Catriona Gray’s wax figure is unveiled at Madame Tussauds Singapore

MANILA, Philippines – If you ever dreamt of doing the lava walk next to Catriona Gray, it’s now possible – the beauty queen’s wax figure has been unveiled in an interactive display at Madame Tussauds Singapore.

The figure, which Catriona refers to as her twin, is clad in Miss Universe 2018’s winning look: the glittering red gown by Mak Tumang, her Filipino sun ear cuff, and of course, the Philippines sash.

The gown was made by Mak himself, and is an exact replica of Catriona’s, while the shoes were Catriona’s spare pair that she brought to the competition in 2018.

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“It’s such an honor. I remember being a little girl at around 12 or 13 years old; I set foot in my first Madame Tussauds experience in London, the UK and I remember looking up to my idols – Christina Aguilera, Beyonce – and I always had a perception that to be in Madame Tussauds, you had to be an influential historical figure, a president, or an A-list global superstar,” Catriona shared at the unveiling of her wax figure on Wednesday, March 30.

“If you would have told 13-year-old me that, ‘Hey you’re gonna have a wax figure of your own one day,’ I don’t know if I would truly have believed you. So to be standing here is really quite surreal,” she said.

Catriona is the first and only Filipino so far to be featured at Madame Tussauds Singapore. For her, it’s an opportunity to bring pride to Filipinos again, especially those who live and work in Singapore. 

“To be here at Madame Tussauds Singapore as the only Filipino, it is my hope that our fellow kababayans, our fellow Filipinos walk through these halls [and] feel a sense of pride, because that’s really the emotion that I carried on the Miss Universe stage,” she said. 

She said that while the figure is in her likeness, it also highlights the talent of Filipinos.

“Yes, it is a wax figure of me, but in the dress and the accessories, it was Filipino talent that really allowed me to be at that standard that is so appreciated today…. I really lift this honor to my fellow kababayans, to my fellow Filipino.”

Catriona first announced in January 2020 that she would be getting her own wax figure at Madame Tussauds. The figure was supposed to stay in Singapore before touring Bangkok and Hong Kong. The unveiling of the figure was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While Catriona is the first Filipino to have a wax figure in Singapore, her fellow beauty queen Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also has a wax figure, which is displayed in the museum’s Hong Kong branch. 

Catriona’s wax figure can be viewed at Madame Tussauds Singapore beginning March 31. It is located in the museum’s TV and film zone, in an interactive display that allows visitors to attempt Catriona’s iconic lava walk. 

The figure will be on view until September 2022. – Rappler.com