Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox gets measured up as she prepares to be the first transgender person immortalized in wax at Madame Tussauds
Transgender actress Laverne Cox will be immortalized in wax at the San Francisco location of Madame Tussauds next month.
It's another first for the star of Orange Is The New Black, who was the first transgender person to appear on the cover of Time magazine and the first to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy.
'I am so deeply honored to have been asked to be part of the Madame Tussauds legacy,' Cox said in a statement released Tuesday by the museum at Fisherman's Wharf.
Waxwork figure: Laverne Cox, who stars on the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, is the first transgender person to be honored with a wax figure at Madame Tussauds. Here she's seen posing for her doppelganger
Just like the real thing: The actress, 31, is seen in a video released by Madame Tussauds going through the wax work process. Her figure will be unveiled at Madame Tussauds in San Francisco later this month
Cox was born in Alabama and grew up being bullied because she was 'too feminine'.
She has a twin brother M Lamar, a musician and artist, who played her OITNB character Sophia Burset before she transitioned.
'When I think about being who I am, a black trans woman from a working class background raised in Mobile, Alabama, this honor feels even more improbable and extraordinary,' Cox said.
'I hope that this will be a source of inspiration for everyone who encounters it to believe that their dreams matter and are possible.'
Measuring up: Cox was measured bu a team of technicians so that her wax double will have the same proportions as the real thing
Check this out: The actress had fun with the bits and pieces that will bring her wax double to life
Matching colors: Technicians worked to find the right matches for the 31-year-old's skin, eyes, lips and hair colors
Landmark: It's another first for the transgender star seen here with a cast of her hand that will be used for her wax figure
Madame Tussauds posted a video online to show some of the process that goes into creating a wax figure.
The 5'11" actress is seen being measured, creating casts of her hands and having technicians pick out eyeballs that match her eyes and wigs to match her hair color.
Cox's wax figure will be unveiled on June 26 ahead of the city's 45th annual Pride Celebration & Parade weekend.
In announcing the news, Madame Tussauds said it wanted to memorialize the 31-year-old's 'historic impact.'
What's your shade? The star held up samples for synthetic hair to accompany the wax work
She sees you! Laverne also made sure to have some fun during the fitting
'Madame Tussauds is proud to celebrate Ms. Cox’s outstanding achievements and the impact she has made through raising awareness and her stance on equality and inclusion within the LGBT community,' the museum said.
Cox has become a transgender icon thanks to her breakout role on the Netflix prison drama.
She has won a Screen Actors Award and an Emmy Award as part of the ensemble cast of OITNB and won a Daytime Emmy for her look at the transgender community called The T-Word.
In the spotlight: Cox is being honored by Madame Tussauds for her 'historic impact' according to a statement released by the famous wax museum
Breakout role: Cox found fame as transgender character Sophia Burset on the Netflix prison series Orange Is The New Black, now in its third season on the video streaming service
But while she's enjoying her new-found success, she says things are still tough for transgender people.
'In terms of the day-to-day lives of trans people, we still experience violence at a disproportionate rate, as well as homelessness, unemployment, the denial of health care, and being criminalised and incarcerated,' sghe said in a recent interview with The Telegraph's Stella magazine.
'There are still over 30 states in the US that don’t have any anti-discrimination protections for trans people at all.'
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