Leah Remini responded to fans claiming that Beyoncé’s new wax figure looks like her.
Madame Tussauds in Blackpool, England, this week unveiled a wax figure of the singer dressed in a replica of the “Cuff It” singer wearing what looked like a sparkly bodysuit from the Renaissance tour.
But the Beyhive immediately noted that the wax figure’s face oddly resembled that of the 53-year-old The King of Queens actor.
“Queen of Queens or Queen B?? Someone tell that Beyoncé’s waxwork doesn’t look like Leah Remini?” one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, while another user posted, “all i see is Leah Remini.”
“I am screaming! And loving all the tweets!” Remini posted on X above a post that showed users the uncanny resemblance. “This perimenopausal woman will take any and all comparisons to the beautiful Beyoncé!”
People praised both her and Beyoncé in the comment section of the post, with one person writing: “This was Beyonce’s ‘Leah Remini’ era.”
“Girl you and B are beyond beautiful ladies!! And yes I completely am in agreement!” one X user added.
Some called out users quick to compare the two ladies. “People tell Leah she’s beautiful without putting Beyoncé down challenge,” the user wrote, to which Remini replied: “Exactly!!”
Beyond seeing a resemblance to Remini, fans drew comparisons to Rihanna and Tyra Banks as well. “They said … you getting the Rihanna special,” one X user wrote. Someone else noted, “I think I see more Tyra Banks than Leah Remini.”
The wax figure was unveiled in tandem with another statue of fellow pop star Lady Gaga. However, Gaga’s wax figure didn’t receive nearly as much backlash.
Madame Tussauds has attempted to do the 32-time Grammy winner justice numerous times, with all of them – except for their replica of Beyoncé donning her 2019 Beychella look – leaving much to be desired. In July 2017, the New York Times. reported that a statue modeled on the pop star was temporarily removed from the exhibition at Madame Tussauds in New York City after receiving backlash for creating whitewashed version of Beyoncé.
“Beyonce’s wax figure at @MadameTussauds looks like Kate Gosselin from ‘Kate Plus 8’ wearing a purple ensemble. Um, can we get a re-do?,” one X user complained at the time.
Madame Tussauds addressed the controversy after reinstating the wax figuring, explaining in an email to the NYT: “Our talented team of sculptors take every effort to ensure we accurately color match all of our wax figures to the celebrity being depicted. Lighting within the attraction combined with flash photography may distort and misrepresent the color of our wax figures, which is something our sculptors are unable to account for at the production stage.”
The statement continued: “We love, respect and enjoy a working relationship with Beyoncé. We have adjusted the styling and lighting of her figure and she is on display.”
This isn’t the first time Madame Tussauds has missed the mark, with fan and celebrity uproar often coming with the territory. In the past, Dwayne Johnson‘s wax figure hilariously garnered Vin Diesel comparisons amid their reported Fast and Furious feud, while Lil Wayne blasted the company for failing to capture his likeness.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
