Stars swap roles for Halloween
Actors and musicians dressed as icons, family members, and fictional characters during the October 31 celebrations.
By Aisha Saeed ·
The NBC Today show hosted a centennial-themed Halloween event at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Friday. The morning show team recreated memorable programming from the network's first 100 years. Savannah Guthrie led a group of costumed colleagues as an NBC page. She was joined by Willie Geist dressed as Johnny Carson, Dylan Dreyer as Jeannie, and Al Roker as Gumby. Later, Guthrie and Jenna Bush Hager appeared as characters from Friends. Jack McBrayer reprised his role as Kenneth Parcell from 30 Rock.
The Live! With Kelly and Mark team presented a New Year's Eve special titled Halloween Shockin' Eve. They featured more than 60 different looks for the episode. Mark Consuelos and Refri Ripa started as Spider-Man and Yelena Belova. They then swapped into costumes from the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. The segment included Lisa Rinna dressed as Kylie Jenner. The real Martha Stewart joined host Craig Melvin, who was dressed as Snoop Dogg.
Paris Hilton recreated Britney Spears' 2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance. She wore the famous latex dress for the look. Kim Kardashian dressed as her daughter, North West. Brandy posed in a Barbie costume. She noted on Instagram that being the first Black woman with a Barbie made in her likeness holds personal meaning. Usher and his family appeared in Toy Story outfits. He shared the photos with a caption reading, "Happy Halloween from the Raymond family."
Janelle Monáe debuted a new character named Phish Boy. The look featured prosthetics that are a signature of her annual costumes. Elizabeth Gillies dressed as Luke from the 1998 film Halloweentown. Tyga appeared as a Martian from the 1996 film Mars Attacks. He also wore a costume as Count Orlok from the 2024 film Nosferatu. Keke Palmer and her three-year-old son recreated the 1995 music video for Scream. The duo paid tribute to Janet and Michael Jackson.
Camila Mendes and Madelaine Petsch dressed as Betty and Wilma from The Flintstones. Rickey Thompson chose a deep cut for his look. He recreated Zendaya's red carpet style from the 2011 premiere of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. The Hollywood Reporter described the event as an ongoing story. They will update the list as more celebrities reveal their costumes throughout the weekend.
The variety of outfits ranged from specific pop culture references to personal tributes. Some stars chose fictional characters from decades past. Others selected current celebrities or family members. The NBC hosts focused on television history. The Live! team focused on recent film and television releases. The individual performers selected looks that matched their personal style or fan interests.
The costumes included specific details from source material. Guthrie wore a page's uniform. Consuelos wore a Spider-Man suit. Hilton wore a latex dress. Rinna wore orange clothing to match Kylie Jenner's look from the Marty Supreme premiere. Thompson wore red carpet attire. Palmer wore black and white outfits to match the Scream music video. The specific choices reflect the source material for each character or celebrity.
The event took place on October 31, 2026. The Today show marked NBC's 100th anniversary. The Live! show honored Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The individual costumes referenced specific years and productions. Monáe's look was new for this year. Gillies' look was a niche choice. Tyga's look was from a 1996 film. Palmer's tribute was from 1995. Mendes and Petsch's look was from the 1960s cartoon. Thompson's look was from 2011.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
