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

Lamar Odom's life comes under renewed attention, including his net worth, after the release of his Netflix documentary
18 minutes ago
The 'One Chicago' shows on NBC are affected, along with other networks like ABC, CBS, and Fox, to air President Trump's live address to the nation
40 minutes ago
Kate Bishop faced Kingpin in a fight that didn't have a conclusive winner, but why is she seen missing from 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2?
15 hours ago
Pippa Fitz-Amobi began her adventures on the debut season of 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder' by investigating mysterious disappearances in her town.
16 hours ago
As ‘High Potential’ nears its finale, secrets around Roman, tangled relationships, and a risky case hint at answers that could change everything.
17 hours ago
In 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 1, this fan-favorite character teamed up with Daredevil to bring down Wilson Fisk, but has not been seen since.
17 hours ago
James Clarke (Jon Beavers), a suburban father, turns to Colter Shaw's exceptional skills for his help in the latest episode of 'Tracker.'
17 hours ago
Noah Kahan made a major breakthrough following the release of 'Stick Season,' which he later turned into an album.
18 hours ago
‘Shrinking’ Season 3 episode 10 sees Jimmy spiral as Paul plans to leave and unresolved father issues resurface.
18 hours ago
The team continues to reel with shock in the aftermath of director Leon Vance's shocking and sudden death in 'NCIS' Season 23 episode 14.
19 hours ago