash over her Halloween costume

Alba’s costume recreated the attack on Kerrigan, who was assaulted in January 1994 ahead of the Olympic qualifiers. Kerrigan wore a white figure-skating outfit, ice skates and a bloodstained bandage around her knee in the Halloween photos shared over the weekend.


Her friend Kelly Sawyer dressed as Harding, wearing a sparkly maroon outfit and holding a baseball bat. The costume referred to the attack carried out by Shane Stant, who was hired by Harding’s ex-husband. Harding was never criminally convicted of involvement but was later given a lifetime ban by the U.S. Figure Skating Association.

Alba’s original Instagram caption read, “Happy Halloween from Tonya [Harding] … and Nancy.”


According to the Daily Express and Us Weekly, several followers criticised the choice. One commenter wrote, “Immature. We expect better, Jessica,” while another questioned why they would “revisit this traumatic moment that ended people’s careers” and turn “a Halloween costume out of a victim of an attack.”

However, not everyone agreed with the criticism. Some Reddit users defended the costume, pointing out that the incident happened more than 30 years ago and had already inspired several films.

Alba also referenced her eight-year-old son Hayes, who was dressed as a vampire. The photos are no longer visible on her Instagram account. Her daughter Haven, 15, shared her unicorn costume on Instagram on Sunday. Alba also has an older daughter, Honor, 18, with ex-husband Cash Warren.

Martha Stewart and McCall DaPron also face criticism

Jessica Alba was not the only celebrity whose Halloween look caused a stir. Martha Stewart faced backlash after sharing a photo of herself dressed as an unhoused person. Her costume included torn clothing, dirty makeup and a sign reading, “I Am Hungry. Help Me!!”

After criticism, Stewart posted an apology on Instagram, saying, “It’s hard to admit when you’ve really screwed up. My earlier statement didn’t go far enough. I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry.”

Reality TV personality McCall DaPron also faced criticism after sharing a family costume inspired by the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy. She dressed as Jackie Kennedy in her pink outfit, while her husband, Kirk DaPron, portrayed JFK.

'Mormon Wives' star McCall DaPron is getting slammed for her family's JFK assassination Halloween costumes — backlash forced her to turn off her Instagram comments. https://t.co/ROkGx4bgjn https://t.co/hihgXdeAxC

— Drew Grimaldi (@Grimillionaire) October 31, 2026

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People reported that McCall disabled comments before deleting the post. The incidents have put several celebrity Halloween costumes under scrutiny, with Alba, Stewart and DaPron each facing questions about their choices. The inputs are taken from Cosmopolitan, Page Six and Hollywood Life.