New York: Halloween night once again belonged to supermodel and television host Heidi Klum, who returned with her highly anticipated 24th Annual Halloween Party, presented by Butterfinger, at the Hard Rock Hotel New York on Oct. 31. Known as one of the most talked-about celebrity parties of the year, the red carpet offered no shortage of extravagant costumes, playful themes, and spooky surprises.
While the crowd leaned into skeleton motifs and gothic glam, it was the splash of creative pop-culture references and bold transformations that stole attention.
A Halloween Carpet Packed With Star Power
Among the first to arrive was Glee alum Darren Criss, who leaned fully into animated nostalgia with a surprisingly accurate Shrek ensemble. His wife, Mia Swier, complemented the theme as a stylish and feline-sharp Puss in Boots, making them one of the most photographed duos of the night.
Social media favorites Jett Puckett and Campbell “Pookie” Puckett chose a retro throwback, channeling cultural icons Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley—a fitting nod in a year rich with Presley headlines.
Actress and musician Rei Ami, fresh off Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, took a meta route by dressing as her own streaming-series character, blending performance art with red-carpet fun.
Heidi Klum, Queen of Halloween
Klum’s Halloween dominance is no secret. Speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the Project Runway star admitted she began planning her look in August.
“I’m gonna be extra ugly and super scary,” she teased. “Let’s not ruin it… we still had 86 days—but who’s counting?”
Klum looked back at her earliest costumes—when special-effects help was limited—and jokingly criticized the lack of creativity in her first year.
“This is boring,” she said of her early attempt. “I didn’t know anyone who did prosthetics back then.”
A Decade of Extreme Transformations
Today, Klum partners with prosthetics expert Mike Morano, the creative force behind her viral transformations including:
Jessica Rabbit,
A hyper-realistic worm,
And several recent creature concepts.
Her devotion to high-effort, jaw-dropping disguises has inspired her guest list to raise the bar annually.
In a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Klum revealed the philosophy behind the madness:
“As the host, I always hoped that my crazy outfits would encourage everyone to go bigger. And it’s worked.”
Celebrity Guest Roll Call
Some of the most notable attendees spotted at the event included:
Tom Kaulitz & Heidi Klum
Ariana Madix
Remi Bader
Alexis Ren
Coco Austin & Ice-T
Gigi Gorgeous
Amaya “Papaya” Espinal
Mariah Strongin
Kelly Bensimon
Amir Arison
Rei Ami
Tamron Hall
…and more.
From glittering glam to nightmare fuel, the curated guest list did not disappoint.
A Tradition That Defines Celebrity Halloween
Klum’s party has long been one of the cultural reset points on the Hollywood calendar. The event marks a space where stars abandon their polished personas and dive into full theatrical alter egos.
And judging by the costumes at this year’s celebration, the tradition is only growing stronger.
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