Pia Wurtzbach Joins The Roster Of Legendary Personalities At Madame Tussauds Hong Kong

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach makes history again, as she was announced as the first-ever Filipino to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Pia Wurtzbach (@piawurtzbach) on Sep 23, 2018 at 6:25pm PDT

"Starting early next week, I'll be residing in Hong Kong! Well, my wax figure will," the actress, TV host, and beauty queen captions her Instagram post in jest. 

Pia, who is celebrating her 29th birthday today, started out in showbiz via stints on TV shows like K2BU, It Might Be You, and Maalaala Mo Kaya.

In 2013, we saw a more mature and more beautiful Pia, as she dipped her toes into pageantry. She joined Bb. Pilipinas, and took the 1st runner-up spot that year. Not wanting to give up on her dream to become Miss Universe, Pia joined the same pageant the following year, but failed to win any title; she only reached till Top 15. Come 2015, it was a different story for Pia, because on her third try, she was finally named Miss Universe - Philippines.

Pia represented the country at the Miss Universe pageant held in Las Vegas in December of that year. And we all know how Steve Harvey's wrong announcement of winner made Pia's historic victory even more unforgettable. With this achievement, the "confidently beautiful" Pinay ended the country's 42-year Miss Universe drought. She is the third Filipina Miss Universe titleholder, the others being Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz and Miss Universe 1973 Margie Moran. 

Using her influence for a good cause, Pia has been spreading awareness on HIV/AIDS issues as UNAIDS ambassador while inspiring everyone to never give up on one's dreams, as her success story perfectly exemplifies. 

 

 

 

 

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My parents separated when I was 9 years old and by 11, I was the breadwinner for my family. I faced a lot of rejections – either due to my looks or that I was too tall to be paired with anyone. I tried many things including being a waitress, culinary arts and finally realized that my passion was in beauty pageants. I started with Binibining Pilipinas in 2013, my very first pageant, where among the 50 candidates I was the 1st runner up but I didn’t receive any crown. In 2014, I was just in the top 15 - I went home with nothing. This was tough to take in as there were also other younger participants but I did not give up. Every morning I would look in the mirror and say to myself that ‘I am Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach and I am Ms. Universe 2015’. This was my dream and I was going to get it irrespective of my age. During the pageant night, I did my own hair and make-up and also chose the color of my gown - blue. I may not be the most beautiful among all the candidates but I was fearless – I had the confidence that the judges saw and they chose me. What I have learned is that whatever you achieve is a result of your hard work – age is not a barrier. Confidence is something that you work on – it doesn’t come overnight. It did not happen to me overnight. It took me a long time to realize that I was beautiful because I was rejected, chosen by the judges as a runner up, chosen to be a loser and I eventually found that confidence to live my dream being fearless at any age. #FearlessAtAnyAge #Olay Watch the full video. Link in my bio.

A post shared by Pia Wurtzbach (@piawurtzbach) on Jul 24, 2018 at 7:00pm PDT

For her latest achievement, Pia recently went through the measurement process (also known as "sitting") with the Madame Tussauds team from London.

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“It was really quite a process and it's so high tech! One second they were only taking a photo of my face then next thing I know, I see my face from different angles so instantly. It’s amazing,” she said. “The team is so good and professional at what they do. They even did this process with Queen Elizabeth II!”

The popular attraction is home to immersive and interactive zones that bring to life iconic personalities and cultural landmarks throughout history across a variety of fields, including entertainment, sports, science, politics, and fashion.

Pia's wax figure joins those of world-renowned personalities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Johnny Depp, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Stephen Curry, and David Beckham, among many others, in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

Congrats and happy birthday, Pia!