Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to take inspiration from pop icon Katy Perry for his Halloween costume this year, a playful nod that has caught the attention of both political watchers and pop culture fans.
The 53-year-old politician revealed his Halloween outfit on Instagram Thursday, sharing several photos with his 11-year-old son Hadrien. Trudeau wore a full-body shark costume in a bright blue shade, while his son was dressed as a surfer, complete with fake blood on his face and a prop surfboard with a “bite mark.”
In the caption accompanying the post, Trudeau wrote: “Ready for Halloween with Hadrien: he’s the surfer, I’m the shark (to his left). We built the costume together — a little father-son Halloween teamwork.”
The caption immediately drew attention for its reference to “to his left,” a line that many fans interpreted as a wink to Bryan Gaw, the dancer famously known as Left Shark from Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show. During the performance, one of Perry’s shark-costumed backup dancers became a viral sensation for his offbeat choreography, cementing “Left Shark” as a pop-culture phenomenon.
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Though Perry herself was not seen in Trudeau’s Halloween photos, the connection between his costume and her memorable halftime show was hard to miss. The shark suit Trudeau wore featured a nearly identical shade of bright blue to the ones worn by Perry’s dancers in 2015.
Fans were quick to comment on the possible tribute. “TO HIS LEFT,” one Instagram user wrote, referencing the viral meme. Another joked, “I’ll dress up as Katy Perry and then you and I can pretend to be together!”
Trudeau shares three children — Xavier, 18, Ella-Grace, 16, and Hadrien, 11 — with his estranged wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. The couple announced their separation in August 2023 after 18 years of marriage.
The Halloween post comes as Trudeau and Katy Perry, 41, continue to make headlines for their growing relationship. The pair were first linked in July 2025, when they were spotted dining together at Le Violon in Montreal. According to reports from TMZ, they made their first official public appearance as a couple earlier this month when they attended a cabaret performance at Crazy Horse Paris to celebrate Perry’s birthday.
Sources told People magazine in October that the two have been spending increasing amounts of time together despite their busy schedules.
“They both have busy schedules but make time for each other and have a really strong connection,” a source said. “Katy didn’t expect to fall for somebody so soon, but Justin checks all the boxes. He has a great sense of humor, he’s charming and treats her with respect.”
While neither Perry nor Trudeau has publicly commented on their relationship, the Halloween costume adds to growing speculation that the former Canadian leader is embracing his playful side under Perry’s influence.
Perry’s Super Bowl halftime performance in 2015 remains one of the most-watched in history, remembered for its spectacle, including the now-famous “Left Shark.” Trudeau’s costume appears to be a lighthearted homage to that moment, coinciding with his relationship with the pop star.
In the Instagram photos, Trudeau and his son appeared to have crafted the costume themselves. One of the pictures showed the shark costume mid-construction, with cardboard and paint visible on the table. The do-it-yourself approach matched Trudeau’s caption about father-son teamwork.
The post has since gone viral, drawing thousands of likes and comments. While some praised the creativity of the costume, others noted the timing, interpreting it as a subtle nod to Perry’s influence.
For Trudeau, who has maintained a lower public profile since leaving office, the Halloween post offered a glimpse into his personal life, one that seems increasingly intertwined with the pop superstar’s world.