Sabrina Carpenter, known for chart-topping hits like Please Please Please and Manchild, found herself at the center of a social media discussion on Sunday, May 3, after a side-by-side photo of her with and without makeup raked in 2 million views.
What started as a casual comparison quickly escalated into a heated debate about how much her appearance changes under glam styling.
Some users went so far as to label her a “catfish.”
Others pushed back just as strongly, arguing it’s “not catfishing” and that she looks pretty even bare-faced.
Sabrina Carpenter drew both criticism and support after a comparison photo of her with and without makeup circulated
Image credits: John Shearer/Getty Images
The picture on the left of the comparison collage was Carpenter’s official visual for Espresso, a single from her sixth studio album Short n’ Sweet, released in 2024.
The image captured the singer in a bronzed-up look to match the song’s color scheme.
Carpenter’s other picture was a morning selfie.
Image credits: lowcortisol
“Sabrina Carpenter with and without makeup… She’s a catfish. Don’t be fooled, boys,” an X user said about the pictures.
“She looks trashy with makeup,” a response read.
“Shame she’s part of the enhanced beauty cult,” wrote another, while a third noted, “She’s a mid without all that misleading cr*p.”
Image credits: Raph_PH/Flickr
Carpenter’s fans soon sounded off.
“She’s not a catfish, you men are just stupid. Did you expect her to naturally have eyeshadow, long lashes, and blush on her face?” one asked.
“Tell us you have never woken beside a woman in your life without telling us,” commented a second.
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“You can’t, as a sensible person, say she isn’t beautiful in the pic on the right. Like, come on,” a third pleaded.
“Make sure to say no to her when she offers to date you,” the next quipped.
This was not the first time Sabrina Carpenter sparked the catfish debate
Image credits: Pearl/YouTube
Hannah Pearl Davis, an internet personality often referred to as the ‘female Andrew Tate,’ started a “Catfish of the Year” award in late 2024.
Her content, which includes claiming women shouldn’t have the right to vote and that divorce should be illegal, has been labeled inflammatory and misogynistic by detractors.
She nominated several famous women, including Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney.
Next up to bat we have @SabrinaAnnLynn !!! A phenomenal singer and pop sensation but under all the makeup she too is a mid.
Please like and RT if you vote for her!! pic.twitter.com/hIoOXB1nmm
— H. Pearl Davis (@pearlythingz) December 30, 2024
“I want to give special thanks to the filters, plastic surgeons, and FaceTime app that make this all possible!” Davis wrote on X. “Please vote by liking and retweeting the lovely ladies in the thread below.”
Image credits: sabrinacarpenter/Instagram
Carpenter fans dismissed the catfishing accusations back then, too, with one commenting, “She looks better without it.”
“You are just a sad little human,” the comment added.
“This tweet is brought to you by feelings of inadequacy,” a second said in agreement, while a third observed, “Jealousy pours from you like water from a fountain.”
Away from the discourse, Sabrina Carpenter stunned at the 2026 Met Gala in Old Hollywood glam
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Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Carpenter stepped out onto the red carpet of the latest Met gathering in a custom Dior slit tulle dress by Jonathan Anderson.
The look, per Vogue, paid homage to Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 film Sabrina by featuring a full-body wrap of the effort’s camera roll.
Image credits: Paramount Pictures
Carpenter was not just an attendee at the Met this year. She joined the event as a member of the host committee alongside other singing stars, including Doja Cat, Lisa, and Teyana Taylor.
Inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carpenter changed into a Versace dress covered in pictures of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean as she took the stage to deliver a surprise performance.
Image credits: Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images
The Grammy winner reportedly sang hits including House Tour, Espresso, and Please Please Please with the help of an orchestra band.
She was then joined by none other than Stevie Nicks for a duet of Landslide and Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.
Carpenter changed into a gold Bob Mackie dress for this segment.
“She’s working late because she’s a singer,” the Met’s Instagram handle posted in her honor, referring to Carpenter’s Espresso lyrics.
“You are looking for a doll, not a woman,” a netizen said about criticism surrounding Carpenter
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