Top 15 Celebrity Pranks
Sometimes the biggest stars use their fame for a little harmless mischief. From elaborate late-night switcheroos to undercover disguises that fooled entire crowds, celebrity-led pranks have produced some of the most replayed moments in pop culture. The best ones are carefully planned, rely on straight-faced performances, and land with a twist everyone can laugh about once the secret is out.
Below are fifteen memorable pranks pulled by — or on — famous faces. Each one has a clear setup, a sharp reveal, and plenty of behind-the-scenes details to show how it all came together.
George Clooney Tightens Matt Damon’s Wardrobe
While filming together, George Clooney arranged for the costume department to take in Matt Damon’s wardrobe a little each day. The subtle alterations made Damon think he was inexplicably gaining weight, because the same clothes kept getting tighter even though his routine hadn’t changed. Crew members were in on the plan and quietly maintained the adjustments over time.
The prank worked because it exploited consistent measurements and trusted fittings on a controlled set. By using standardized costumes and incremental tailoring, Clooney created a believable, measurable “effect” that the target could test daily — and still fail to detect the source until the reveal.
Adele Disguises Herself Among Adele Impersonators
For a BBC special tied to ‘Adele at the BBC’, Adele wore prosthetics, a new nose, and a wig, and appeared as “Jenny,” a nervous nanny attending an Adele-impersonator audition. She kept her signature mannerisms muted and let other performers sing first, then took the stage and stunned the room when her real voice came through. The other impersonators realized mid-song who they were watching.
The production used professional prosthetic makeup, pacing, and planted backstory to control expectations. Cameras captured both the room’s gradual recognition and Adele’s reveal, turning careful sound design and staging into a viral moment that showcased disguise techniques and timing.
Drake Goes Undercover for Man-on-the-Street Interviews
On ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, Drake donned a beard, glasses, and a wig to interview pedestrians about Drake. He asked intentionally provocative questions about “that guy” and gathered candid reactions — from praise to criticism — without being recognized at first glance. The segment intercut tight shots with wide frames to hide his identity until the closing beats.
The bit demonstrates how costume design, altered cadence, and neutral wardrobe can defeat face familiarity in quick sidewalk encounters. Controlled camera angles and selective mic levels helped sell the ruse until the segment dropped the disguise and showed participants learning whom they’d been talking to.
Matt Damon Hijacks ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ for a Night
After years of a running gag about being “bumped,” Matt Damon opened an episode by “kidnapping” the show — rolling Jimmy Kimmel onto the stage in a chair and taking over the host’s desk. Damon introduced surprise guests, mocked the show’s rhythms, and drove the episode’s beats while the actual host remained “restrained” nearby. The cold open framed the night as a takeover from the first shot.
The production prebuilt custom graphics, planned booking, and rehearsal marks so Damon could run the standard talk-show rundown convincingly. Because the show retained its usual technical crew and format, the takeover felt authentic while remaining safely choreographed.
Rihanna Wakes Jimmy Kimmel with a Bedroom Concert
Rihanna coordinated with Jimmy Kimmel’s team to enter his house in the middle of the night and stage a mini performance in his bedroom. With lights, confetti, and backup dancers, she blasted one of her songs as Kimmel woke up confused on camera. Multiple angles showed a coordinated crew, including a light rig set for quick teardown.
This prank relied on preapproval and home access arranged by the show, with a compact audio setup and stage-crew blocking rehearsed for tight spaces. The sequence used night-vision and handheld shots to document the surprise while keeping performers safe in a cramped environment.
David Beckham Faces a Fake Statue Before the Real Unveiling
Ahead of the unveiling of his LA Galaxy statue, ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ produced a hyper-realistic but intentionally exaggerated “bad” statue and invited David Beckham to a private preview. Hidden cameras recorded his reactions as he tried to be diplomatic about inaccurate facial features and proportions. Just before a forklift “destroyed” the decoy statue, the crew ended the gag and revealed the real one.
Prop fabricators used foam and resin to create a convincing life-size sculpture that matched stadium-style plinths and lighting. The setup included a fake club executive, an actor playing a sculptor, and a staged loading mishap to heighten plausibility before the reveal.
John Krasinski and Jimmy Kimmel’s Holiday Prank War
As neighbors for several years, John Krasinski and Jimmy Kimmel escalated an annual holiday prank war. They swapped harmless but elaborate setups like covering a house in wrapping paper, filling an office with Christmas decorations, and planting surprises inside cars. Each year, stakes rose with bigger props and more intricate timing.
The tradition shows how recurring pranks can scale through planning and logistics rather than shock. Permissions for property access, safe rigging for decor, and coordination with security and neighbors made repetition possible while keeping everything reversible once filming wrapped.
