Kathryn Bernardo joins Filipino icons at Madame Tussauds

From lining up for tickets as a kid to being part of the attraction herself, Kathryn calls her Madame Tussauds wax figure a “full-circle moment.”

“It makes me so happy because it feels like this will once again bring pride to us Filipinos—to bring our flag to the Madame Tussauds attraction.”

These were the heartfelt words of actress Kathryn Bernardo, who is officially the latest Filipino celebrity to be immortalized at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

Joining an elite roster of global icons and fellow Filipino legends, Kathryn said, “It’s truly an honor and I’m just very, very grateful.”

The museum announced the exciting news as it welcomed Bernardo, whose wax figure is set to be unveiled next year.

In a reel shared by ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, Bernardo expressed her gratitude and excitement, calling it an incredible honor to be part of the world-renowned attraction.

“Siguro kapag makita ko na ’yung wax figure in person, doon pa lang siya magsi-sink in sa akin. Na, ‘wow! I have a wax figure,’” she said.

During her wax fitting, Kathryn described herself as a “curious cat,” fascinated by the meticulous process.

“I was trying to behave there, kasi usually galaw talaga ako nang galaw,” she recalled with a laugh. “I was just following their instructions, I was following their lead at para lang akong curious cat na tanong nang tanong, at ino-observe ko lang lahat ng hinahawakan nila at nilalagay sa face ko.”

When asked who she plans to bring first to see her wax figure in Hong Kong, Kathryn said, “Baka si Papa. Hindi rin niya alam yata. Hindi sinabi ni mama… So kapag makita ng Papa ko baka magulat siya, ‘Sino ang anak niya?’ So sana maging proud siya kasi they will see me there as the figure.”

For Kathryn, this milestone marks a full-circle moment—a dream that began when she was just a little girl visiting the same museum.

“I was six, now I’m 29, and then nangyari ito. ‘Yong proseso na pinagdaanan mo to deserve that wax figure, very humbling siya,” she shared.

“Full circle moment din siya for me because I used to line up there, buy a ticket. When I was a kid, I just wanted to go there and meet my idol and experience Madame Tussauds. But now I’m going to be part of it.”

“Isn’t that so surreal? So nakakatuwa. Hopefully it’s something na maipagmamalaki rin kunwari ng pamangkin ko kapag nakita nila, ‘It’s my Tita Kat there.’ It’s something na kapag makita ng younger generation, makita sana nila na it’s possible to dream big,” Bernardo added.

Kathryn also encouraged fans to visit her wax figure once it’s unveiled next year. “Hopefully you get to see my wax figure there, take your photo, and something na maipagmamalaki nating mga Filipino. Thank you for making this possible and I’m excited for you guys to see and experience it,” she said.

Bernardo now joins the ranks of Filipino icons honored at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong—including Pia Wurtzbach, Catriona Gray, Anne Curtis, Lea Salonga, and Manny Pacquiao.

From her beginnings as a child star in “Goin’ Bulilit” to headlining blockbusters like “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and its ₱1-billion-grossing sequel “Hello, Love, Again,” Kathryn continues to cement her legacy as one of the most influential figures in Philippine entertainment.

READ: