ByRoger Cormier|Mar 8, 2021, 4:00 PM EST
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A remake of La Cage aux Folles (1978), The Birdcage starred Robin Williams as a gay cabaret owner, and Nathan Lane as his drag queen partner. The two pretend to be something they are not when Williams’s son (Dan Futterman), his fiancée (Calista Flockhart), and her parents (Dianne Wiest and Gene Hackman) come to visit. Here are some behind-the-scenes facts about the classic comedy on the 25th anniversary of its release.
1. The Birdcage was Elaine May and Mike Nichols’s first—and long-awaited—movie collaboration.
Mike Nichols and Elaine May were an influential improv comedy duo in the 1950s and 1960s who both achieved fame individually in feature films. Nichols (director of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Graduate) saw La Cage aux Folles and believed it could be remade as an American movie, and May (screenwriter of Heaven Can Wait and Ishtar) wrote the adaptation. “We’ve never done a movie from first to last together,” Nichols said in the official production notes. “This is a project we’ve wanted to do for 15 years because we knew from the first that it was a timeless comedy with a terrific plot and a wonderful ending.” Two years later they would collaborate again when May adapted Primary Colors (1998) for the screen, with Nichols directing.
2. Steve Martin was originally set to star in The Birdcage as Armand.
Steve Martin was set to play Armand, with Robin Williams playing his partner Albert, but there were scheduling conflicts on Martin’s end. Williams said he didn’t want to play Albert anyway, believing he had already dressed in drag enough with Mrs. Doubtfire (1993).
3. Mike Nichols cast Broadway actors in The Birdcage.
Nichols offered Nathan Lane the part of Albert while he was starring in Neil Simon’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor on Broadway. Lane said it was a “dream come true.” Nichols also cast a pre-Ally McBeal Calista Flockhart, despite her having minimal Hollywood experience, after seeing her in an Off-Broadway production of The Loop.
4. Hank Azaria was cast in The Birdcage because of his work on Quiz Show.
Nichols liked what he saw in Hank Azaria, who played a TV producer in Quiz Show (1994). Azaria’s role was expanded from initially playing Albert’s dresser to Agador Spartacus, the couple’s Guatemalan maid.
5. Hank Azaria was shooting Heat at the same time he was shooting The Birdcage.
On his 30th birthday, Azaria worked on Michael Mann’s Heat (1995) until 6 a.m., then headed to The Birdcage set. When Nichols found out it was his birthday, and that he had been working for 18 hours straight, he sent Azaria home.
6. David Alan Grier was originally set to play the butler.
Azaria told The A.V. Club that expanding his role in The Birdcage was Robin Williams’s idea. “That first scene where I’m dressing Nathan Lane, getting him all dressed up? The maid/houseman was supposed to be a whole other character, who was supposed to be a black character like it is in the French version, and … I think he was going to be played by David Alan Grier. And they thought David was brilliant, but they thought that in an American context, the idea of a black houseman would be somewhat distasteful and have racist overtones. So since it’s set in Miami, they decided to make it a Latin character. And I was already playing the other character. So I think it was Robin Williams’s idea: ‘Why not just combine the two roles and just let Azaria do it?'”
7. Mike Nichols tried to keep Robin Williams and Nathan Lane’s improvisations to a minimum.
“We had a rule on the picture,” Nichols said. “The actors would do the written script until I was satisfied and then we would do one take in which they could improvise. Given this cast, there were obviously some improvs that were insanely funny, but didn’t fit the story. But there are moments all through the picture that are improvised and were perfect.”
8. Agador was partly based on Judy Garland’s dresser.
When Azaria couldn’t figure out how to play a scene where Agador had to calm an anxious Albert down before a show, Nichols gave him some background to help. “Your character is partially based on Judy Garland’s dresser,” Nichols said. “Judy would panic before every performance and her dresser would panic with her and he would panic more than her so that she’d have to be the one to tell him to calm down, and that was the ritual they had.”
9. A few weeks into filming The Birdcage, Hank Azaria realized he was imitating his grandmother.
“I realized after about two to three weeks of working on it that it really kind of sounded exactly like my grandmother,” Azaria told NPR. “Realizing it sounded like her also gave me a good piece of the character, because she was so maternal and mothering and loving, if I sort of had her mentality it was easy to be kind of feminine.”
10. Robin Williams’s slip on the kitchen floor while panicking over the shrimp wasn’t intentional.
Williams’s tumble was not on purpose. “And if you watch that little piece of film again, you’ll see me laughing and Robin laughing,” Azaria said.
11. Mike Nichols had to move his chair into another room because he was laughing so hard.
The director would laugh so much that he had to move his chair into another room. Williams once said Nichols would laugh so hard “they would have to put a blanket over his head.”
