The 2025 daytime Halloween specials took different routes: TODAY built a pop-culture road trip, Live with Kelly and Mark called its October 31 show “It’s Trending,” and The Jennifer Hudson Show’s Halloween-day gallery showed Hudson as a 1970s diva. The recognizable looks ranged from Anna Wintour and Prince to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce; Janelle Monáe’s Cat in the Hat was a separate October 29 appearance.
TODAY took a pop-culture road trip
Parade described TODAY’s 2025 Halloween theme as a pop-culture road trip. Its lineup drew on fashion, music, film and television characters, with some costumes relying on signature accessories to make the reference clear.
- Jenna Bush Hager dressed as Anna Wintour, with a bob and bangs and a replica floral dress; Savannah Guthrie was Miranda Priestly, including a recreation of the coat-flinging entrance.
- Craig Melvin went as Prince in a purple suit, ruffled white shirt and with a white guitar. Willie Geist was Wayne Newton, while Dylan Dreyer wore a red suit and short dark wig as Frankie Valli.
- Sheinelle Jones’s Beyoncé look was inspired by Cowboy Carter, with rhinestones and a cowboy hat.
- Carson Daly was Rocky Balboa in a gray sweatshirt and red sweatband, and Al Roker was Clubber Lang.
- Laura Jarrett appeared as Lisa Turtle in a lime outfit with an oversized phone. TV Insider’s gallery also identified Peter Alexander as Jimmy Buffett and Mario López as A.C. Slater.
For anyone recreating Jones’s look, a cowboy hat and rhinestones are documented elements, not confirmation of a particular brand or retail item. Parade’s TODAY costume recap and TV Insider’s gallery show the reported inspirations and looks.
Live with Kelly and Mark made viral moments the theme
ABC/Disney announced the October 31, 2025 special as “Live’s Halloween Show: It’s Trending,” built around viral moments of the year. The network said the production included nearly 67 costumes. TV Insider’s gallery captures several of the references and costume changes:
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- Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos as Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and as Sue Storm and Reed Richards from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
- Hamilton characters alongside Leslie Odom Jr., plus Love Island contestants.
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, characters from Severance, and Labubus.
- A group dressed as mahjong players and additional ensemble looks.
ABC also said the annual audience costume contest returned, with prizes valued at over $18,000 and an eight-day Romantic Danube River cruise from Viking as the grand prize. Those figures describe the 2025 announcement, not an active or recurring offer. ABC’s special announcement also mentioned Halloween DIY costume tips; the official episode guide lists a kids’ DIY costume segment with Shannon Doherty.
Jennifer Hudson’s Halloween-day look—and a separate guest costume
TV Insider captioned Jennifer Hudson’s October 31 look as a 1970s diva. It was distinct from a guest appearance two days earlier: on October 29, Janelle Monáe revealed a 2025 Halloween costume as the Cat in the Hat on The Jennifer Hudson Show. The show’s official October 29 video page documents Monáe’s reveal; it is not Hudson’s Halloween-day costume.
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At a glance: the shows’ different approaches
| Show | 2025 theme or framing | Documented examples |
|---|---|---|
| TODAY | Pop-culture road trip | Anna Wintour, Miranda Priestly, Prince, Beyoncé-inspired Cowboy Carter, Rocky Balboa and Lisa Turtle |
| Live with Kelly and Mark | “It’s Trending,” inspired by viral moments | Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Hamilton, Love Island, Severance, Fantastic Four characters and Labubus |
| The Jennifer Hudson Show | Halloween-day gallery look | Hudson as a 1970s diva; separate October 29 guest reveal of Monáe as the Cat in the Hat |
The galleries establish costume inspirations and visible details, not measured rankings of recognizability or effort. They also do not identify exact retail products, costume prices, or construction difficulty, so a look can serve as inspiration without implying that a specific item was worn.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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