Gillian Anderson’s viral dress immortalised in new Madame Tussauds waxwork

Actress Gillian Anderson has unveiled her new waxwork at Madame Tussauds, declaring that the figure, dressed in her memorable 2024 Golden Globe Awards gown, "represents empowerment for women".

The Sex Education star’s distinctive "Vulva dress", a cream-coloured, corseted, floor-length gown adorned with embroidered vulva designs, was created by Gabriela Hearst.

The designer’s work has also been seen on the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex. Madame Tussauds released photographs showing Anderson encountering her first wax figure at the central London attraction.

The iconic dress has been donated to the visitor attraction for the waxwork to wear, completed with diamante jewellery, metallic platform heels, and a matching bag.

Anderson shared her initial reaction to the honour: "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?"

Explaining her change of heart: "Then I thought about this dress and realised, yes, it makes sense to re-create this moment at the Golden Globes."

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The actress highlighted the unexpected impact of the garment. "The dress became a much bigger conversation than even I had anticipated, with so many people reacting positively for different reasons," she said.

"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 American actress, who resides in the UK, has garnered acclaim for her extensive work across film, television, and theatre, having first risen to prominence as Special Agent Dana Scully in The X-Files.

She is also set to appear in Netflix’s forthcoming Western drama, The Abandons, scheduled for release next month.

Steve Blackburn, general manager at Madame Tussauds London, expressed his delight: "Having Gillian Anderson join our star-studded line-up is a huge honour. She is the perfect modern-day icon, from sci-fi legend to red carpet trailblazer, working with Gillian has been a genuine pleasure."

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He added, "The team have poured their extraordinary skill into recreating every detail of her look and we can’t wait for guests to come face to face with this incredible, conversation-starting, statement dress that Gabriela Hearst has kindly donated for Gillian’s first-ever figure."

Anderson’s waxwork is positioned in the attraction’s awards party zone, alongside figures of other notable personalities including Timothee Chalamet, Harry Styles, Zendaya, and Lady Gaga.