Anna Faris Surprises Fans as Candy Crush Mascot at NBA Game

The former Scary Movie star traded the big screen for a candy-coated costume at the Los Angeles Clippers' home game.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 7:09am

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An extreme close-up photograph of brightly colored, glittering candy textures in shades of pink, purple, and yellow, capturing the vibrant, playful energy of the Candy Crush activation at the Clippers game.The Candy Crush takeover at the Clippers' Intuit Dome invited fans to inhabit the mobile game's world, blurring the line between sports and entertainment.Los Angeles Today

In a surprising move, actress Anna Faris took the court at the Los Angeles Clippers' home game, appearing as Bubblegum Troll, the whimsical mascot of the mobile game Candy Crush. The unexpected crossover activation turned a routine Tuesday night into a playful case study in corporate storytelling and immersive fan engagement.

Why it matters

This stunt highlights a growing trend in modern sports entertainment, where the boundary between platform, sponsor, and spectator is becoming increasingly blurred. By inviting fans to inhabit Candy Crush's world in real time, the activation signals a shift toward more participatory and immersive fandom experiences.

The details

Faris shed her Bubblegum Troll costume on the fourth-quarter court, signaling a deeper trend of entertainment properties leaning into transmedia storytelling and allowing stars to carry a brand's energy into live venues. The Candy Crush takeover at Intuit Dome is emblematic of a broader push to design audience participation into the architecture of a sports venue, creating micro moments of joy that fans can share on social media.

  • The activation took place during the Los Angeles Clippers' home game on a Tuesday night in April 2026.

The players

Anna Faris

An American actress known for her roles in the Scary Movie franchise, who surprised fans by appearing as the Bubblegum Troll mascot of the mobile game Candy Crush during a Clippers game.

Candy Crush

A popular mobile puzzle game that partnered with the Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome to create an immersive, interactive activation for fans during a home game.

Los Angeles Clippers

The professional basketball team that hosted the Candy Crush activation at their home arena, Intuit Dome.

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What they’re saying

“This moment also raises a deeper question about celebrity in brand storytelling. Is Faris' participation a genuine endorsement or a savvy performance asset designed to humanize and democratize a game-night spectacle?”

— Author

“What this really suggests is a recalibration of brand alignment in sports. Candy Crush's multi-year partnership with Intuit Dome isn't just a sponsorship; it's an instruction manual for turning a mobile game into a live atmosphere.”

— Author

What’s next

As the partnership between Candy Crush and the Los Angeles Clippers continues, fans can expect to see more innovative and immersive activations that blur the line between sports and entertainment.

The takeaway

This unexpected crossover between a mobile game and an NBA team highlights the evolving nature of fan engagement in sports, where brands are creating participatory experiences that go beyond traditional sponsorships and bring a sense of playfulness and delight to the game-day atmosphere.