Sometimes it’s nice to remind ourselves that celebrities are just like us. While many of us are trying our best to be just like them, celebrities are going out of their way to be just like other people! Well, not really, but they do like cosplaying just as much as we do. Every type of character has been seen, but a firm favorite is the comic book hero. The main difference between celebrities and most of us, however, is that when they dress like their preferred superheroes, there’s a good chance that they look just like them, what with a lot of celebrities being ridiculously good looking and all.
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There have been times when comics have explored the idea of the superhero as a celebrity; Grant Morrison’s Multiversity looked at exactly that in "The Just," for example. Most of the people on this list, though, just like playing dress-up for Halloween and at cons -- who doesn’t? From movie stars to models, there aren’t many celebrities that don’t indulge in the fantasy for at least one night and imagine what they’d be like as a superhero. With that in mind, CBR takes a look at 17 times some of the most beautiful celebrities cosplayed as their favorite superheroes!
17 OLIVIA MUNN (WONDER WOMAN)
It’s no secret that Olivia Munn is a massive geek. She’s developed a significant portion of her fanbase on the fact that she knows as much about Pym particles and Kryptonian super-pets as the average comic shop devotee, and we love her all the more for it. It’s also no secret that she’s gorgeous, so any attempt by her to dress like a superhero would go down very well indeed.
Her choice to cosplay as Wonder Woman is a fairly inspired one, and a natural fit for her. Not content with playing Psylocke in 2016’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, Munn hopped over to Marvel’s Distinguished Competition and tried her hand at being Diana Prince (or at least, dressed like her). She even name-checked the Amazon princess in the title of her 2010 book, Suck it Wonder Woman: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek.
16 PARIS HILTON (ROBIN)
One of the original reality TV stars and self-styled “celebrity entrepreneurs,” multi-millionaire Paris Hilton seems like the kind of girl that Bruce Wayne would have on his arm. Always seen at the most exclusive parties, you can almost imagine her walking the red carpet at one of Gotham’s swanky balls, hanging with both sides of the moral divide, be it wayne or a certain Cobblepot. Of course, Wayne is decidedly hotter, so it would more likely be him.
Instead of settling for the role of almost-certainly-imperiled-girlfriend of Batman, Hilton chose to dress as his partner is vigilante justice. Thus, she became Robin: The Girl Wonder! It’s not exactly the best outfit for fighting crime, but really the fault of that lies on the original Robin. When it comes down to it, who really wears it better: original Robin (and future Nightwing) Dick Grayson, or Paris Hilton?
15 ANNALYNNE MCCORD (BATGIRL)
When AnnaLynne McCord decided to dress as Batgirl, she did not disappoint. It would be easy to just throw on a “sexy Batman” costume, but we’re here to tell you -- that’s not Batgirl. Batgirl is her own character, and while this looks more like a black version of Huntress’s costume than it does Babs Gordon, the effect is definitely there.
A look around at the Batgirl costumes at most conventions would reveal a whole bunch that resemble the “Batgirl of Burnside” era of the comics, some from the animated series and more than your fair share of Alicia Silverstone Batgirls. However, the star of Nip/Tuck and 90210 has chosen to go with her own take on the young Gotham vigilante, and she looks all the better for it.
14 KIM KARDASHIAN (POISON IVY)
Poison Ivy seems like the Batman villain of choice for a lot of female celebrities. Whether it’s the instantly recognizable look, the built-in sultry charm or the chance to play as a villain instead of a hero, Pamela Isley gets a lot of love when famous people play dress-up. Kim Kardashian has gone all out on her costume too, and the end result is pretty spectacular.
Looking just like Uma Thurman from the much-maligned Batman and Robin movie, Kim K has gone for the iconic red hair, ivy emblazoned dress and added a face mask to really look the part. Rather than be a dedicated Poison Ivy costume, it seems like a well-done homemade effort. Whether Kim made it herself is another matter entirely, but wherever she got it from, she definitely looks the part.
13 DWAYNE JOHNSON (HULK)
Could there possibly be a more appropriate superhero costume for The Rock? Not many people would be able to convincingly pull off the perpetually angry alter-ego of Bruce Banner, but Dwayne Johnson is so jacked that he gives even the best CGI efforts of Marvel Studios a run for their money.
While he may look the part, there’s no denying that the real-life Dwayne Johnson is far too much of a nice guy to be able to convince us that he gets mad enough to turn big and green. As far as cosplays go, through, you’d have a hard time beating it. He’s been attached to the Shazam movie for years now, and alongside that bothersome computer-generated effects fad that Hollywood seems fixated with (kidding), it’s extremely unlikely we’ll see The Rock as the raging Incredible Hulk. At least we’ll always have this picture.
