A-list faces froze in horror at last week’s ‘best picture’ fiasco. But can you tell the REAL stars from their waxwork doubles? Eyes down for the ultimate...
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by Jo Knowsley
IT WAS an extraordinary moment in Oscars history – a wrong winner announcement that left the A-list audience paralysed in disbelief. According to some Hollywood wags, they looked like waxwork models – and who, these days, can tell the difference? State-of-the-art modelling techniques mean that the longderided sculptures are attaining a new – some might say frightening – likeness to the stars they are supposed to represent.
In, fact, the models are so good these days, there has been a boom in waxwork exhibitions. Madame Tussauds, for example, now has 24 branches worldwide. Despite the spread of computer modelling and CGI, waxwork models are still made after live sittings – with the final product being sculpted from clay, chicken wire and newspaper.
The figures take four months to make and typically cost €170,000. The hair, for instance, is not a wig: each strand of real hair is individually inserted into the sculpture’s artificial scalp.
You might argue, cruelly, that today’s generation of Hollywood stars have made the job a little easier by immobilising their own faces with Botox, fillers, bee venom and an ever-more exotic range of cosmetic procedures.
But can you spot which of these superstars is the real deal – and which are lifeless dummies who would melt under the spotlight?
11 ANGELINA JOLIE A well-known campaigner for good causes, so does this do her justice?
5 RYAN GOSLING The song and dance star of La La Land – but can this guy really move?
12 CATE BLANCHETT Australian actress who waxed lyrical as the ‘Virgin Queen’.
13 BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH A star all too familiar with The Imitation Game.
2 NAOMIE HARRIS The poised Oscarnominated star glows in the Moonlight.
4 FAYE DUNAWAY Never a hair out of place for the presenter of the ‘wrong film’ award.
1 HELEN MIRREN A royal success as the Queen. But is there really nothing like a dame?
31 LEONARDO DICAPRIO A Titanic fraud or the real thing?
10 EMMA STONE La La Land’s Best Actress winner – or is she set in stone?
19 JOHNNY DEPP Could be a Pirate copy.
20 CASEY AFFLECK The Best Actor star of Manchester By The Sea looks a little washed up.
15 JENNIFER LAWRENCE Surely this isn’t a cheap copy of the world’s highest paid actress?
9 MERYLMamma Mia! STREEPIs this movie magic or molten wax?
6 SANDRA BULLOCK The 52-year-old star of space hit Gravity appears to defy it here.
18 NICOLE KIDMAN The real deal – or is this actress simply one of The Others?
17 KATE WINSLET Heavenly Creature...or is Kate just an Enigma?
8 JUDI DENCH Even M might need a clue as to whether this is one is a real dame or not.
14 FELICITY JONES The feisty new Star Wars actress knows a Rogue One when she sees it.
16 JULIA ROBERTS Whatever the setting, Julia’s a Pretty Woman.
7 EDDIE REDMAYNE Old Etonian looks every inch a Fantastic Beast.