Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is one of the most popular and recognizable people in the world, so it’s no surprise that he has a wax figure at the Grévin Museum in Paris, France. But when the wax figure was first unveiled in September 2023, many people were critical of its appearance, saying that it didn’t look like Johnson at all.
The Rock’s Wax Figure Gets a Glow-Up
One of the main criticisms was that the wax figure’s skin was too light. Johnson is of Samoan and African American descent, and he has a darker skin tone than the wax figure depicted. Many people felt that the museum had whitewashed Johnson’s appearance, which was both disrespectful and inaccurate.
In addition to the skin tone issue, many people also criticized the wax figure’s facial features. People said that the eyes were too small, the nose was too big, and the mouth was too wide. Overall, many people felt that the wax figure looked nothing like Johnson.
The backlash to the wax figure was so severe that the Grévin Museum eventually decided to update it. In October 2023, the museum unveiled a new version of the wax figure, which had a darker skin tone and more accurate facial features.
Johnson himself was involved in the process of updating the wax figure. He posted on social media that he was working with the museum to “make sure my wax figure looks more like me.” He also thanked fans for their feedback, saying that it was important to him that his wax figure be an accurate representation of who he is.
The updated wax figure was much better received than the original. People praised the museum for making the changes, and said that the new wax figure looked much more like Johnson.
The whole experience with the wax figure was a reminder of the importance of representation. Johnson is a role model for many people, and it’s important that his image is accurately reflected in the media. The fact that the Grévin Museum was willing to update the wax figure after feedback from fans shows that they are committed to being more inclusive and representative.
Representation in the media?
The controversy over Dwayne Johnson’s wax figure is just one example of a larger issue around representation in the media. People of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities are often underrepresented or misrepresented in the media. This can have a negative impact on people’s self-esteem and sense of belonging.
It’s important to have accurate and positive representations of people from all backgrounds in the media. This helps to promote understanding and acceptance. It also shows people from marginalized groups that they are seen and valued.
The Grévin Museum’s decision to update Johnson’s wax figure is a positive step towards more inclusive representation. It shows that museums and other media organizations are willing to listen to feedback and make changes.
Promote more inclusive representation in the media?
Here are a few things that we can do to promote more inclusive representation in the media:
- Support media organizations that are committed to diversity and inclusion. This means supporting organizations that produce content that features people from all backgrounds in positive and accurate ways.
- Call out misrepresentation and stereotyping when we see it. If we see something in the media that is offensive or inaccurate, we should speak out about it. We can do this on social media, by writing to the media organization, or by talking to our friends and family about it.
- Create our own media content. If we’re not satisfied with the representation that we see in the media, we can create our own content that reflects the diversity of the world around us. This could include writing blog posts, making short films, or starting a podcast.
By taking these steps, we can help to create a media landscape that is more inclusive and representative of the world around us.
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