Kathryn Bernardo becomes youngest Filipino to get Madame Tussauds wax figure
Another Filipina will be immortalized in wax by Madame Tussauds: Kathryn Bernardo, who has been hailed as the "Box Office Queen" of her generation.
Her statue will find its home in the wax museum's branch in Hong Kong, and fittingly so, as "Asia's World City" holds a special place in her heart. It is, after all, where she shot her hit film, Hello, Love, Goodbye, one of the highest-grossing Filipino movies.
PhilSTAR L!fe got to sit down with Bernardo in August after the Madame Tussauds team finished their measurements for her wax twin.
"I never thought this day would happen, and my heart is just full of gratitude. As in, 'di ko naman to inexpect," she said, adding that the expereince is "unforgettable."
Bernardo joins the small group of Filipino personalities with their Madame Tussauds wax figures, including Manny Pacquiao, Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, Anne Curtis, and Lea Salonga. At 29, the Hello, Love, Again actress is the youngest of the crop.
"It's very overwhelming, but at the same time, it feels good to be recognized and for them to pick me to represent my country and being the youngest pa," she shared.
While Bernardo has her fair share of iconic roles—from She's Dating a Gangster to The Hows of Us and A Very Good Girl—the actress' wax figure will be just "Kath." The look of her wax twin is still under wraps.
"This is me as myself. So whatever you're gonna see there, [it's] on of the most important moments that happened to me years ago. It's how I want to be presented. It's very timeless," she said.
Kath's legacy
Apart from her wax twin, Bernardo hopes to be known for her body of work. Her last film, Hello, Love, Again, earned P1.6 billion worldwide, cementing its status as the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time. It was even among the contenders to be submitted to the Oscars for the Best International Feature category, but eventually lost out to Lav Diaz's Magellan.
Dreamscape Entertainment also announced in late August that Bernardo is starring in an upcoming teleserye alongside James Reid.
"I want to be remembered as Kath the person more than Kath the celebrity—the way I work with people and kung ano 'yung iniwan ko as a person in the industry... I hope in the coming years, I'll be able to inspire the next generation to do the same and pass it on," she told L!fe.
With more Filipino personalities getting their own wax figures at Madame Tussauds, Bernardo hopes that the next star on the list is the late Fernando Poe Jr.
"He represents the Filipinos. I feel like I grew up watching FPJ," she said.
"He's not just an actor, he's also a producer, a director and so many things. He deserves to be there kasi he is the king of Philippine cinema. So bago pa kami lahat dito, meron ng 'Da King.'"
Bernardo's wax figure will be displayed at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong, and it's set to be unveiled in 2026.
Watch the L!fe's interview with Bernardo below.
