After nearly 20 years away from the screen, Jessica Simpson has return to acting in Ryan Murphy‘s new Hulu legal drama, All’s Fair. The singer and actress appears almost unrecognizable in a guest role that features a striking physical transformation, a result of heavy prosthetic makeup applied for a character who suffers a botched plastic surgery.
The series, which stars Kim Kardashian in her first leading role, follows a team of female divorce attorneys. Simpson’s highly discussed appearance came in the show’s premiere episode on November 4, 2025.
The Story Behind the Transformation
In All’s Fair, Simpson plays a former model and socialite named Lee-Ann who is married to a fading rock star. As their relationship strains, her character’s husband pressures her to get plastic surgery to maintain a youthful appearance. Feeling pressured to save her marriage, she agrees to go under the knife.
“We’ve been married almost 3 years. I knew he had had one affair — probably more. So when he had told me to get plastic surgery, I couldn’t say no,” her character says in the episode.
The surgery has disastrous results, leaving her character’s face disfigured. The show uses this tragic storyline to critique unrealistic beauty standards and the commodification of women’s bodies in celebrity culture.
The Extensive Prosthetic Process
Jessica Simpson’s altered look was achieved not through digital effects, but through practical makeup and prosthetic applications. The process to apply the disfigurement makeup was an intensive one, taking a full eight hours to complete for each filming session.
Simpson described the experience as “very intense,” telling Entertainment Tonight, “I did eight hours of prosthetics, so it was very intense. I really embody someone that I am not, so I was definitely acting.”
The aftermath of the botched surgery is revealed to the audience through carefully shot scenes involving mirrors, blurred reflections, and the horrified reactions of other characters, creating a deeply uncomfortable and empathetic viewing experience.
A Character’s Journey and Revenge
The episode uses flashbacks to show Simpson’s character in her youth, meeting the charming musician at a rock concert and beginning a steamy physical relationship. After years of marriage, the dynamic shifts, and he grows distant, bluntly telling her she should get surgery after she turns 40.
Following the surgery, her character becomes a client at the elite, all-female divorce law firm run by Kim Kardashian’s character, Allura Grant. She hires the firm to sue both her plastic surgeon and her ex-husband.
The character’s story takes a dramatic turn toward revenge. Later in the episode, it is revealed that she cornered her ex-husband at a restaurant while he was on a date with a younger woman and doused him with sulfuric acid.
Simpson’s Personal Context and On-Set Chemistry
The role comes during a significant period in Simpson’s personal life. She announced her separation from her husband, Eric Johnson, after 10 years of marriage, calling it a “painful situation” but emphasizing their mutual focus on their children.
On set, Simpson found a familiar face in co-star Kim Kardashian. Simpson noted that they are neighbors in real life, saying, “She lives down the street from each other. Our kids are best friends. To be on set, it just felt kind of natural. It was fun to work together.”
The Show’s Premise and Critical Reception
All’s Fair centers on a team of fierce, brilliant, and emotionally complicated female divorce attorneys who leave a male-dominated firm to open their own powerhouse practice. They navigate high-stakes breakups and scandalous secrets, both in the courtroom and within their own relationships.
Despite the high-profile cast and creative team, the series has faced harsh criticism from professional reviewers. The show currently holds a 0% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes based on multiple critic reviews, with one critic describing it as “the worst TV show ever.”
A Noteworthy Career Comeback
This role marks Jessica Simpson’s first major acting project since her appearances in The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) and Employee of the Month (2006). Her dramatic, prosthetic-heavy performance in All’s Fair has successfully put the spotlight on her return to television, generating significant conversation about the themes her character’s story explores.
New episodes of All’s Fair continue to premiere on Tuesdays on Hulu.
Also Read: All’s Fair Release Schedule: When to Watch New Episodes of the Kim Kardashian Hulu Drama
