Katy Perry’s Ariel costume caused one major moment on 'American Idol' no one saw coming

A worried Ryan Seacrest rushed to the judges' table to help Katy Perry and asked, "Are you okay? Are you okay?"
PUBLISHED APR 26, 2025
Katy Perry in the costume of Ariel in 'American Idol'  (Cover Image Source: (L-R) YouTube | Hollywood Bench; Instagram | @katyperry)
Katy Perry in the costume of Ariel in 'American Idol' (Cover Image Source: (L-R) YouTube | Hollywood Bench; Instagram | @katyperry)

Mishaps on TV are commonplace when it comes to a reality show like 'American Idol' and are perhaps one of the most fun and engaging parts of watching a reality show that keeps viewers hooked. However, during one of these unfiltered parts, a truly hilarious moment unfolded with Katy Perry. In an episode of May 2022, back when Perry was still a part of the show, a special Disney Night episode aired as Perry dressed up as Ariel from 'The Little Mermaid.'



 

Donning a bright red wig and a massive green fin, the cosplay was so accurate, even the live-action movie would fail in front of it. However, this is where things went wrong. In a truly hilarious moment, as Ryan Seacrest was speaking on stage, Perry suddenly toppled backwards in her chair. This was likely due to her legs being confined inside the fin, which restricted her movement. The crowd erupted in laughter as Luke Bryan, barely containing his own, grabbed the pop star with one arm as Lionel Richie reached for the other arm as the two picked the pop star back to her feet.


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)


 

All this while, Seacrest rushed to the judges' table to help Perry and asked, "Are you okay? Are you okay?" To which Katy answered, "Yes." As the trio all worked together to pick Perry up, she smiled and waved at the camera, holding on to the iconic fork from the animated movie in her other hand. As the star finally got up, everyone rose to their feet and chanted "Katy!" in unison. Perry even uploaded the entire clip of her fall on her Instagram with the caption "Flippin’ your fins, you don’t get too far. Swipe to see what almost accidentally killed @lionelrichie 🫣#americanidol."


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)


 

The artist even uploaded the video of how she got into the beautiful costume, tagging everyone part of the crew who helped her, as reported by People. The costume was quite limiting in movement from the beginning. This was showcased in the last slide, which had a hilarious video of Bryan and Richie rolling Perry onto the stage in a two-wheeled dolly with the caption "Some BTS of a lil Sunday sushi #americanidol."



 

In one of the images, you could even see Perry's beloved dog, Nugget, dressed as Flounder, Ariel's best friend from 'The Little Mermaid.' Surprisingly, this is not the first time Perry is dressing up as a Disney character on 'Idol.' The 'E.T.' singer has gone on to dress as Tinker Bell, Snow White, and even Ariel's arch nemesis, Ursula, all with purple face paint and a sequined black and purple tentacled ensemble.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

'NCIS' Episode 500 delivers a shocking death, a surprise younger cameo, and a subtle callback to a beloved former character
3 hours ago
'Grey’s Anatomy' Season 22 episode 16 teases a life-threatening crisis for Owen Hunt’s mother, leaving her fate uncertain.
4 hours ago
While FX and Hulu haven't officially greenlit Season 2 of Ryan Murphy's anthology show yet, these are the couples it could be based on.
7 hours ago
The miniseries was filmed entirely in New York and used several real-life locations from the couple's lives to add authenticity to the drama.
9 hours ago
The latest episode of 'The Pitt' sees Samira help an elderly couple, Eddie and Frida Cohen, who visit the ER
13 hours ago
The latest episode covers the last hour of the day shift, as Robby’s worries grow ahead of his upcoming sabbatical
15 hours ago
‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’ ends on a tragic note as a flight to Martha’s Vineyard changes everything
16 hours ago
The new animated spin-off series is set between the events of Seasons 2 and 3 of 'Stranger Things'
17 hours ago
Season 2 will feature Lucy Boynton, Babou Ceesay, and Peter Mullan in key roles alongside Dexter Sol Ansell and Peter Claffey
18 hours ago
'Running Point' draws inspiration from the real-life tales of Lakers owner and president Jeanie Buss, and is set to return with Season 2.
1 day ago