Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has expressed his dissatisfaction with his new wax figure at the Grevin Museum in Paris, France. The actor has asked his team to reach out to the museum and request a change in one major aspect of the figure: its skin tone.
The issue came to light when comedian James Andre Jefferson Jr. shared an Instagram reel on Sunday, poking fun at the wax figure. Jefferson commented, “That’s how Paris thinks he looks,” and shared an image of the figure, which depicted Johnson with light skin. Jefferson humorously remarked, “They turned The Rock into the pebble.”
Johnson shared Jefferson’s video on his own Instagram page, expressing his agreement with the comedian’s sentiments. He stated, “It looks like The Rock hasn’t seen the sun a day in his life.” The actor, who is Black and Samoan, plans to have his team contact the Grevin Museum to update the wax figure’s skin color.
The Grevin Museum, similar to Madame Tussauds wax museums, displays wax figures of celebrities. The wax figure of Johnson was created by sculptor Stéphane Barret, who used photos and videos as references instead of meeting the star in person. Barret explained that they found a man with similar measurements to Johnson’s and were able to recreate his build accurately.
Barret did encounter some challenges when trying to capture Johnson’s subtle smirk in the figure. Additionally, the eyes were redone multiple times to ensure they appeared warm and not too dark. The Samoan tattoos on the figure took 10 days to paint.
Johnson’s wrestling background in the WWE, where he was billed as a Samoan wrestler, contributed to his popularity and success. He later transitioned into acting, becoming a highly-paid actor in Hollywood. Johnson has portrayed Pacific Islander characters like Maui in Disney’s “Moana” and created and starred in the autobiographical sitcom “Young Rock.”
In 2019, Johnson clarified his racial identity on Twitter, stating that he identifies as both Black and Samoan. He emphasized that he is equally proud of both aspects of his heritage.
The Grevin Museum has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding Johnson’s concerns. As the actor works on resolving the matter, he joked that on his next visit to Paris, he will stop by the museum to have a drink with his wax figure.
Caitlin O’Kane, a digital content producer for CBS News, reported on this story.
(Source: CBS News)