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.

RELATED TOPICS AMERICAN IDOL (2002)

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Gabriel Basso starrer ‘The Night Agent’ Season 4 hangs in the balance as secret plans quietly take shape behind closed doors.
49 minutes ago
Netflix's latest trailer of 'Beauty In Black’ Season 2 Part 2 teases the massive power struggle that has been in the offing for some time now.
11 hours ago
A missing heir, a witch’s legend, and a town full of secrets collide in Crave’s eerie new drama starring Hudson Williams
11 hours ago
Milo Ventimiglia's cop drama 'American Blue' marks his first TV project after last starring in ABC's canceled show 'The Company You Keep.'
13 hours ago
The singing competition series has some epic theme nights and electric performances with exciting themes in store this season.
14 hours ago
The Robert's Rebellion episode of 'Game of Thrones: The Mad King' will be adapted for the stage after the success of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' and 'House of the Dragon.'
14 hours ago
Sela Ward's surprise debut role on ‘The Rookie' will force 'Chenford' to confront family baggage and new tensions.
18 hours ago
A blazing new image of Rhaenyra drops as HBO confirms the long-awaited summer return of the Targaryen war
21 hours ago
Amber Morrison faces accusations of lying about her age, and fans can't stop questioning her motives
1 day ago
Apple TV's latest crime thriller, 'Imperfect Women,' sees Kate Mara, Elisabeth Moss, and Kerry Washington find their bond shattered after Mara's death.
1 day ago