Sabrina Carpenter Accused Of Being A “Catfish” After Side-By-Side Photos Show How She Transforms With Makeup

Jason Sargent Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Seema SinhaTue, May 5, 2026 at 9:37 PM UTC

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.

Image credits: TheTsengMao

Image credits: Llucyyyzz

“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.

“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

Image credits: freakladybug

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.