Today's Evil Beet Gossip

The ToddleWood Project Recreates Red Carpet Looks With Kids, Is Really Creepy

Photographer Tricia Messeroux of Big Eye Photography has had a brilliant (or is it just totally creepy) idea: why not take classic photographs of celebrities on the red carpet… but with toddlers? It’s called the ToddleWood project and it weirds me out way too much.

Via Entertainment Weekly:

Founded by former advertising executive-turned-photographer, Tricia Messeroux, the ToddleWood project imagines everyday kids as A-list celebrities, historic figures and other icons. The idea was born in 2008, when Messeroux decided to shoot her then-three year old daughter, Skylar. “I’ve been told that she looks like Diana Ross so I said, ‘You know what? I guess I’m going to play along and photograph her looking like Diana Ross.’ We did that and I realized I had something on my hands,” Messeroux told EW. “I called a few women that I knew were very talented in different areas: wardrobe stylists, dress designers, makeup, hair–these women that were talented in all these different areas that I needed– and I held a casting call.”

Since the first shoot, Messeroux has received submissions from hundreds of pint-sized hopefuls. “My process now to think about what the look that I want to  achieve is, so it needs to be an iconic celebrity or a political figure or someone notable, or a moment in time,” she explained. ”Like when Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah’s couch, or when the Obamas did the fist bump. It has to be either a really fantastic look or moment in time.”

Ugh. Tricia is has recreated looks from Anne Hathaway, Adele, Taylor Swift and more. I know this is Toddlers & Tiaras brought to the mainstream, but I just can’t. Gallery below, but warning – may cause nightmares. Why is this a thing?

14 CommentsLeave a comment

  • I think it’s sweet! At least the outfits are age-appropriate, including the shoes. But two things: 1. couldn’t they find a white girl with pierced ears for T. Swift, or some clip-in earrings? 2. couldn’t the find a Chinese kid for Lucy Liu? Also, the child photographed as Halle Berry is a star!!

  • Something about the Anne Hathaway one seriously grosses me out. Like, not in a “oh, it’s so awful they’re doing this to these kids” way, but in a “that’s fucking yuck” way. I clicked on it and was like, “OH DEAR GOD.” Ugh.

    And the George Clooney kids are just creepy.

  • Can somebody please explain what the fuck is going on with the kid dressed as Kerry Washington…why is her head like 15 sizes too big for her body?! Did they just cut and paste her head on there and forget to resize it or WHAT THE FUCK?!

  • next week on Toddlers and Tiaras…we’ll see this as well. And the head on the Kerry Washington girl just HAS to have been photoshopped on. otherwise, she is an alien!

  • Disgusting. It just feels and looks so wrong. It’s not like you could say that these are a bunch of kids playing dress up, this is children being dressed the same way adults do in order to be attractive to the other gender. Gross. And inappropriate.

  • I think it’s cute. At least they’re dressing up like some pretty cool people and not like little lolitas – remember that clip where the kids were burlesque dancing? I’ll take this over that any day.

  • To be honest? I think this is fine when the outfits are age appropriate and they are. All seems nicely done and in taste. People attacking the little girl, commenting on her head size? Remember that children normally (especially little girls) are very “coltish” at a certain age. They seem to be either all head or all legs and arms. LEAVE THE CHILD ALONE. I also agree with the comment on the Halle Berry girl..she was into it and is a star haha.

  • To be perfectly honest, I usually find this kind of thing really sad and pathetic. But the outfits are age appropriate and the theme is actually kind of adorable. The Halle girl looks like she’s having a ball.