Zendaya’s Waxwork Sparks Online Firestorm

9 January 2026

Zendaya Wax Figure at Madame Tussauds/Zendaya. Credit : Madame Tussauds

When Madame Tussauds New York unveiled the latest wax figure of Zendaya earlier this month, the intention was to honor one of Hollywood’s most influential young stars, but the result has ignited a tidal wave of opinion from fans online. The figure, inspired by a striking look Zendaya wore to a Dune: Part Two fan event in Mexico City, was designed to capture her poised, fashion-forward presence in textured leather with a flowing skirt and bold jewelry.

The museum framed it as a tribute to her cultural impact, the culmination of more than a year’s work by over 20 artists blending traditional sculpting methods with modern techniques to achieve lifelike detail. Yet as soon as images hit social platforms, the wax figure became a focal point for intense scrutiny and debate.

Social media users immediately weighed in, and the reactions were as varied as they were passionate. Some fans took a cautious but forgiving view, acknowledging that creating a convincing wax likeness of such a universally admired and widely photographed figure is inherently difficult. A handful noted with bemusement that Madame Tussauds has a reputation for occasional misses, and compared this latest effort with previous contentious celebrity waxworks.

Others were less generous, picking apart perceived flaws in the sculpture’s facial features and expressions. Online commentators questioned the shape of the eyebrows, the angles of the cheekbones, and whether the overall effect truly resembled Zendaya at all, with one Reddit thread highlighting how details like overly dramatic brows had shifted the vibe away from the star’s usual look.

Within hours, the conversation spread across major platforms. On Instagram, watchers debated whether the figure captured Zendaya’s elegance or veered into an uncanny valley that distanced it from her real-life charm. A wave of memes and sarcastic comments quickly followed, some joking about the likeness and others lamenting what they saw as a misstep for such a celebrated museum. A few defenders of the piece also emerged, insisting that wax representations rarely mirror celebrities perfectly and that the figure’s outfit and posture conveyed Zendaya’s signature confidence.

Madame Tussauds’ general manager in New York stood by the work, emphasizing that every figure is the product of meticulous craft. He described the sculpture as a reflection of Zendaya’s growing influence in entertainment and fashion. The museum’s statements highlighted the collaborative effort behind each wax figure, from clay sculpting to the application of paint layers meant to simulate natural skin tones, but these technical assurances did little to quell the online debate.

Interestingly, this is not the first time a Zendaya wax figure has sparked discussion. Previous unveiling events in other cities have also drawn mixed reactions, revealing that public fascination with how celebrities are immortalized in wax often intersects with personal perceptions of likeness and authenticity. For many fans, this latest version joins a lineage of controversial sculptures that invite conversation about artistry, celebrity worship, and the challenge of capturing a dynamic public figure in static form.

Beyond the specifics of the critique, the fervor around Zendaya’s wax figure underscores broader cultural currents in how we engage with celebrity imagery. In an era where fans see countless photos and videos of stars from every angle, expectations for perfect representation have never been higher. A wax museum that dazzled audiences decades ago now finds itself navigating a landscape where every detail is magnified by online commentary and viral discourse. The speed with which fans dissected and shared their impressions reflects how deeply connected audiences feel to Zendaya’s persona, and how invested they are in the fidelity of her public portrayals.

Despite the uproar, the figure remains on display in New York, inviting visitors to form their own judgments and perhaps pose alongside the wax likeness of the Euphoria star. Whether visitors see a triumph of craftsmanship or a curious cultural artifact, the spectacle of reaction itself has become part of the figure’s story. What began as an artistic homage has turned into a conversation about art, fan expectation, and the elusive quest to render real human presence in wax.