Jessica Alba reportedly removed her Halloween costume photos from Instagram after criticism over a recreation of the 1994 attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.
The controversy centered on a Halloween photograph featuring Alba, 45, and her friend Kelly Sawyer. Alba wore an outfit inspired by Kerrigan’s skating costume, while Sawyer dressed as Harding in a maroon ensemble.
The image’s caption read, “Happy Halloween from Tonya … and Nancy.” It also referenced Alba’s eight-year-old son, Hayes, who was dressed as a vampire.
The costume recreated a notorious incident from January 1994, when Kerrigan was attacked with a police baton ahead of the Olympic qualifying competition. The assault forced the figure skater to withdraw from the event.
The incident involved Shane Stant, who was hired by Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, to attack Kerrigan. Harding was never criminally convicted of involvement but received a lifetime ban from the U.S. Figure Skating Association.
Why the Costume Drew Criticism
Several Instagram users questioned the decision to turn a traumatic sporting incident into a Halloween costume.
One commenter wrote, “Immature. We expect better, Jessica,” while another criticized the decision to revisit an incident that affected people’s careers.
The backlash also prompted comparisons with Martha Stewart’s Halloween costume, which reportedly drew criticism for its portrayal of an unhoused person.
However, reactions were not entirely negative. Some Reddit users defended Alba, arguing that the incident happened more than three decades ago and has already been depicted in multiple films and television productions.
Where Are Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding Now?
Both former figure skaters remain connected to the sport in different ways.
Harding, 55, has announced plans to return to skating and is preparing for a Vancouver show titled “Tonya and Friends.”
Kerrigan, meanwhile, published a children’s book, Stronger Than She Thinks, in December 2023. The story follows an eight-year-old aspiring skater named Nancy as she works toward mastering her first axel jump.
Alba’s representative had not immediately responded to Page Six’s request for comment at the time of its report.
SOURCES:
Page Six
US Magazine