12. The Birdcage features original music by Stephen Sondheim.
Stephen Sondheim said it was fun to write “It Takes All Kinds.” The song was meant to play over the opening titles, but when Nichols heard “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge, he changed his mind.
13. The Birdcage‘s success was a personal victory for Mike Nichols.
After he showed the final cut of The Birdcage to his editing team in Martha’s Vineyard, they all had a celebratory meal. “I was very emotional and very angry: I couldn’t speak all through lunch,” Nichols said of that day. “The film was so good, so strong. I realized I’d had no inkling of my anger at the people who had written me off. My reaction, instantaneously, was ‘F**k you, bastards. You thought I couldn’t do this anymore. Well, look at this.’ The Birdcage would go on to make over $185 million worldwide.
14. Paul Thomas Anderson loves The Birdcage.
Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) wrote in 2009 that there are two films “that without fail or question will make me stop dead in my tracks and watch all the way to the very end, no matter what else is happening or needs to get done.” One was The Shining (1980). The other was The Birdcage.
This story has been updated for 2021.
50 Simple DIY Halloween Costumes For Last-Minute Planners
Looking for a simple, classic Halloween costume you can create at home with relatively little effort? Look no further.
ByEden Gordon|Oct 25, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Halloween is approaching fast. Do you have your costume yet?
There’s always the option of going out and buying a whole new costume, and unless you really know your way around a sewing kit, some looks are more likely than others to require that step. But there are countless amazing Halloween costumes that are pretty easy to create all by yourself, mostly using things you already have at home.
Halloween costumes may have their roots in the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, a time when the veil between the land of the dead and the living was traditionally believed to grow thin. In order to blend in with wandering spirits, people would often wear animal skins, masks, bones, and other disguises.
Today, Halloween costumes have become immensely creative and varied, though some patterns do exist. Monstrous creatures such as vampires and aliens remain common across the U.S., as do characters from pop culture. Costumes can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish, and if you’re looking to pull together a costume mostly using just what you already have in your house, there are plenty of options. A little creativity and ingenuity go a very long way here.
Here are 50 Halloween DIY costume ideas perfect for anyone with scissors and a dream.
- Classic DIY Halloween Costumes
- Food DIY Halloween Costumes
- Punny and Funny Halloween Costumes
- Pop Culture DIY Halloween Costumes
- Spooky DIY Halloween Costumes
Classic DIY Halloween Costumes
Ghost
Have a spare sheet lying around? Cut out eye holes, pull it over your head, and you’re all set to haunt.
Tourist
Grab a Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses, a camera, and a paper map, and you’ll look just like a dad seeing Bermuda for the first time.
Black Cat
A black shirt, eyeliner whiskers, ears made with Velcro, and a tail made from fabric come together to create this classic Halloween getup.
Nerd
A button-down shirt, suspenders, and taped-together glasses will have you looking ready to ace the upcoming math test.
Burglar
Prepare to steal the prize for best Halloween costume with a black-and-white striped shirt, a beanie, and a ski mask. (A black hoodie and a bag slung over your shoulder will also suffice.)
Cowboy or Cowgirl
A plaid shirt, overalls, and a cowboy hat are pretty much all this costume needs. (Turn it into a scarecrow costume with some hay and straw-style makeup!)
Detective
All you need is a trench coat, a magnifying glass, and a notebook to look like you’re ready to solve any case that comes your way.
Superhero
There are plenty of pop culture superheroes to choose from, but you can create your own with leggings, a leotard, a piece of fabric for the cape, and your own unique logo.
‘80s Icon
Indulge your ‘80s nostalgia with a classic ‘80s Halloween costume, complete with a leotard over leggings, leg warmers, and a matching headband.
Pirate
An eyepatch is most of what you need to make this costume recognizable, but a bandana, a striped shirt, a DIY sword, and a stuffed parrot perched on your shoulder will complete this look.
Food DIY Halloween Costumes
Bunch of Grapes
Tape a bunch of purple or green balloons to an outfit and you’ll look just like this ancestor of wine.
Fried Egg
This costume can consist of a large egg-shaped blob cut from a piece of white cardboard or fabric, plus a yellow blob on top for the yolk, all attached to your shirt (or jacket, depending on the Halloween weather).
Milk Carton
A cardboard box painted white with the word “Milk” on it and a hole cut through it come together to turn you into a convincing milk carton. Feel free to add as many (or as few) details to the box as you’d like.
Pineapple
A yellow shirt plus a green crown made from paper or felt are all that’s required for this costume.
Popcorn
A cardboard box with red and white stripes painted on, with crumpled-up yellow paper on top make you look like the perfect movie theater snack.
Cosmic Brownie
You can look like this classic Little Debbie sweet treat with just a brown shirt with some colorful cotton balls taped or pinned onto it.
