Here Are What Some Celebrities Accused Of Blackfishing Look Like Now

Some of those suspiciously dark tans have vanished.

Blackfishing is a term popularized by journalist Wanna Thompson which refers to the practice of non-Black people, especially white women, altering their appearance to look Black or mixed race. This can be done through wardrobe, excessive tan, hairstyles, fillers, and even plastic surgery that mimics Black features.

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“Instead of appreciating Black culture from the sidelines, there’s this need to own it, to participate in it without wanting the full experience of Blackness and the systemic discrimination that comes with it,” Wanna told CNN in 2021.

While it's still very much a problem in celebrity culture and beyond, some have noted that many celebrities have drastically changed their bodies in the past few years — giving further credence to the harmful idea that Blackness and proximity to Blackness, for them, was part of a trend.

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So here are various celebrities during times they were accused of Blackfishing, next to what they look like now:

1. First, here's Kim Kardashian in 1995:

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Here's Kim at the 2018 MTV Movie and TV Awards:

Steve Granitz / WireImage

And here's Kim at the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Awards:

Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

Here they are side by side:

Steve Granitz / WireImage, Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

2. Here's Kylie Jenner in 2011:

Ilya S. Savenok / Getty Images

Here's Kylie with Jordyn Woods in 2016:

Chance Yeh / FilmMagic

And here's Kylie at Paris Fashion Week this year:

Marc Piasecki / WireImage

Kylie has faced accusations of Blackfishing as recently as a few months ago. 

Here's 2016 next to 2024:

Ari Perilstein, Marc Piasecki / WireImage

3. Here's Rita Ora in 2012:

Mike Marsland / WireImage

Earlier photos of Rita are not available. 

Here's Rita in 2015:

Araya Doheny / Getty Images

Rita has deleted many of her photos wearing braids. 

And here's Rita at Paris Fashion Week in January:

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images

Here they are side by side:

Araya Doheny / Getty Images for PacSun, Stephane Cardinale - Corbis / Corbis via Getty Images

4. Here's Jesy Nelson during her X Factor audition in 2011:

ITV

Here's Jesy (with Nicki Minaj) in her 2021 "Boyz" music video:

Universal Music

Here she is in a Christmas Instagram video:

Jesy Nelson / Via Instagram: @jesynelson

And here they are side by side:

Universal Music, Jesy Nelson / Via Instagram: @jesynelson

5. Here's Khloé Kardashian in 2008:

Patrick Mcmullan / Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Here's Khloé Kardashian as a Bratz doll during Halloween 2023:

Greg Swales / Via instagram.com Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/gregswalesart/?img_index=1

And here she is at the Renaissance tour:

Kevin Mazur / WireImage for Parkwood

Here they are side by side:

Khloe Kardashian / Via instagram.com, Kevin Mazur / WireImage for Parkwood

6. Here's Bhad Bhabie on the Dr. Phil show in 2016:

CBS

Here's Bhad Bhabie in 2022:

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Bhad appears to have archived most of her Instagram. 

And here she recently:

Bhad Bhabie / Via instagram.com

Here they are side by side:

Bhad Bhabie / Via instagram.com, Jason Koerner / Getty Images for TBT Magazine Powered By Berman Law Group

7. Here's Iggy Azalea in 2012:

Johnny Nunez / WireImage

Here's Iggy in her 2021 video for "I Am the Strip Club," which she said, "I'm the same color as I always am, just in a dimly lit room with red lights.”

Bad Dreams Records

And here's Iggy at the 2024 Adult Video News Awards:

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Here they are side by side:

Bad Dreams Records, Ethan Miller / Getty Images

8. Finally, here's Ariana Grande in 2009:

Michael Tran / FilmMagic

Here's Ariana in 2016 (next to Nicki Minaj):

Theo Wargo / Getty Images for MTV

And here's Ariana recently in New York:

Damebk / GC Images

Here they are side by side:

Theo Wargo / Getty Images for MTV, Damebk / GC Images

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