Dwayne Johnson has acknowledged the backlash surrounding his wax figure and is taking action to address it. The Musée Grévin, a renowned museum in Paris specializing in wax replicas of notable individuals, faced criticism for portraying Johnson with a complexion that did not accurately reflect his multi-ethnic background.
Social media users accused the museum of "white washing" the portrayal of the "Black Adam" star, claiming that the recently revealed representation lacked melanin. Johnson, whose father, the wrestler Rocky Johnson, had Black Nova Scotian heritage, and whose mother, Ata Maivia, is Samoan, acknowledged and responded to the criticism on social media on Sunday.
Johnson shared a video featuring comedian James Andre Jefferson discussing the wax figure, humorously remarking, "I knew my friend @jamesjeffersonj had this Rock wax statue in his sights for some hilarious roasting." Johnson further referenced Jefferson, quoting his comment about how people might have felt when they learned about the casting of the Little Mermaid, accompanied by a laughing emoji.
Johnson stated that he would have his team contact the Grevin Museum in Paris, France, in order to update his wax figure with necessary enhancements, beginning with his skin color. The museum's website mentions that sculptor Stéphane Barret had to rely on photos and videos to create a lifelike statue of Dwayne Johnson, as he was not physically present during the process due to his status as an international star.