At the unveiling of her Madame Tussauds wax figure, the country’s multimedia superstar said, “If you do dream big, they can happen with hard work and perseverance.”
Another well loved Filipino celebrity has had her likeness immortalized in the most famous wax museum in the world. Yesterday, November 27, Filipino actress, model, TV host, and entrepreneur Anne Curtis finally got to reveal her very own Madame Tussauds wax figure.
Before the wax figure was unveiled, Anne gave the audience an idea of the creative process behind the creation of her “twin.” She admitted that while she has already done her fair share of fantaseryes or fantasy series (Anne made her movie debut in the fantasy film Magic Kingdom in 1997), the process this time around was “very different.”
“I thought I would have to lie down, get my prosthetics done and fit. But actually, it turned out to be two hours of posing, smiling, and then it was done. And a year later, here we are,” she said, beaming from ear to ear. “The whole team of Madame Tussauds Hong Kong was so professional. I could see the craftsmanship behind it; it’s so precise.” In fact, so painfully accurate is Anne’s wax figure that it has everything in place, including the freckle on her finger.
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Anne’s statue is dressed in a Dior gown which she donated. She said that she wanted her look to be timeless and elegant, and to reflect how she likes to personally dress. “We went with something that I felt was an iconic moment for me,” Anne shared. “It was my first comeback into the fashion industry when I did a trip with my Tiffany family.”
With regard to the microphone she’s holding, Anne explained: “I felt that a microphone is such a powerful tool and whether I’m hosting, giving a speech as a UNICEF ambassador, doing my spiels as a TV host on It’s Showtime, or even doing concerts in Araneta Coliseum (she breaks into peals of laughter at this moment), it’s such a powerful tool for me. I felt that it really should be a part of my wax figure.”
The pose is also an important element in a wax figure, and speaking on hers, Anne explained that it looks as if she’s about to conquer the stage. “It’s all about pursuing your biggest dreams and that’s what I wanted to impart with this pose.”
The stars aligned
Anne shared how it must be fate that her wax figure would be displayed at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong. She has a lot of core memories made in the former British colony—from food crawls and sightseeing to shopping. One of her fondest memories there, however, was when she was approached by the Madame Tussauds team.
“I was actually in Hong Kong with my It’s Showtime family. We were going through a very unique experience at that time, so we decided to take some time off and we were in Hong Kong celebrating. At the time I got the message, I felt like the stars aligned,” she recounted.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I hope through having this wax figure, I’m able to let all Filipinos to continue to pursue their biggest dreams,” Anne said. “If you do dream big, they can happen with hard work and perseverance.”
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Anne’s wax figure will be on display at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong at The Peak starting December 9, 2024. It will join other esteemed fellow Filipinos, namely Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. Anne, however, makes history as the first Filipino actress and host to have her wax statue displayed in Hong Kong. Lea Salonga had hers unveiled earlier this year in Pasay for Madame Tussauds Singapore.
On her history-making milestone, Anne said it’s about time for Filipinos “to introduce themselves to a worldwide stage.” “Whether it be sports or beauty pageants, fashion shows, acting—now is the time for Filipinos,” she enthused. “I’m so happy and honored. Thank you so much, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, for choosing me to be the first Filipino actress and host to have a wax figure. I’m just so honored.”
She closed her message by saying: “Here’s to dreaming big and making those dreams happen!”
On staying passionate and being the person you can be
After the unveiling of Anne’s Madame Tussauds wax figure, The POST had the opportunity for a quick one-on-one chat with the country’s multimedia superstar.
Asked what keeps her going after almost three decades in the industry, Anne said she stays passionate about what she does. “I think that’s something that will keep me going. If I keep that fire burning and it’s something I’m passionate about; it’s not just a career, it’s something I love to do,” she explained.
You can’t have a perfect career. You can’t have a perfect life. You can’t have a perfect journey in whatever career route you decide to take, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing your best to achieve your full potential.
Anne has done pretty much everything and has garnered accolades along the way. What’s next for her? “You know, I think for the first time, I’m quite happy to sit back, relax, and see what life has in store for me. It’s because I feel like in the 27 years that I’ve been in the industry, I’ve always worked hard. I’ve pursued my biggest dreams—chasing each one and working hard to make them happen,” she shared.
Tone changing to something more earnest and with a wistful look on her face, she continued: “I think I’m at that point in my life—and I think that this also comes with maturity and having your own family—I just finally want to see where life is going to take me. Just welcome it with open arms, and if not with open arms, figure out how I’m going to overcome what challenges come my way.”
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She also shared how being a mother to four-year-old Dahlia (named after her character in Magic Kingdom, her first acting role) has changed her from being someone who was so career-driven to someone who now knows how to balance work and life. “I know now the value of time for family, which before it was just really work, and me, me, me,” she said with a laugh. “Now, it’s more like, ‘You know, I’m going to work now and take two weeks off to be with my family.’ Whereas before I would just keep on working and working.”
On what her biggest learning is after almost three decades in the industry, Anne said it’s that you can never be perfect. “You have to embrace mistakes and challenges that will come your way—because they will,” she shared, with emphasis on the last three words.
“You can’t have a perfect career. You can’t have a perfect life. You can’t have a perfect journey in whatever career route you decide to take, but that shouldn’t stop you from doing your best to achieve your full potential,” Anne added.
Before we parted ways, Anne had one last thing to say: “Just embrace the imperfections because that can help you to strive harder to be the best person you can be or to excel in whatever it is you want to pursue.”
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