In her usual style, Janelle Monáe always plans her Halloween costumes at least two years ahead, but when the Screen Actors Guild went on strike last year, she decided to abandon her spooky plans.
“SAG-AFTRA issued guidelines discouraging members from dressing up like film or television characters, so I stood in solidarity with my people and switched up my plan,” the 38-year-old singer, actress, and creative told The Hollywood Reporter.
However, Monáe didn’t completely let go of the iconic movie character she wanted to portray last season and kept her identity a secret until Wednesday.
With less than 24 hours until Halloween, she revealed an incredible transformation into the beloved title character from Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
She not only showcased her look on Instagram with videos and a carousel of images—many depicting E.T. in a day-in-the-life scenario, from eating breakfast to getting dressed in both men’s and women’s clothing, —but also made an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show for her small-screen debut.
Notably, in one of the images, E.T. sported a Kamala Harris 2024 pin as a political endorsement just days ahead of the November 5 election.
A few years ago, Monáe also dressed as the fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head during a televised debate, which she explained was a way to encourage people to vote in the 2020 election and to discourage support for Pence and his running mate, former President Donald Trump.
For those who have been following Monáe’s Halloween transformations over the past five years, it’s clear that the Wondaland creative doesn’t just throw on an outfit and head out.
She collaborates with stylists, special effects and makeup artists, creative directors, and videographers to bring her vision to life, often spending over five hours in the chair to get into character.
Monáe dedicates her creativity to developing backstories for her characters and often immerses herself in the process.
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