Madame Tussauds London has unveiled a wax figure of Gillian Anderson, prompting a priceless reaction from the actress as she came face to face with her lifelike counterpart for the first time.
Behind-the-scenes footage released by the attraction captures the moment Anderson enters the room and stops in her tracks, taking in the uncanny resemblance.
The figure has been dressed in one of the most memorable looks of her career, the white Gabriela Hearst gown she wore to the 2024 Golden Globes. The corseted floor-length design, which featured embroidered detailing, quickly became known online as the “vulva dress” and sparked widespread conversation about body positivity and female autonomy.
She revealed at the time that each motif took around “3.5 hours to embroider” on the bold design.
The original dress has been donated to Madame Tussauds by Hearst, allowing visitors to stand beside the exact garment that made headlines around the world. The figure is also accessorised with diamanté jewellery, metallic platform heels and a matching handbag, completing the red-carpet recreation.
Speaking about the decision to showcase that particular outfit rather than one of her on-screen characters, Anderson admitted the request initially surprised her.
She said: “When I got the call from Madame Tussauds to say they wanted to create a wax figure of me, I thought, really? Who would want to see a figure of me on a carpet rather than as a character? Then I thought about this dress and realised, yes, it makes sense to re-create this moment at the Golden Globes.
“The dress became a much bigger conversation than even I had anticipated, with so many people reacting positively for different reasons. I think this dress represents empowerment for women, celebrating bodily autonomy and freedom from shame. I wanted to give people the chance to stand next to it and revel in the audacity of it.”
The timing of the launch comes as Anderson prepares for a busy winter of projects. She stars in Channel 4’s upcoming drama Trespasses and will also appear in the Netflix American Western, The Abandons, which is due for release on 4 December.
Artists at Madame Tussauds have spent the past year creating the sculpture, taking precise measurements, capturing reference photographs and working with Anderson to finalise the pose and styling.
The completed figure will appear in the attraction’s Awards Party zone alongside Harry Styles, Zendaya, Dwayne Johnson, Bella Ramsey and other stars.
Visitors heading to Madame Tussauds in the coming days will also still be able to view Alan Carr’s temporarily restyled waxwork.
The comedian has been given a full "Celebrity Traitors" makeover until November 28, complete with the franchise’s dark-green hooded robe and lantern, in tribute to his emotional and instantly iconic "Endgame" win on the BBC’s biggest TV moment of 2025.
© The Standard Ltd