Kamala Harris Just Made History In This Unusual Way

Kamala Harris has plenty of history-making roles to her credit, and it looks like she's not finished yet. At the top of the list, of course, is her groundbreaking role as not only the first female vice president, but also the first-ever Black and South Asian vice president. She was also the first Black woman to serve as California's attorney general, and only the second Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate (and that happened a full 24 years after Carole Moseley Braun was elected). One famous venue is now honoring her inspiring accomplishments in a unique way. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is creating a wax figure of Harris — the first time in its 200-plus-year history that the museum has added a vice president to its display.

The museum's Instagram feed, as of April 28, 2021, showed a short video of two of their skilled artists working on the (amazingly realistic) clay heads of both Harris and President Joe Biden. Sculptor Vicky Grant called it an honor to be working on the landmark statue. "One of the most important features to get right is her warm, welcoming smile," she explained. "She's so engaging when she smiles." 

We'll have to wait a while for the official unveiling of Kamala Harris' sculpture at Madame Tussauds, because as of publication, the work has just begun. As CNET explained, making the clay head is just the beginning of a long and detailed process. When possible, the artists have the subjects come in personally to have their heads and bodies measured — if not possible, they use photographs taken from many angles. Hollow plaster casts are created from the clay, which are then filled with beeswax (for the head) and fiberglass (for the body). Then come weeks of detailing — creating glass eyes and acrylic teeth, painting on the skin, weaving in real human hair in just the right shade, adding freckles, tattoos, and the like. 

Wardrobe is another matter that has to be done just right. TMZ reported that the figures of Biden and Harris will wear duplicates of their Inauguration Day outfits: a blue Ralph Lauren suit for Biden, and a long purple dress coat for Harris. And that's just for one figure; remember, many of the 24 Madame Tussauds museums worldwide feature the same celebrities. 

When the figures are finally complete, they'll be displayed in the Oval Office section of the museum's historical wing. Madame Tussauds hasn't yet announced whether all museums will feature the statues, but it's a good bet Biden and Harris will appear in prime locations such as London, New York, and Washington, D.C. Will they remove Donald Trump's likeness, or just move him to a different corner of the room? That remains to be seen.