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

'Assassin's Creed' had previously been adapted for the big screen by a 20th Century Fox movie in 2016, but it failed to live up to the expectations.
11 hours ago
The Star Wars character was one of the marquee names in attendance, sitting next to Kate Hudson during the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday.
15 hours ago
From Michael B. Jordan winning his first Oscar to Sean Penn's no-show and a rare tie, here's a look at some of the surprises and shocking snubs this year
16 hours ago
Oscar nominees are treated to some of the most extravagant gifts from Distinctive Assets, a marketing firm in Los Angeles
18 hours ago
The 98th Academy Awards saw Michael B. Jordan and Jessie Buckley walk away with top honors, winning the Best Actor and Actress Awards, respectively
20 hours ago
Morse's character will threaten the McLusky family's control over Kingstown in the next season of the series
20 hours ago
The sequel series was first announced as a pilot order at Hulu last February, with 'Hamnet' director Chloé Zhao at the helm
21 hours ago
Amy Madigan's portrayal of Aunt Gladys saw her win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at the 98th Academy Awards on Sunday
22 hours ago
The TV special will see 18 former Bachelorettes welcome Taylor Frankie Paul before she takes center stage in Season 22
23 hours ago
Ahead of Season 8, the bigger question on fans' minds is if Dan Brady die sin 'Virgin River' Season 7 finale
2 days ago