These Asian stars have their own wax figures at Madame Tussauds
Champion boxer Manny Pacquiao on November 23, 2021, officially joined the ranks of celebrities with wax figures at Madame Tussauds museum.
Manny's wax figure is in the Hong Kong branch of the world-famous museum.
This makes Manny Pacquiao the second Filipino celebrity to be immortalized by the museum after Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.
“I'm very honored to be the next Filipino wax figure to join Madame Tussauds Hong Kong and I'm excited for everyone to see it! It was a different way to represent the country,” wrote Manny on Instagram.
Manny recalled during the interview the meticulous process involved to ensure that the team gets to replicate his image to a T.
“They had to measure every part of my face and body. Everything was so detailed,” he said.
“The Madame Tussauds team made it very fun and they were friendly and they helped me throughout so I was at ease with the whole team.
“I thought it will only take one or two hours, but it's really a detailed process the way we did our wax figure. I guess that's what makes them so realistic.”
Since 1884, the Madame Tussauds Museum has been known to create realistic wax figures of celebrities and high-profile personalities.
To date, the museum has a presence in various parts of the globe including the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, the USA, China, Japan, Australia, the UAE, and Hong Kong.
Speaking of the latter, the Hong Kong museum is home to many wax figures inspired by Asian celebrities.
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong has made it a point to feature personalities in the region to make it more appealing and relatable to visitors from neighboring countries.
The wax figures on display are a combination of the old and the new - from actors, singers, athletes, and beauty queens.
What is noticeable is the growing number of Korean celebrities in the museum.
This is a testament to the growing popularity and influence of Korean culture not just in Asia but worldwide.
Here are just some of the Asian celebrities on display at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong:
Manny Pacquiao
The “Pambansang Kamao” is the second Filipino celebrity to have a wax replica created by the talented team behind Madame Tussauds.
He is also the first Filipino male personality to be featured in the museum.
Manny's contribution to Philippine boxing and pop culture made him deserving of the recognition in the eyes of the museum's representatives.
“I am amazed at the final product. It looks so much like me. I am excited for my fans to see this and get to take pictures. It's like being together in the boxing ring,” said Manny in a statement.
“I'm honored to be chosen for this opportunity and grateful to Madame Tussauds for their wonderful work on my wax figure.”
The shorts worn by Manny's wax figure personally belonged to the eight-time world division champion.
Bruce Lee
The legendary martial artist-actor was immortalized more than once by the famous wax figure company. The best representation of Lee, however, is the one made with his signature volley kick. It perfectly captures Lee - who died at the young age of 33 on July 20, 1973 - in his most explosive form.
Michelle Yeoh
The talented Chinese-Malaysian actress is known for courageously doing her own stunts. She appeared in the movies 'Tomorrow Never Dies,' 'Crouching Tiger,' 'Hidden Dragon,' 'Star Trek: Discovery,' and 'Crazy Rich Asians.'
Jackie Chan
The Hong Kong native is one of the most popular martial artist-actors in the world. Chan, who helped pave the way for other Asian artists to penetrate Hollywood, appeared in the movies 'Shanghai Noon,' 'Rumble in the Bronx,' and the remake of 'The Karate Kid,' among many others.
Choi Si-won
The South Korean singer-songwriter and actor is best known for being a member of the hit K-pop group, Super Junior. He played lead actor in Korean drama shows such as 'Oh! My Lady,' 'Poseidon,' and 'Revolutionary Love.' His wax figure was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong on November 19, 2015.
Donnie Yen
The Chinese actor is perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Yip Man in the semi-biographical film, 'Ip Man.' He won Asian Outstanding Actor at the 8th Asian Film Awards in 2014.
Lay Zhang
Chinese singer-rapper and songwriter Zhang Yixing or Lay Zhang gained fame as a member of the K-pop group, Exo. His acting credentials included roles in 'Ex-Files 2,' 'Kung Fu Yoga,' and 'The Golden Eyes.' He has three wax figures which are displayed at Madame Tussauds museums in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
Suzy
Bae Su-ji, known to her fans simply as Suzy, made a name as part of the K-pop girl group, Miss A. She eventually ventured into acting and made her big-screen debut via the 2012 romantic film, 'Architecture 101.' Suzy is one of South Korea's biggest and recognizable stars, with projects ranging from acting, music, and modeling. She is the first Korean female celebrity to be immortalized at Madame Tussauds. You can catch a glimpse of Suzy in the series 'Start-Up' streaming on Netflix.
Pia Wurtzbach
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach made history when she became Madame Tussauds' first Filipino wax figure project. The beauty queen's unforgettable moment during the pageant (host Steve Harvey initially announcing the wrong winner) and the fact that she ended the country's 42-year Miss Universe title drought caught the attention of the people behind the popular wax museum.
Catriona Gray
Soon to be unveiled is the wax figure of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray. She will become the third Filipino to have a wax figure of herself after Pia Wurtzbach and Manny Pacquiao. Catriona's wax figure will be wearing a replica of the iconic “lava” gown that she wore during the pageant.
Bae Yong-joon
The 48-year-old South Korean actor is part of the so-called Korean Wave phenomenon, which saw the rise in popularity of Korean culture globally thanks to K-drama and K-pop.
Fans know Bae as Joon-sang in the popular 2002 drama series, Winter Sonata.
Kim Soo-hyun
The South Korean actor is one of the hottest stars this 2020 for Netflix aficionados. Kim is seen in the romantic TV series It's Okay to Not Be Okay where he portrays the role of Moon Gang-tae.
Kim Woo-bin
The South Korean model and actor has appeared in the hit films Friend: The Great Legacy, The Con Artists, and Twenty.
Lee Jung-suk
The baby-faced actor and model appeared in the films I Can Hear Your Voice, Doctor Stranger, Pinocchio, W, While You Were Sleeping, The Hymn of Death, and Romance Is a Bonus Book.
Park Hae-jin
Fans recognized the South Korean heartthrob for playing lead in the movies Bad Guys, Cheese in the Trap, Man to Man, Forest, and Kkondae Intern.
Anne Curtis
It's Showtime host Anne Curtis is the first Filipino actress and host to get her wax figure at Madame Tussauds.