Strawberry
Look like this beloved berry by simply cutting out some seed-shaped bits from felt and attaching them to a red dress, and adding a green hat.
Tropical Drink
This one might require a trip to the corner store, but bear with us: dress up like a poolside cocktail with a pink dress, a parasol, a lemon-shaped headpiece, and a straw-shaped appendage attached to a headband!
Gumball Machine
Just grab some superglue and attach a bunch of colorful ping pong balls to a white shirt.
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Glue some white yarn onto a red T-shirt, and pair it with meatballs made from balls wrapped in fabric, and you’ll be looking like this classic dinner dish in no time.
Punny and Funny Halloween Costumes
Cereal Killer
Attach some miniature cereal boxes to a shirt, and add a prop feknife and some fake blood. (To make it even simpler, carry around a bowl of cereal and a knife.)
Ceiling Fan
You’ll need a few pom-poms, plus a shirt with the message “Go Ceiling!” on it.
Identity Thief
Covered in a bunch of name tags with different names on them and voila.
A Formal Apology
A fancy dress and a banner reading “I’m sorry” complete this punny costume.
Copycat
Just add a stack of photocopies or a sign reading “CTRL+C” to your black cat costume.
Blessing in Disguise
Put a trench coat, sunglasses, and a fedora over a white dress complete with angel wings and a halo.
French Kiss
Pair a French-inspired striped shirt and beret with makeup done in the style of the band Kiss. (Croissants, French flags, and electric guitars optional.) Even simpler: drop the Kiss makeup and simply paint your lips bright red.
Chef’s Kiss
Dress up as this popular Gen Z slang term for Halloween with a white chef’s jacket stamped with lipstick kisses.
Freudian Slip
Wear a slip dress and write or attach Sigmund Freud-related words like “id” and “ego” to it, and you’ll have Freud himself rolling in his grave.
When Life Gives You Lemons
A trip to a grocery store is pretty much all you need for this one, which requires wearing a nametag that reads “life” and carrying a basket of lemons.
Pop Culture DIY Halloween Costumes
Wednesday Addams
A black dress, black stockings, braided pigtails, and a deadpan expression will turn you into a dead ringer for this classic Addams family member.
Dwight Schrute
Turn Halloween night into an episode of The Office with just a mustard button-down shirt, brown tie, glasses, and a large mug.
Barbie
Don a pink outfit, cute accessories, and bright makeup and you’ll be ready to embody this famous doll.
Indiana Jones
Get ready for intrepid Halloween adventures with a fedora, brown jacket, satchel, khakis, and a homemade whip. (Rope will do.)
Men in Black Agent
A black suit, white button-down, and sunglasses will have you ready to track alien activity.
Mary Poppins
A white blouse, dark skirt, red bow tie, and an umbrella will have you ready to offer spoonfuls of sugar to every trick-or-treater.
Joel Goodsen in Risky Business
A large button-down white shirt, neutral undergarments, dark sunglasses, white socks, and a candlestick are all you need; the classic dance moves are optional.
Bob Ross
A denim jacket, a curly wig, and a paint palette come together to create the perfect impression of this lovable TV artist.
Dolly Parton
The late, beloved Dolly Parton will definitely be one of the biggest costumes of 2026. Join the party with a blonde wig, a pink hat, cowboy boots, a guitar, and anything sparkly.
Marty McFly
The classic Back to the Future protagonist is an easy one to replicate if you have a skateboard (or hoverboard) on hand; just pull out a puffer vest over a jean jacket and add jeans.
Spooky DIY Halloween Costumes
Vampire
Dark clothes, a homemade cape made from a sheet, pale makeup, and homemade fangs will have you looking like Dracula (or Edward Cullen, depending on your taste).
Mummy
Drape some strips of white fabric over neutral clothes.
Fortune Teller
Layered clothes, chunky jewelry, and homemade tarot cards complete this look.
Grim Reaper
Pair a black robe with a homemade scythe made from wood and cardboard.
Swamp Monster
Dark green and blue clothes, plus fake moss and leaves, and green makeup, will have you looking ready to crawl out of a swamp.
Haunted Doll
Vintage dress, pigtails, pale makeup with rosy cheeks and a red lip, and painted-on cracks will ensure that you terrify anyone with a fear of dolls.
Devil
This one’s an instantly recognizable classic and requires just an all-red outfit, plus homemade red horns.
Zombie
Get ready to look very undead with old, torn-up clothes, pale makeup, extremely dark circles under your eyes, and some bloodstains made from corn syrup and red food dye.
Mad Scientist
A lab coat, lab glasses, some wildly teased hair, and a few jars filled with colorful water come together for this zany look.
Witch
It doesn’t get more classically Halloween than this costume, which comes together with just a black dress, a broom, and of course, a pointy hat.