Zendaya just did it again. She sparked internet chaos, but this time, it wasn’t for a red carpet look or a movie announcement. It was for a wax statue.
But as soon as photos of the figure hit social media, the internet, as it always does, went wild. Instead of a universal round of applause, the reactions included cheers, spirited debates, and downright bewilderment. And as any Zendaya fan scrolls through Reddit or X (formerly Twitter), you start to see why this wax figure is the talk of the town right now.
But plenty of other reactions slid into the other end of the spectrum, and honestly, they are worth reading aloud.
One fan joked that the wax likeness looks good only if you stare at it for four seconds before you start noticing things that suddenly seem “off,” including comparisons to “someone’s auntie,” which, we admit, is both specific and hilarious.
Some commenters dissected the eyes and eyebrows, calling them “too intense” or “angular,” compared to Zendaya’s softer, more relaxed gaze. Other fans mentioned the makeup and facial expression, with one user flatly stating, “The makeup is bad, and the facial expression is worse.”
And then there were the very specific critiques that you can only get from Reddit threads. One commenter wrote with sincere confusion about how the abdomen area was sculpted, asking if it looked like she was wearing men’s underwear under her skirt. Another joked that they initially mistook the wax statue for a separate GIF of something completely random.
It’s not just one subreddit, either; pop culture fans online have been thoroughly inspecting this statue. People are debating its resemblance not just to Zendaya’s face but to the essence of her aura. Some fans said it looks like her “in spirit,” even if it’s not a perfect likeness, while others hilariously compared it to “Zendaya adjacent,” a polite way of saying it’s close enough to be familiar, but different enough to raise eyebrows.
The outfit Madame Tussauds chose was meant to be a tribute to one of her memorable looks, complete with textured leather and statement jewelry inspired by a real public appearance. But for many people online, the figure’s face is where the debate begins and ends.
“They’ve usually been spot on,” one fan wrote, expressing surprise that a museum with such a long track record could produce a statue that leaves people divided. Another echoed that sentiment, saying Zendaya’s wax figures never seem to fully resemble her, even after multiple attempts over the years.
And then there were the comparisons and playful barbs that internet comment threads tend to specialize in. One user said it gave off “Mazikeen vibes,” a reference to a character from Lucifer, rather than Zendaya’s traditionally soft glam persona. Another commenter summed it up with beautifully bizarre humor:
“I thought I was losing it until I realized the second pic actually had Zendaya in it!”
Of course, not every reaction was a roast or snarky remark. A good number of fans still praised the effort, saying they understand how super-challenging it is to capture someone’s likeness in wax. After all, even with hundreds of measurements and reference photos, translating a real person into a static figure that will sit in a museum case for years is no small task. There were comments appreciating the craftsmanship and reminding everyone that wax figures often look different up close than they do in photos online.
The conversation even dug into deeper territory, like historical reactions to other famous wax figures that didn’t quite land. Fans mentioned past Zendaya statues that received mixed reactions, showing that this isn’t a one-off phenomenon but part of a longstanding pattern whenever celebrities are immortalized in wax.
And while some reactions are purely playful, like poking fun at the statue’s expression or joking that she’s staring into your soul, others honestly reflect how invested Zendaya’s audience is. When a beloved star’s likeness is at stake, people feel comfortable caring very deeply about whether the statue is accurate or just… “close enough.” That mixture of reverence and intense scrutiny is part of what makes fandom culture so fun to watch in real time.
What’s fascinating about this moment is how it highlights how fans engage with celebrity culture today. In previous decades, a wax figure unveiling would have been a quiet museum press release and maybe a local news mention.
Now, every detail, the outfit choice, the tiniest feature on the face, becomes its own mini-story online, spawning memes, ranking threads, and comparison photos across Instagram, Reddit, and X.
Even the inclusion of her engagement ring in the wax figure, a nod to her engagement to Tom Holland, became a little talking point, something that got people tagging friends and chuckling about the level of detail. “They even put the ring in,” one fan said online, mixing awe and amusement at how layered the figure’s design was.
And yet, even amid all the feedback, good, bad, confused, and celebratory, there’s a sense that people can’t look away. That’s the true sign of a cultural moment. You don’t just scroll past a Zendaya wax figure and go on with your day. You share screenshots, debate eyebrow shape, craft comparisons, and create threads that run for pages about whether Frankenstein would prefer Zendaya in this version or the last. That’s the thrill of community culture in 2026.
Ultimately, do you think the figure is eerily accurate or uncannily questionable? Well, the reaction itself is part of the fun.
Some fans are already saying it’s “the best one yet,” while others are calling for a redo. A few sarcastic commenters even said they want their own wax figure next, just to see what Madame Tussauds would do with them. That’s fandom at its most charming and chaotic.
And that mixture of admiration and scrutiny feels very 2026. We live in an era where technology, artistry, and instant reaction collide. Zendaya’s wax figure gives us something concrete to talk about, pose next to, post about, memeify, and debate into the next celebrity moment on everyone’s feed.
So the next time someone says wax figures are boring relics of the past, show them the Zendaya statue internet roller coaster. Because this one didn’t just display a sculpture; it launched a thousand memes and a week’s worth of spirited commentary, proving once again that fans love to connect, celebrate, and sometimes pick apart the finer details of pop culture history.
