The highly anticipated Hulu body horror series The Beauty made its explosive debut on Wednesday night, immediately grabbing viewers' attention with a gruesome and unforgettable opening sequence featuring supermodel Bella Hadid.
A Fashion Show Turned Nightmare
The series, co-created by Ryan Murphy and Matt Hodgson, opens with Bella Hadid portraying a model walking in a gritty Paris fashion show. The setting is far from glamorous - held in a warehouse with models trudging through a muddy runway. Hadid appears in a striking red leather cropped jacket and matching high-waisted pants, initially looking every bit the fashion icon she is in real life.
The Descent Into Madness
Suddenly, Hadid's character becomes visibly distressed, her composure shattering as she develops an uncontrollable thirst. She leaps from the runway, attacking spectators to steal their water bottles, chugging the contents desperately before pouring water over herself. The scene rapidly escalates from bizarre to brutal as the model begins assaulting audience members without provocation.
Her rampage continues outside the venue where she attacks paparazzi, stealing a motorcycle helmet to bash a photographer repeatedly before commandeering his bike for a chaotic ride through Paris streets.
A Gruesome Transformation
After a violent collision with a car leaves her with what appear to be life-threatening injuries - including a deep leg gash and unnaturally bent limbs - Hadid's character defies logic by rising to stumble into a nearby cafe. There, her violent thirst continues as she attacks diners, smashing one man's face into his plate and stabbing another through the hand with a fork.
The sequence reaches its climax when a patron with a concealed handgun fires multiple shots into Hadid's chest, only for the bullets to have no effect. She disarms him and beats him with his own weapon before emerging to face police in full riot gear.
The Explosive Finale
As officers aim their rifles, Hadid's character undergoes a final transformation. Her eyes darken, blood trickles from one corner, and she suddenly explodes with bomb-like force, her body transforming into a shower of blood and viscera that coats the horrified police officers.
Viewer Reactions and Social Media Buzz
The shocking opening immediately generated substantial buzz on social media platforms, with viewers expressing both horror and admiration for the series' bold introduction.
Positive reception dominated early reactions, with one viewer writing on X (formerly Twitter): "#TheBeauty is hitting really hard right now. I love it." Another added: "Wow... so we're just really going hard straight out of the gate!"
Many were particularly impressed by Hadid's commitment to the gruesome role, with one amazed viewer noting: "Ummmmm Bella Hadid did her big one in this opening sequence - WOW!"
Some viewers admitted they were unprepared for the intensity, with one sharing: "Turned on a random show on Hulu and Bella Hadid explodes on the screen within 5 minutes."
Series Premiere Details
The Beauty stars Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall as FBI agents investigating a mysterious drug that rewrites users' DNA to create perfect physical features, but carries fatal side effects and can be transmitted sexually as a virus. Ashton Kutcher plays the shady billionaire behind the corporation producing the substance.
The first three episodes are now available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+, with subsequent episodes scheduled for weekly release on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The series represents another boundary-pushing addition to Ryan Murphy's portfolio of horror-themed television projects.