Ashton Kutcher’s ‘Punk’d’ Operation on Justin Timberlake
On ‘Punk’d’, producers posed as federal agents and movers, arriving at Justin Timberlake’s home with paperwork suggesting assets were being seized. Uniforms, clipboards, and rental trucks added realism while hidden cameras captured his attempts to sort out the situation. The reveal came after enough procedural detail convinced him the event was official.
The team executed classic confidence-game tactics: credible badges, authoritative language, and layered personnel roles. Pre-scouted camera positions, radio communication, and controlled entry points allowed the crew to record reactions while maintaining safety and a swift reveal.
Paris Hilton Endures a Fake “Plane Emergency”
Paris Hilton was the target of a staged aircraft scare on an Egyptian hidden-camera program. After boarding a small plane for what she thought was a city tour, the pilot executed sharp maneuvers while actors feigned panic, leading Hilton to believe an emergency landing was imminent. The landing completed safely before the host revealed the setup.
The production used a chartered aircraft, pre-briefed extras, and mounted cameras to capture the cabin without obstructing exits. Although controversial afterward, the prank illustrates how controlled aviation scenarios can be simulated on closed sets with pilot coordination and ground crew oversight.
Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal Trick Ryan Reynolds with an “Ugly Sweater” Party
Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal invited Ryan Reynolds to what they described as a festive sweater party. Reynolds arrived in an ornate holiday jumper to find everyone else in normal attire, confirming he’d been set up for a visual gag. Photos of the moment circulated widely as the punchline.
This prank depended on private invitations and a single, high-impact wardrobe mismatch as the reveal. It shows how social-proof cues — in this case, a trusted invitation — can make even a fashion-forward guest commit to a bit without suspecting the premise.
The Jimmys Switch Coasts for April Fools’
On April Fools’ Day, ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ and ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ opened with surprise host swaps. Each “Jimmy” appeared in the other’s studio, delivering the monologue to a different audience and blending signature bits with the other show’s house style. The cold opens were filmed to preserve the illusion of spontaneity.
The crossover required studio access exchanges, advance crew coordination, and secret travel itineraries to avoid leaks. Graphics packages, band cues, and teleprompter scripts were mirrored so each host could slide into the other’s format with broadcast-grade continuity.
Demi Lovato Drives Incognito for ‘Undercover Lyft’
Demi Lovato posed as a Lyft driver, picking up unsuspecting passengers while dropping hints about her identity. She referenced her songs and career in roundabout ways, and passengers alternated between skepticism and obliviousness. The reveal arrived once riders had enough context clues to connect the dots.
The segment used a multi-camera car rig, concealed microphones, and producer prompts delivered through an earpiece. Ride routes were preplanned for safety and coverage, and releases were obtained afterward so genuine reactions could be aired.
Sacha Baron Cohen’s “Brüno” Lands on Eminem at an Awards Show
During a live awards broadcast, Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as “Brüno,” descended from the ceiling on wires and “crash-landed” into Eminem’s lap, creating a chaotic on-stage tableau before security “removed” him. The gag hinged on precise aerial rigging and rehearsed blocking amid a live audience.
The stunt coordinated with the event’s production team to clear ceiling space, camera sightlines, and safety catches. Because it aired live, the segment depended on strict timing, a practiced harness crew, and carefully planned crowd management to keep the disruption controlled.
Ellen DeGeneres Sends Dennis Quaid into Starbucks with an Earpiece
On ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’, Dennis Quaid entered a Starbucks wearing a hidden earpiece. Ellen fed him lines — “Dennis Quaid is here!” among them — and he repeated the instructions verbatim to amused staff. The bit unfolded in real time, cutting between the café feed and the studio audience.
The segment demonstrates how remote IFB (interruptible foldback) tech lets a host script a participant’s dialogue on location. Discreet lav mics, a concealed camera team, and prior permission from the store ensured clean audio, clear sightlines, and a smooth reveal to customers.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Red-Carpet Photobomb Campaign
Across multiple red carpets, Jennifer Lawrence repeatedly stepped into other celebrities’ photos — appearing behind them mid-pose to create surprise frames that media captured instantly. The spontaneity worked because press lines concentrate photographers and lights in predictable spots, making split-second timing feasible.
Publicists and event handlers coordinate traffic through marked carpet sections, so weaving in safely requires cooperation with security and awareness of camera pits. The result is a repeatable gag: walk the line, pick the frame, and time the pop-in for maximum capture as shutters fire.
Share your favorite legendary prank — or one we missed — in the comments!