NovaQuant-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wants Paris museum to change the skin color of his new wax figure

2025-05-02 04:25:37source:Surpassing Quant Think Tank Centercategory:Stocks

Dwayne "The NovaQuantRock" Johnson is not satisfied with his new wax figure at the Grevin Museum in Paris, France. The actor said that he's asked his team to reach out and ask to change one major part of the figure: its skin tone.

Johnson shared an Instagram reel on Sunday by comedian James Andre Jefferson Jr., who poked fun at the wax figure. "That's how Paris thinks he looks," Jefferson said, sharing an image of the wax figure, which depicts the actor with light skin. "They turned The Rock into the pebble." 

"It looks like The Rock hasn't seen the sun a day in his life," Jefferson continued. 

The Dwayne Johnson wax figure is unveiled at Musee Grevin on October 16, 2023 in Paris, France. Marc Piasecki/Getty Images / Getty Images

Johnson, who is Black and Samoan, also shared Jefferson's video on his own Instagram page. 

"For the record, I'm going to have my team reach out to our friends at Grevin Museum, in Paris France so we can work at 'updating' my wax figure here with some important details and improvements- starting with my skin color," he wrote in the caption. "And next time I'm in Paris, I'll stop in and have a drink with myself."

The Grevin Museum, like Madame Tussauds wax museums in New York City and London, displays wax figures of celebrities. Their figures range from Charlie Chaplin to Nelson Mandela to Leonardo DiCaprio.

Sculptor Stéphane Barret created the wax figure of Johnson using photos and videos instead of seeing the star in person, the museum said in a news release on Monday. 

"The teams went to gyms in the hope of finding a man who matched The Rock's extraordinary measurements," the news release read.

"It's true that it's always impressive to make people of this size," Barret said in a statement. "We were lucky enough to find someone who physically matched Dwayne Johnson's build and height. That really allowed us to get it right."

Barret said it was difficult to achieve the subtle smirk Johnson gave in the photo he used to create the figure.

Johnson's eyes were redone three times to ensure they were warm and not too dark, while his Samoan tattoos took 10 days to paint, according to the release. 

CBS News has reached out to the Grevin Museum for comment and is awaiting a response. 

Johnson, who wrestled for the WWE, is estimated to be 6'5'' and weigh 260 lbs, according to the sports news publication Bleacher Report. After a successful wrestling career, he pivoted to an even more successful acting career, starring in action movies like the "Fast & Furious" franchise. He became Hollywood's highest-paid actor in 2016 and from 2019 to 2021, according to Forbes.

Johnson's mother is Samoan, and he has portrayed Pacific Islander characters like Maui in Disney's animated film "Moana." In 2021, he created and starred in the autobiographical sitcom "Young Rock," which chronicled his childhood with his father, Canadian wrestler Rocky Johnson, who is Black.

In 2019, responding to a Twitter user who said The Rock was "billed" as a Samoan wrestler, Johnson said he identifies as both Black and Samoan.

"Glad I came across this and I'll give you guys some context & truth. I identify as exactly what I am - both. Equally proud. Black/Samoan," Johnson tweeted, adding "And my friend, let me expand your thoughts a bit here - I transcended race in wrestling so there was no 'booked that way."

Caitlin O'Kane

Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift.

More:Stocks

Recommend

Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback

A federal appeals court blocked Nasdaq rules to increase boardroom diversity, saying that the Securi

National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day 2024 is Saturday: Check out these deals and freebies

National Fried Chicken Sandwich Day is Saturday Nov. 9, meaning multiple fast-food chains will celeb

Meet Chloe East, the breakout star of new religious horror movie 'Heretic' with Hugh Grant

Chloe East waves to Bill Murray every day. She got a huge kick out of doing it for real, even though