Photos of Kim Kardashian in a black-and-red bejeweled bodysuit with a red feathered headdress on the set of her upcoming comedy film "The Fifth Wheel" triggered fan accusations that she copied Taylor Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" aesthetic — just weeks after Kardashian publicly praised Swift as "super-talented."
The paparazzi images, captured on the Los Angeles set of the Netflix comedy, show Kardashian in full Las Vegas showgirl attire: a plunging crystal-encrusted red-and-black bodice, a dramatic feathered headpiece, a bold red cape, a black bejeweled choker, red opera gloves and matching earrings, her hair swept into a chic bun. She was filming an escape scene with co-star Will Ferrell. Swifties immediately drew comparisons to the theatrical showgirl imagery of Swift's "The Life of a Showgirl" era, her 2025 album. "Life of a Showgirl," commented one fan; another called it "kinda funny with her beef with Taylor."
The timing gave the comparisons extra sting. Only weeks earlier, Kardashian had surprised observers by calling Swift "super-talented" in public — a rare warm word in a feud that dates back to 2016, when Kardashian's then-husband Kanye West released "Famous" with demeaning lyrics about Swift, and Kardashian released recordings of a phone call between West and Swift. The decade-long rivalry has been one of pop culture's most durable storylines, and the showgirl photos handed it a new chapter.
Defenders of Kardashian note the obvious: "The Fifth Wheel" is a Las Vegas-set comedy directed by Eva Longoria, in which Kardashian — who is also a producer on the film — plays a "hot outsider" who crashes a group of high school friends' Vegas weekend. A showgirl costume is, in that context, simply character costuming. The film co-stars Nikki Glaser, Brenda Song, Fortune Feimster, Casey Wilson and Jack Whitehall. Kardashian was also spotted between takes in far less glamorous attire — Ugg-style slippers and a gray bathrobe over the bodysuit.
Neither Kardashian, the SKIMS founder, nor Swift has publicly addressed the comparisons. But the episode underscores how thoroughly the Kardashian–Swift feud now frames everything Kardashian does: even a costume for a Vegas comedy is read, instantly, as a message to her most famous rival.
The production itself is a significant swing for Kardashian's acting ambitions. "The Fifth Wheel," directed by "Desperate Housewives" creator Eva Longoria, follows a group of high school best friends attempting to reconnect during a weekend in Las Vegas — until Kardashian's "hot outsider" crashes the trip and forces them to confront messy lives and unraveling friendships. The ensemble includes Will Ferrell, Nikki Glaser, Brenda Song, Fortune Feimster, Casey Wilson and Jack Whitehall, with Kardashian also serving as a producer. The role continues her push into scripted work after 2025's "All's Fair," the Ryan Murphy legal drama in which she starred alongside Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close and Niecy Nash.