The actress removed Instagram photographs of her Halloween costume referencing the 1994 attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan after social media users criticised the portrayal.
The 45-year-old actress appeared alongside her friend Kelly Sawyer, who dressed as Tonya Harding, Kerrigan's former skating rival. The pair recreated imagery associated with one of the most notorious scandals in figure skating history, with a baseball bat used as a photographic prop.
Alba shared the photographs on 1 November 2026, captioning the Instagram carousel, "Happy Halloween from Tonya ... and Nancy." The post drew criticism from users who objected to the costume's reference to the 1994 attack on Kerrigan, particularly the bloodstained bandage worn around Alba's knee.
Halloween Costume References 1994 Attack
Alba attended Vas J Morgan and Michael Braun's Hockey Horror Halloween party in Los Angeles on 31 October 2026. She wore the skating-inspired outfit and a white bandage marked with fake blood around one knee. Sawyer appeared as Harding, while the baseball bat used in the photographs served as a reference to the assault, though Kerrigan was actually attacked with a police baton, not a baseball bat.
On 6 January 1994, Kerrigan was struck above the knee with a police baton following a practice session in Detroit, one day before she was due to compete at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The attacker, Shane Stant, was involved in a plot connected to Harding's former husband, Jeff Gillooly, and other associates.
Kerrigan withdrew from the national championships because of her injury but recovered in time to compete at the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. She won the silver medal, while Harding finished eighth. Harding was not convicted of planning the attack, but she pleaded guilty in March 1994 to conspiring to hinder the prosecution of those responsible.
The U.S. Figure Skating subsequently imposed a lifetime ban on Harding, ending her eligibility to compete in events sanctioned by the organisation.
Instagram Users Criticise Costume
Photographs of the costumes appeared on entertainment and social media accounts, including Deuxmoi, providing many avenues for people to comment on the image. Alba's photographs prompted objections from social media users who considered the recreation inappropriate.
'Immature. We expect better, Jessica,' one Instagram user wrote.
Another questioned the decision to reference the assault, commenting, 'Why would you want to revisit this traumatic moment that ended people's careers?'
Other users defended the costumes and praised the tribute. 'Brilliant costumes,' one Instagram user commented. Some followers responded with laughing and clapping emojis, while others referred to the incident's continued presence in popular culture.
The scandal was dramatised in the 2017 film I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie as Harding. The film dramatised Harding's skating career and the scandal surrounding Kerrigan's attack. Allison Janney won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Harding's mother, LaVona Golden.
Alba Removes Instagram Photographs
Alba's Halloween carousel was no longer available on her Instagram account by 2 November 2026, following the criticism. The actress had not publicly explained why she removed the photographs.
No public response from Kerrigan to Alba's costume had been confirmed at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, Harding is currently scheduled to participate in a Tonya and Friends skating event at Mountain View Ice Arena in Vancouver, Washington, on 12 December 2026. The event includes people such as Joe Goerecki, Anna Bradshaw, and Rory Flack. In an interview with KOIN 6, she says that she hopes that the people who come will enjoy a 'real skating show.'
'The love of skating is the reason why I've always come back,' she said. 'I just can't walk away from it.'
