TikTok Users Stunned by Optical Illusion Distorting Celebrity Faces

On November 14th, 2025, TikTok users were left stunned by an optical illusion that transforms the faces of well-known celebrities into distorted, monstrous appearances. The illusion was shared by magician Pete Firman, who described it as "SO weird."

To experience the effect, viewers are instructed to focus their eyes on a cross between photos of Liv Tyler and Tom Cruise, keeping the images in their peripheral vision. Over the next few seconds, the faces shift to those of Kevin Spacey and Patrick Stewart, and then to Jennifer Lopez and Drew Barrymore. However, something strange then occurs - the features of the celebrities begin to appear disfigured and out of proportion.

Firman explains that this is due to the "flashed face distortion effect," a well-known illusion in which normal human faces are distorted when they flash in the periphery. He notes that this happens because the brain is trying to fill in the blanks, holding onto previous images and overlaying them on new ones as they appear.

Many TikTok users have expressed their astonishment at the bizarre effect, with some admitting they had to double-check the original images to believe what they were seeing. The illusion has sparked discussions about the way the brain constructs reality and the ease with which it can be deceived.