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Viola Davis, famous for her performance in the ABC thriller series How To Get Away With Murder, got her first-ever wax figure at Madame Tussauds Hollywood. According to Global Grind's report, on April 9, the actress came face-to-face with the statue. The wax figure replicates the actress's 2017 Oscars look when she wore a custom red Armani gown.
According to the media outlet, Viola Davis sat down with a team of sculptors, colorists, hairdressers, and stylists, who took approximately 200 measurements and pictures to recreate her features accurately. Calling it "transcendental," the actress stated that this is what art is all about.
"This is what art is supposed to do. This is how art is supposed to make you feel. It’s transcendental. It goes far beyond anything you could imagine in an earthly realm," she said.
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Viola Davis' reaction to her first-ever wax figure was shared via a video posted on Madame Tussauds USA's Instagram account on April 9. The post garnered a positive response from netizens who were seemingly surprised by the statue.
One netizen (@shimoyab) complimented the wax statue's accuracy, calling it the most accurate statue at the museum.
"Most accurate wax figure," they wrote.
Others shared a similar sentiment, appreciating the museum's efforts in bringing Davis' persona to life through the statue.
Some netizens appreciated Davis, saying she deserved the statue as she is a "powerhouse" actress.
Others jokingly stated that in the video clip, Davis walked in just like her character Annalise Keating, a prominent criminal defense attorney and law professor from How to Get Away with Murder.
Viola Davis' reaction to her Madame Tussauds statue
On April 9, Viola Davis complimented the Madame Tussauds team for making the wax figure look almost alive. She hoped that it would inspire Black girls the same way she was inspired by actresses Cicely Tyson and Melba Moore. She said:
"Oh my god. You got everything right. I mean, she looks alive. This dress, I believe, is Armani. They got it perfectly. What my fantasy is they're gonna feel about her the same way little Viola would've felt, when she looked at Ms. Tyson or Melba Moore."
Moreover, Global Grind reported that Tom Middleton, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Hollywood, mentioned that "this figure is a tribute" to Davis' influence in the industry and celebrates her legacy.
What did Viola Davis say about women in films?
While promoting her new action thriller film G20, Viola Davis sat down for an interview with The Quint on April 9. When discussing her work in the industry, she stated that she never changed herself to fit into "the larger narrative." The actress said she always tries to embrace her identity.
"I embrace my age, I embrace my race, I embrace my sex. I am not trying to water it down or filter it in order to fit the larger narrative. I think there's something about people who do live in their authenticity and even people who do not - it gives them the courage to do the same," she said.
When asked about the shift in the industry regarding women-led films, Davis mentioned she noticed the change in the 1990s, with Sigourney Weaver playing Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise.
The actress said while some consider that the shift happened with Gena Rowlands in the 1980 film Gloria, she stated that instead of focusing more towards women-led films, the industry created a "slow trickle". She said:
"I saw the shift really early on in my life with Sigourney Weaver in Alien; I think that was one of the first big surprises. Some might say Gena Rowlands in Gloria, but it was sort of a slow trickle."
Viola Davis' latest film, G20, is slated to release on Amazon Prime on April 10, 2025.
