*Idris Elba was stunned during the unveiling of his wax figure at Madame Tussauds London after testing just how realistic it was. The actor positioned his smartphone in front of the wax figure’s face to see whether Face ID would recognize it, and much to his surprise, the facial recognition feature unlocked his phone.
Overwhelmed by the moment, he decided to share the honor with someone close to him. “I am speechless literally. Wow. Hold on, I’ve got to call my mum. She’s gonna freak,” he said before FaceTiming his mother, Eve, PEOPLE reports.
Her response was instant and emotional. “Oh, my God!” she said upon seeing the figure on screen, echoing the disbelief many fans expressed online after the unveiling.
@bbcnews Idris Elba pranked his mum after realising his new waxwork could open his phone using Face ID. #IdrisElba #MadameTussauds #Waxwork #FilmTok #BBCNews ♬ original sound – BBC News
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The wax figure reflects a specific incident from Elba’s recent public life. It is dressed in the same outfit he wore in July 2024 when he met with King Charles to discuss youth violent crime and initiatives connected to The King’s Trust.
Elba later shared his thoughts about the Madame Tussauds collaboration, saying, “It’s truly an honour to be recognised in this way and even more special to know this other version of me will be standing tall in London. So, even when I’m away, a part of me is always at home.”
He also reflected on the creative process behind the figure’s creation. “The process has been fascinating. It’s not dissimilar to prepping for a movie role — working with talented artists to flesh out the character, getting the costume just right, but this time it’s for me!” Elba added.
“It’s really surreal to see another version of me standing in Madame Tussauds London, it feels like a full circle moment,” he concluded.
Fans will next see Elba return as Sam Nelson in season two of “Hijack” on Apple TV. The eight-episode thriller premieres globally on January 14, 2026, with weekly episodes running through March 4, and centers on a hostage crisis aboard a Berlin underground train. Watch the trailer below.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Apple TV Drops Official Trailer for ‘Hijack’ Season 2 Starring Idris Elba
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