Maddame Tussauds has been criticised yet again for one of their latest celebrity waxworks – this time Hollywood star Zendaya.
The “Kardashianed” wax figure of the Euphoria star showcased by Madame Tussauds in London has been met with disapproval; some fans saying it looks just like Kylie Jenner.
The ex-Disney star, who has 128 million followers on Instagram, has an estimated net worth of over £11 million. She released a self-titled album that hit 51 on the Billboard 200 the year after the hit series “Shake it up” ended. She then launched her clothing line ‘Daya by Zendaya’ just a year before she starred in the blockbuster Spider-Man: Homecoming. In short, Zendaya has enjoyed plenty of success in the last decade.
Clad in a pink suit she wore to the 2016 Human Society Gala, with a slicked-back low bun, soft glam eyeshadow, and pouted lips, this is the third tribute to the 25-year old actress. Fans compared the newest addition to other figures of women of colour.
Figures of Rihanna, Naomi Campbell and Beyonce, were previously criticised as being nothing like the stars they were trying to emulate.
The Los Angeles Times called the reaction to the new lookalike “less than euphoric”. “The wax version of Zendaya looks like she wants to speak to the manager” wrote one user.
A fan tweeted “I’m convinced that Madame Tussauds got a vendetta against Zendays bc what are these.” Another fan responded “I zoomed in on the face and saw Mary Kate and Ashley”.
The racial ambiguity of Tussauds’ displays have been a topic of discussion over the years. The responses are reminiscent of claims one Rihanna figure looks more like Lily Allen than Riri.
The 2019 Beyonce figure erected in Madame Tussauds, Manhattan, was controversially deemed “too light-skinned”.
The topic yet to be explored is whether race can or should be raised in a discussion that involves wax figures. But, after years of critics singing the same song, isn’t it time they do something differently?