2 lifelike wax figures of Awkwafina unveiled by Madame Tussauds
By Ryan General
November 3, 2023
Madame Tussauds announced Wednesday that it has added two lifelike wax figures of “Nora From Queens” star Awkwafina to its collection.
Meeting the figures: The world-renowned wax museum uploaded a video to YouTube on Friday showing Awkwafina coming face to face with both of her figures in her hometown Queens at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
“Oh, my. Oh my God. Oh, holy! That’s crazy. This is what my Tinder dates see,” the actor, whose real name is Nora Lum, quips in the short clip.
Two-for-one: Madame Tussauds is set to exhibit one of the 35-year-old actor’s lifelike figures at the Madame Tussauds New York museum, while the other is en route to Madame Tussauds Orlando, according to the museum’s website. Fans and visitors will have the opportunity to see Awkwafina’s figures up close starting in mid-November.
The New York wax figure adorns a blue gown and matching accessories inspired by Awkwafina’s memorable appearance at the 2021 Emmys. The figure destined for Orlando is donned in a striking red two-piece suit, complemented by a white vest and floral shoes, all personally donated by the star herself.
Collaborative creation process: The creation of the wax figures involved a dedicated team of 20 London-based artists who worked closely with Awkwafina and her team of makeup artists and hairstylists over a span of nine months. This collaborative process resulted in an accurate representation of her measurements, hair color, eye color, skin tone and complexion in the statues.
“Immortalized in wax”: In creating her wax figures, the museum cited Awkwafina’s impact on the entertainment world, having earned acclaim for her roles in 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians” and her successful Comedy Central series, “Nora From Queens.” In 2020, her outstanding performance in “The Farewell” earned her a Golden Globe Award for best actress in a motion picture comedy or musical. She also recently lent her voice to the character Scuttle in Disney’s hit live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.”
“The ability for this to happen to me is just really cool, to be, as you guys say, immortalized in wax,” Awkwafina was quoted saying. “One is going to be living in the New York City location…so to know that I’m going to be in my hometown is a huge honor.”
Among greats: Madame Tussauds, which has been creating realistic wax figures of high-profile personalities since founded in 1835, has welcomed numerous famous Asian figures over the years.
Notable figures include Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, international superstar Michelle Yeoh, martial arts icon Bruce Lee and action stars Donnie Yen and Jackie Chan, among others.
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