Hollywood actress Jessica Alba swiftly deleted photos of her Halloween costume this year after receiving an overwhelming amount of criticism. According to the New York Post, Alba shared photos on Instagram dressed as former competitive figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, with a bloodied bandage around her knee. Next to Alba stood a friend dressed as Kerrigan’s former ice skating rival, Tony Harding, holding a baseball bat.
The costumes were in reference to the infamous attack on Kerrigan in January 1994, in which a man struck her on the knee with a police baton at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan, following a practice session and just before the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The attack was planned by Harding’s ex-husband. Though Harding was never criminally convicted, she was given a lifetime ban from the U.S. Figure Skating Association.
Jessica Alba Removes Halloween Photos Dressed as Nancy Kerrigan After 1994 Attack
Jessica Alba based her Halloween costume this year on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. In now-deleted photos on Instagram, she was seen dressed in a white figure skating ensemble, tights, ice skates, and a bloodied, bandaged knee. Next to the actress, stood her friend, Kelly Sawyer, who dressed as Kerrigan’s then-rival, Tonya Harding, dressed in a red figure skating look and holding a baseball bat.
“Happy Halloween from Tonya [Harding] … and Nancy,” Alba captioned her Halloween post.
Of course, most fans know about the infamous attack on Kerrigan, a plot devised by Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, in which he hired a man who struck Kerrigan in the knee with a baton in January 1994, forcing her to withdraw from the U.S. Championships.
Before Alba took down her post, she was met with mixed reactions from her Instagram followers. According to the NY Post, a few followers found her Halloween costume distasteful.
“Immature. We expect better, Jessica,” a person wrote, while another shared, “making a Halloween costume out of a victim of an attack.”
However, there were also commentators who believed her costume was fine, considering that the attack happened so long ago. “Eh. It’s been over 30 years; there’s been two feature films and, like, five made-for-TV movies about it,” a comment read.
Alba Isn’t the Only Celebrity Facing Criticism for Their Halloween Costume This Year
Alba wasn’t the only Hollywood star who took heat for her Halloween costume this year. Businesswoman Martha Stewart faced serious backlash when she shared a post on Instagram seemingly dressed as a homeless person, wearing torn clothes, appearing to look dirty, and holding up a sign that read: “I am hungry. Help me.”
After learning of the immense hate for the photo, Stewart told People that her initial intent was to draw awareness to homelessness. “I am distressed that my Halloween costume yesterday, which was intended to bring more awareness to the very serious subject of homelessness, has offended people, which was never my intention,” she said.
Still, it all felt extremely out of touch, with Stewart later issuing an apology. “My earlier statement didn’t go far enough,” Stewart wrote on Instagram (via the New York Times). “I know many people are suffering economically. Wearing a costume like I did was insensitive and not funny. I am very sorry.”
Jessica Alba’s Halloween Costume Leaves Fans Divided as She Deletes Photos