A few years ago I went to Madame Tussauds in Berlin. It was expensive, but it was a fun experience and well worth the money. It occurred to me how surreal it must be to see your own wax figure. How does it feel to look at a close live size approximation of yourself? Do you wonder if you look like that or do you realize that there are limits to even the best technology and that it’s up to the artist’s interpretation?
There’s a new wax figure of Zendaya at Madame Tussaud’s in London. It looks like a pissed off Kylie Jenner as many people are pointing out on social media. Here are is a little more about it, and the photo of the new waxwork is above. I know you didn’t mistake it for Zendaya.
Z’s fans called out Madame Tussauds for missing the mark and making the “Spider-Man: No Way Home” actor look “like a Kardashian,” mainly Kylie Jenner. The figure shows Zendaya in a slicked-back bun and wearing a hot-pink pantsuit, which she wore in 2015 at the Humane Society of the United States’ To the Rescue Gala.
But critics specifically took issue with her pout and ensemble.
The wax figure can be seen in the location’s “Awards Party Zone,” where it joins likenesses of Brad Pitt, Dwayne Johnson and Angelina Jolie. (Other themed areas include royals, Marvel and “Star Wars.”)
“Zendaya just exudes cool. Not only that, she uses her celebrity status to join conversations, thoughtfully, on important social issues,” Tim Waters, general manager at Madame Tussauds London, told PopSugar. “She is unapologetically herself — and we, along with her fans, love that about her. With rumours circulating that Zendaya is soon to become a Londoner herself, the timing to pay homage to her at Madame Tussauds London could not be better.”
Representatives for Madame Tussauds London did not respond Thursday to The Times’ request for comment.
The new figure was sculpted using measurements and references taken during her 2015 sitting with the attraction’s artists.
I sort-of feel bad for the artist, because I’ve seen wax figures from Madame Tussauds that are hard to tell apart from the real celebrities. The ones from the American locations are particularly good, namely Tiffany Haddish, Angela Bassett, Betty White, RuPaul and Ariana Grande.
Along with looking like a Jenner, this wax figure is giving me Shay Mitchell, Naya Rivera (RIP) and Kaiser mentioned Camila Mendes. It’s like an amalgamation of beautiful women, none of whom are Zendaya.
This is the real Zendaya at the event she’s modeled after. The report has it wrong though, our photo agency lists the date as May, 2016. So they used an over five year-old sitting from Zendaya?!
The wax version of Zendaya looks like she wants to speak to the manager. pic.twitter.com/yFIsqIEQDS
— A Girl Has No Name (@Idpreferyoudead) February 10, 2022
I see what they’re going for but the proportions of every aspect are a little off. pic.twitter.com/DefaijIWhq
— Danny (@mileycyusa) February 10, 2022
The wax version of Zendaya looks like she wants to speak to the manager. pic.twitter.com/yFIsqIEQDS
— A Girl Has No Name (@Idpreferyoudead) February 10, 2022
This wax figure in Orlando looks kind of budget, but it does look more like Zendaya.
the zendaya wax figure in orlando looks a lot better than this new one.. pic.twitter.com/DGkNYr8KeK
— ♡ 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢 ♡ (@CuriXTorres) February 10, 2022
They almost had it right. Almost.
It looks like they have started with a model of the wrong face shape, (chin, mouth, cheekbones, eyes) and then just tried to use make up & styling to approximate Zendaya.
I dont think this is terrible. But i have seen some god awful wax figures. So my question is not all these figures are made by the reputable Madamme Tusssuads ?
I think it looks like her and it’s very well done but not liking the smirk. Sigh
Yes! It looks like her if she was making a smirk which… isn’t great. Like why? It looks like someone just told her a lie and she knows it’s a lie and she’s just smirking and keeping her opinion to herself, but heavily judging. Why would you want that face as a wax figure artist making this piece? Lol weird choice.
Madame T’s should have known better. How dare they lol
I don’t know, I think it looks just like her. I thought it was a photo of her.
Most wax figures just have a semblance of the person they are trying to replicate so looks like Tussaud is being pretty consistent here.
It’s not horrible but it’s also not quite right. Like at first you may not see Zendaya but when someone points it out, it makes you go “huh. I see it now”.
I think it’s the eyes and brows. Eyes on the statue are bigger and wider and the brows are higher up than zendaya.
Zendaya has a beautiful sparkle/intelligence/playfulness in her eyes that is part of what separates her from, say, fashion models who tend to have a blank look. Idk if you can get that into a wax figure since it’s basically her soul. I think you could paint it if you were talented, so why not wax?
I think the wax figure is also chunkier and matronly, unlike Zendaya who looks more slender and younger. The blank look in the figure’s eyes are also unlike Z.
Ugh. No it definitely does not do her beauty justice.
On another note, I watched the first ep of Euphoria last night and I’m about as traumatized as I was when I saw Kids for the first time at age 16. It’s just so profoundly sad and disturbing watching these kids try to navigate a f*cked-up adult world. Probably won’t make it to episode two…
Urgh, I needed a shower after Kids…Telly was such a piece of sh!t!!
He was SO effin vile.
I never saw Kids because I knew it would make me furious. A co-worker of mine saw it and said she wanted to climb into the screen and kill Telly.
Looks more like Malia Obama imo
Why did they give her that judgmental smirk?
They should have known fans want full on Zendaya beauty. How odd.
Naya and Kylie Trying to swallow some random ‘Karen’s’ insult. This is very bad. I Hope Z got a good laugh at least.
Her face changes a lot depending on the makeup she is wearing, for instance in that scene of Euphoria where she is rehearsing the business opportunity speech, she looked so different!
But yes, she has a sweetness in her face that I imagine must be difficult to translate.
The bottom half of her face is shaped wrong. And without her personality shining out of her eyes, that charming half smile looks like a smug smirk.
I’ve been to the wax museum in DC and some figures resemble the person more than others,
the pose and expression they use makes a huge difference. For example, President figures look more like ‘themselves’ when they have them standing behind a podium like they’re giving a speech. And singers on a stage with a microphone or actors on the red carpet. It probably would have helped if she had been in a gown instead of a pantsuit. You really have to set the stage of the celebrity (if that makes sense) to make a wax figure with no personality more believable.
Yes if you cover up the lower part of her face, it’s a very close match, but something on the lower half is off and results in the smirk.
I agree that aspects are slightly off… it’s incredible how slight changes + the missing ‘spark’ of the real person renders the statue unrecognisable.
FWIW, the process by which MT creates the statues is extensive: “The subject sits for up to 200 measurements with hand-held instruments. Then photographs are shot from every angle to ensure their portrayal is 100 percent accurate.”
https://www.cnet.com/pictures/what-it-takes-to-be-a-madame-tussauds-wax-figure/5/