Psst! Johnny Depp called, and he’s waiting for you at Darling Harbour. lastminute lovely, Shauna recently spent a day at Sydney’s Madame Tussauds and caught up with her celeb BFFS.
Seeing celebs out in their natural habitat might be rare in Sydney but I have the solution. On a dreary Tuesday, I jump on the phone to my most photogenic friend, Tay, and organise an outing to Madame Tussauds, at Darling Harbour.
Madame Tussauds’ doors were first opened over 250 years ago by wax sculptor, Marie Tussaud. It was in 1835 when the museum found its first home in London at the Baker Street Bazaar, where visitors would pay a sixpence for the opportunity to meet the biggest celebrities of the day.
The museum is a major tourist attraction, playing home to waxworks of historical and royal figures such as the Queen, film stars, sports stars and even infamous murderers.
Fast forward to today and there are 13 locations around the world including Las Vegas, Berlin, Tokyo and of course, Sydney which recently celebrated its first birthday.
Madame Tussauds Sydney celebrates its first birthday in style
We made our way to the front desk without any lining up. Bonus!
Check out the photos (please excuse the cheesy poses – I couldn’t help myself).
Hey Leo, wanna pash?
Check check, one two, one two
I think the crown suits me, don’t you?
Sadly, Danny is nowhere to be found
The one and only, Kylie
I’m ready for my interview now, thanks.
How the celebs are brought to life
Moulding each celebrity takes about six months (or around 800 hours!), with 80 staff working around the clock.
Step one: The subject is invited in for a sitting so measurements and photos can be taken. This proves a bit tricky for historical figures like Albert Einstein and Mahatma Ghandi, so lots of extra research and photos are required.
Step two: Sculptors make a clay model of the subject’s head. A metal skeleton of the body is then built and clay is added in the shape of the body.
Step three: Moulds are made of the head and the body, and hot wax is poured into the moulds and left to cool and harden.
Step four: Hair and makeup. Each strand of hair has to be added individually – this takes around five painstaking weeks. Teeth and eyes are added next, before the figure is painted with oil based paint. The paint has to be applied in layers so that it looks realistic.
Step five: The celebrity is ready for the catwalk! But every morning, the celebs need touch ups – their hair gets a brush, their face gets polished, and their clothes washed so that they look perfect in the spotlight. How glamorous!
The celeb-making process
Complete with an up-skirt fan
Priscilla: Queen of the desert
This one makes us feel old: none of the kids know who ET is!
Lady Gaga, what a sight!
Last one, I promise
Looking good, Brad
Getting there
Madame Tussauds is located at Darling Harbour, next door to the Aquarium and Wildlife World. It’s a five minute walk from Town Hall station, but is also accessible by ferry (get off at the Aquarium stop).
Afterward
There are plenty of restaurants and bars nearby to rest your weary legs afterward. Believe me, you’ll need to. And it’s the perfect way to kick back and check out your paparazzi shots! My top picks for a bite to eat and drink or two:
• Criniti’s
• The MalayaThe verdict
Tick! I definitely recommend a visit to Sydney’s Madame Tussauds. After all, how often do you get to smooch all your fave celebs?
Book your own Madame Tussauds outing here.