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You Won’t Recognize Heidi Klum in Her Transformative 2023 Halloween Costume

Will America's Got Talent Judge Heidi Klum be able to top last year's eerily realistic earthworm costume for Halloween? Well, she's got some interesting ideas, as she said she can't let her "Halloween fans down."

By Jill Sederstrom

Heidi Klum’s Halloween costumes have gotten so elaborate, she wasn't even sure her idea for 2023 was “humanly possible.”

How to Watch

Watch the Season 19 premiere of America’s Got Talent Tuesday, May 28 at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock

“I want to raise my own bar,” the America’s Got Talent Judge told NBC Insider. And it looks like she did just that, as Klum finally revealed her look for the year...

Heidi Klum's 2023 Halloween costume

The AGT: Fantasy League Judge arrived to her famous Halloween party red carpet as a...peacock! The grand reveal came with a team of backup dancers dressed as peacock feathers before Klum arrived in a royal blue bodysuit to complete the routine.

Heidi Klum as a peacock on Halloween 2023

The Queen of Halloween has made a name for herself with her elaborate costumes, even becoming nearly unrecognizable in 2022 when she transformed into an earthworm for her yearly Halloween party (husband Tom Kaulitz coordinated as a fisherman).

When she still hadn't revealed her costume earlier in the day on October 31, exactly what she'll be this year, Klum gave fans a peak at the getting ready process during a special Live Stream on Amazon.

During the stream, Klum was accompanied by the lead of her costume's creative team, makeup artist and hairstylist Bill Corso. He's helped the model bring many of her ideas to life since 2011. And SNL's head makeup artist Louie Zakarian was also on-hand to assist. Klum has shown glimpses of their creation throughout the day on her Instagram, rocking scaled and bronzed prosthetic makeup.

It’s no surprise that her past costumes — which have included a flesh-eating alien, a life-size Princess Fiona from Shrek, and even a disturbingly realistic human body — take a lot of planning. Klum said she starts to feel like she’s “scrambling” if she doesn’t have a costume idea by March each year. Corso revealed during the Amazon Live stream that the AGT Judge contacted him in July.

“I have, like, nightmares. Where I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m running out of time,’” Klum confessed. 

The supermodel said the challenge is determining whether it’s plausible. 

“I just have to see if that’s even humanly possible to do,” Klum said. 

a 3 way split of Heidi Klum in her Halloween Costumes

Each year, the successful producer and businesswoman tries to outdo herself and is constantly “marinating” about the next big idea.

“You know, I’m quite competitive with myself and the things I’ve done in the past,” she said. “I also don’t want to let my Halloween fans down.” 

 

Adding to the nerves, Klum said each year she “can never do a dress rehearsal” and just has to see in the moment whether the idea she had in her head translates to real life. 

“It either works or it doesn’t,” she said. “That’s always the thing. And always fingers, toes, everything crossed that it works out.” 

 

When she isn’t planning her next Halloween costume, Klum is getting ready for the next season of America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League where she’s served as a Judge since 2013. 

“It’s never a repeat,” Klum said of the long-running show’s Acts. “I mean rarely there will be someone who’s tried 10 years ago, five years ago, and they’re like, 'I want to try again, you said no to me then and maybe I get a yes from you now,' but that hardly ever happens.” 

The variety of the talent show keeps it fresh for Klum even after years at the Judges' table.

“Truly all these people are new to us too. So, how can that be boring?” she said. “People can always come up with new things that we haven’t seen before. So many times I sit there and I’m like, ‘What?’ They blow me away.” 

RELATED: Every Single One of Heidi Klum's Wacky Halloween Costumes Since 2000

Each Contestant also comes with their own, often inspiring, story.

“They’re not always positive stories, but they figure out a way,” Klum said. “So, sometimes they can also turn something that negatively has happened in their life and they turn it around and here you have this opportunity to make something positive of it.” 

It’s a message Klum has taken to heart. 

“I always try to see the positive in all of the things, even though sometimes they come from a dark place,” she said. 

With reporting by Tara Bennet.

Originally published Apr 25, 2023.