12 SARAH HYLAND (UNDERWORLD)
Not your traditional choice of superhero, but few would argue that Kate Beckinsale’s character Selene both dresses and acts the part, and her badassery is enough to place her alongside her comic book peers. Sarah Hyland knows this, which is why she’s chosen the kickass central character from the Underworld franchise to cosplay as.
One of the stars of insanely popular sitcom Modern Family, Hyland has dedicated herself to this cosplay. The boots, the pouches and the jacket are an exact match in every detail, and the hairstyle tops it all off. What makes the look complete, however, are the bright blue contact lenses, which work with the outfit to make her instantly recognizable. She may look like she’s surrounded by the Suicide Squad in this image, but Hyland stands out as Selene all the way.
11 POPPY DELEVINGNE (HARLEY QUINN)
As the elder sister of Cara Delevingne, British model Poppy already has ties to the DC Universe. When your little sister plays the mysterious and dangerous Enchantress in the Suicide Squad movie, it seems only appropriate that you show your support by dressing as a character from that movie. Rather than step on Cara’s toes, however, Poppy chose to go to her sister’s co-star, Margot Robbie, for inspiration.
Harley Quinn is extremely popular among cosplayers at the moment. She always has been, really, ever since her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series, but now that the character has acquired a more mainstream audience thanks to the movie, the Joker’s main squeeze is more prevalent than ever. Poppy’s take on the costume is great, too, and the pose proves that she’s captured the chaotic charm of Harleen Quinzel.
10 KIM KARDASHIAN (WONDER WOMAN)
Being that she and her family are ubiquitous, it's no surprise that Kim K makes multiple appearances on this list. Of course, when someone likes to cosplay as superheroes as much as Kim, they deserve recognition. That is especially true for Kim Kardashian, who has stepped out on many occasions with fantastic costumes, and she always manages to look the part.
Take Wonder Woman, for example. One of the most popular comic book cosplay choices, the competition to be the best Diana Prince is fierce. Not least of all now that Gal Gadot has so perfectly portrayed her on the big screen. Kim’s got the look down perfectly though, from the hair, the accessories and even the steely look of defiance. It’s safe to say that no one is stealing Gadot’s crown anytime soon, but as pitch-perfect cosplay goes, Kim does Themyscira proud.
9 OSRIC CHAU (CAPTAIN AMERICA)
It’s all well and good dressing up as superheroes for Halloween or the odd themed party, but when celebrities really dive into the fandom, that’s when we pay attention. Supernatural star Osric Chau has gained notoriety for his cosplay indulgences, even petitioning his fans via YouTube to pick his next costume, which he then wears at the next Supernatural convention.
Over the last few years, Chau has dressed up as characters such as Han Solo, Princess Bubblegum, Goku, Iron Man and Pokemon’s Nurse Joy. Here, he’s stolen Chris Evans’ look, going for the Sentinel of Liberty himself from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It may not be as eye-catching as Rapunzel or the Little Mermaid (both of which he’s also cosplayed as) but the attention to detail is what stands out here.
8 DOUTZEN KROES (CATWOMAN)
Renowned Victoria’s Secret Angel Doutzen Kroes is, obviously, no stranger to dressing up. The Dutch Frisian model has been on the cover of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar among many others, as well as modeling for everyone from Gucci and Hugo Boss to Gap and Calvin Klein, so it’s no surprise that she looks great dressed as Catwoman.
Rather than be a match for any iteration of Batman’s frequent antagonist (and now fiancee), Kroes has gone for the more traditional Halloween look of Cat ears, a mask (complete with whiskers) collar and catsuit. But if that’s not enough to give her superhero street cred, her burgeoning acting career saw her play an Amazon warrior in the Wonder Woman movie, where we imagine her costume was a little more accurate.
7 RIHANNA (TMNT)
There are some cosplays more common than others. Stereotypically, in the superhero genre, the most popular seem to be characters like Batman, Superman, Poison Ivy, Wonder Woman, and more recently Harley Quinn thanks to Suicide Squad. It’s refreshing then to see Rihanna step outside of the usual conventions and go for a pretty spectacular group costume that is guaranteed to be in the minority at whatever party she’s on her way too.
Choosing to cosplay as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a pretty inspired decision, but like with any group costume, how do you decide which character you’re going to be? In any friendship group, it’s hard to imagine Rihanna not being able to choose whoever she wants to be, and the fact that she’s gone for Raphael (the best turtle) speaks volumes.
6 DEREK HOUGH (SUPERMAN)
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s mild-mannered professional Latin and Ballroom dancer Derek Hough! Rising to fame through the reality series Dancing With The Stars, Hough has gone for a subtle approach with his costume, which is worlds apart from his usual sequinned outfits on the dance floor. Some would even say he’s the real-life superhero of the dancing world, winning no less than six seasons of the hit competition series.
If the conventions of traditional superhero comics are to be believed, we’re surprised that we even recognized Hough wearing those thick-rimmed glasses, he looks nothing like his glamorous alter-ego! We kid, but there’s something to be said for the fairly low-budget costume he’s gone for. A pair of glasses and a Superman shirt (not to mention classically handsome looks) have gone a long way to provide an effective superhero costume.
5 SHAY MITCHELL (POISON IVY)
Pamela Isley is always a strong choice for a celebrity costume, and Shay Mitchell knows it. Mitchell played Emily Fields through seven years of Pretty Little Liars after all, so she knows her way around strong characters.
The beauty of a Poison Ivy costume is that the character has had many different variations of her look throughout the decades so that the individual elements of her costume can be changed fairly drastically while still maintaining the iconic look. You could essentially wear a red wig and a leafy green dress and people would recognize your iconic look. Mitchell has gone a little further than that, however, and added some subtle detailing that helps this outfit stand out from the crowd. Is it a faithful rendition of the comics? No, but we have a feeling that’s not exactly the point.
4 MIRANDA KERR (WONDER WOMAN)
Unlike most of the other entries on this list, Miranda Kerr’s turn as the Amazonian princess of Themyscira isn’t for a Halloween party or a costume ball, but for a glamorous photoshoot. No stranger to the cover of fashion magazines, model and Victoria’s Secret Angel Kerr is dressed as Wonder Woman and waving the flag of her home nation, as a tribute by Grazia magazine for Australia day.
There’s no denying that Miranda Kerr is deserving of the comparison. Aside from working as a hugely successful model, she’s juggled that career with motherhood, having a son with Orlando Bloom in 2011. Her costume here is understandably iconic, even with the fun twists on the design. We’re not sure that the blue high heels would help her fight crime, but they sure do look good.
3 KELLAN LUTZ (ROBIN)
Actor Kellan Lutz has played many roles in his career, but to date, his talents haven’t been used to portray any superheroes. Unsurprisingly then, Lutz has chosen to take matters into his own hands and dressed as Robin in this extremely detailed costume. From cape to mask, the look is fairly complete, down to the molded chest detail and belt.
Lutz is perhaps most famously known for playing Emmett Cullen in the Twilight Saga, but has more recently played Hercules in the 2014 movie The Legend of Hercules, and Poseidon in the 2011 movie Immortals. Here, Lutz has copied the look of Chris O’Donnell from movie Batman and Robin, and while it’s a fairly faithful recreation, we can’t help but laugh at the boot caps that barely cover the actor’s shoes.
2 CIARA (STORM)
If you’ve chosen to dress as a member of the X-Men, you’d be hard-pressed to find any character that’s had more iconic looks than Storm. The undisputed Queen of the weather and one-time partner in marriage with Black Panther, Ororo Munroe has changed her style many times throughout the years, from the flowing cape and long white hair to a mohawk and leather jacket.
Provided this isn't just something she wears to go shopping (which is entirely possible), singer-songwriter Ciara has chosen the look made famous by Halle Berry from Fox’s X-Men film series. While it’s not the strongest look for the character, it is perhaps the most recognizable for a mainstream audience. Besides, it would be difficult for Ciara to recreate the infamous mohawk of the weather-manipulating mutant without potentially jeopardizing her career.
1 KIM AND KANYE (BATMAN AND CATWOMAN)
As couples costumes go, Batman and Catwoman are a fairly popular pairing. Now that current Batman writer Tom King has The Dark Knight engaged to Gotham’s most literally-named cat burglar, we have a feeling this tandem cosplay effort will be even more prominent at your local con. Can anyone beat Kim and Kanye’s attempt, though?
Kim Kardashian looks like she’s going for the Michelle Pfeiffer version of Catwoman, which is wise -- the less said about Halle Berry’s solo movie the better. Kanye has chosen to cover up the bottom part of his face, which isn’t typically Batman’s style, but if anyone could pull off the brooding, stoic nature of the Dark Knight it’s Mr. West. The massive black cape, along with Kim’s red lipstick and fangs give this joint costume an extra hint of Halloween about it too.
Have you seen any other celebs rocking cosplay? Let us know in the comments!