Best & Worst: Movie Star Waxworks

Best: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ahnolt would appear to be a Waxwork-modeller's dream.

Dubbed the Austrian Oak, Arnie's square features and trademark lack of emotion mean that someone could probably do a fairly decent job of carving his likeness out of a tree stump.

This model shows that it is possible to make a mightily-convincing terminator doppelganger (complete with visible metal endoskeleton).

Source [coir via flickr ]

Worst: Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson's visage has had women swooning for decades. Sadly his waxy double will have women fainting for all the wrong reasons.

There was a lack of subtlety when it came to inserting the mannequin's blue eyes, leaving the maniacal Gibbo looking like he's about to evapourate you with super-powerful death rays from his eye sockets.

Source [ blog.zap2it.com ]

Worst: John Travolta

The cynics among you may claim that Travolta's waxwork is quite a flattering interpretation, but that does nothing to hide this model's horrendous inaccuracy.

Defeating the object of a waxwork museum (surely you'd want to actually recognise the models you're seeing), you'd be forgiven for presuming that this exhibit was in fact a smarmy used-car salesman with rigor mortis.

Source [ www.exposay.com ]

Worst: Hugh Grant

Hugh Grant has been charming the ladies with his bumbling fop act since the nineties.

Here, the artist seems to have thrown out the brief to recreate the Four Weddings actor and simply run with a zombiefied Ed Norton instead.

Source [zerofxdude via flickr ]

Best: Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name is one of the most iconic characters in movie history, and the Spaghetti Western stalwart is often recreated embarrassingly by fancy dress party revellers.

Kudos then, to the sculptor who nailed this spot-on Clint out of wax. The unmistakeable outfit obviously helps, but the beard and macho grimace seal it.

Source [ daylife.com ]

Worst: Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman is an actor of such gravitas that when he was cast as God in Bruce Almighty , no one baulked at it. He seemed the perfect fit.

He has brought avuncular warmth and searing intensity to a variety of classic roles across the years.

Sadly his wax double does not evoke the same level of awe and respect. Thankfully for Freeman, no one should recognise it.

Source [rknickme via flickr ]

Worst: Tom Cruise

If you looked up 'Movie Star Good Looks' in the dictionary, you'd surely find a picture of the Cruiser. Tom has launched countless blockbusters with his screen charisma, and his face is known around the world.

Rather than create a nuanced, subtle model, the sculptor saves time by just capturing the gurning, irritating side of Tom Cruise that you want to punch in the face (which to be fair, they've captured pretty successfully).

Source [ www.contactmusic.com ]

Worst: Matthew McConaughey

The longevity of Matthew McConaughey's Hollywood career must surely be in direct proportion to his Adonis-like good looks.

This model is not an epic fail, but it is the perfect reminder of why a waxwork looks plain bloody creepy if it is not faultlessly accurate. In fairness, the doll probably matches McConaughey for acting talent.

Source [ housesofwax.blogspot.com ]

Best: Daniel Craig

Being Bond practically guarantees you a waxwork, and Daniel Craig would probably be pretty pleased by the effort put in here.

They've got the craggy pout just right, and the hair and eyes are convincingly accurate. This must have garnered double-takes from onlookers.

Source [ www.dailymail.co.uk ]

Worst: Sean Connery

The lifelike quality of Daniel Craig's waxwork must make this insult levelled at the first James Bond all the more galling.

Sir Sean Connery is the subject of a crude copy that seems to have been based on a (poor) Bond impersonator.

It'd probably be more convincing if they tried to pass it off as George Lazenby. It loses points for the awkward pose too.

Source [ retro.yakking.today.com ]

Worst: Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is one of the handsomest men in the world, and pretty much the yardstick for good-looking film stars.

Even with that level of power and worldwide adoration, it still must hurt for him to see his wax counterpart.

Playing like a cross between Brad and your secondary school PE teacher, this model adds insult to injury with an uneven skin tone that looks like someone has tried to polish it with sandpaper.

Source [ odds-bodkins.blogspot.com ]

Worst: Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio was able to shed his baby-faced teen idol image by consistently shining in intense roles and becoming one of the best actors of his generation.

This model appears to be based more on Leo's Inception director, Christopher Nolan, than the Titanic star himself. And to top it off they cover his head with a syrup so dodgy it would have made Andre Agassi blush.

Source [ www.life.com ]

Best: Hulk

Perhaps you would be more likely to visit a waxwork museum if you thought you could come face-to-face with one of your comic-book heroes?

This is a pretty imposing Hulk replica, created to celebrate the release of Ang Lee's movie. It is impressively proportioned, and has captured the look to a tee. In fact, the model probably has more weight and presence than some of the dodgier effects shots in the movie.

Source [dw@madametussaudslondon via flickr ]

Worst: Hugh Jackman

The claws and the muttonchops are a big giveaway here, but there is still something inherently wrong about this Hugh Jackman waxwork.

Replacing Jackman's Wolverine snarl with a look of boredom probably wasn't the best place to start.

Source [ www.zimbio.com ]

Worst: Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage is known for his increasingly outlandish performances on screen, but every once in a while he shows off his genuinely impressive acting talents (playing twins in Spike Jonze's Adaptation for example).

The waxwork has got an eerily-gormless look to it, capturing Cage's vacant spaced-out stare. It somehow manages to make him look like Pinocchio's long lost older brother, and the hairpiece is less convincing than the real Cage's Con Air and The Weather Man toupees.

Source [wbeem via flickr ]

Worst: Daniel Radcliffe

The world has watched Daniel Radcliffe grow up from wide-eyed moppet to pretty decent actor, via six (so far!) Harry Potter films and stint on stage in Equus .

Radcliffe has recently become something of a sex symbol, a notion that this wax model is seemingly trying to destroy single-handedly. Super creepy in that it looks like Radcliffe's face has been removed and attached to another (much larger) head.

Source [ www.aceshowbiz.com ]

Best: Johnny Depp

Another spookily lifelike wax rendering, this manages to do justice to Johnny Depp, no mean feat!

Whether he's starring in an offbeat drama or a mega-franchise, Depp is universally adored. Sadly for the likes of Brad and Leo, this proves it is possible to accurately imitate a super-hunk in wax form.

Source [Pete Shacky via flickr ]

Worst: Michael Jackson

Considering Jackson's bizarre appearance, surely creating a waxwork replica is the modeller's equivalent to scaling Everest.

That peak remains unconquered in this instance, with a sculpture that looks more like Charlie Sheen in drag than the King of Pop.

Source [ freshpics.blogspot.com ]

Worst: Zac Efron

The erstwhile High School Musical star is currently making a name for himself in such adult friendly fare as Me and Orson Welles .

He may not be taken so seriously if this waxwork is widely viewed. It's as if Efron went into Seth Brundle's teleportation machine with an overzealous labrador and this monstrosity emerged. Utterly, utterly terrifying.

Source [ www.zimbio.com ]

Worst: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Being one half of the world's most famous couple has its drawbacks. For Brad Pitt, it means suffering the ignominy of being committed to an appalling waxwork twice.

Jolie doesn't fare too much better in this tag team, but Brad's doppelganger is the bigger failure, the Fight Club star recast as a sulky teen.

Note: no authenticity is gained by shoving a generic baby in there.

Source [ popbytes.com ]

Best: Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman is well known for her elegance and grace onscreen, which has kept her nabbing sought-after roles despite a string of box-office duds.

The Oscar-winner is impressively captured in this waxwork: a rare example of the craft being nigh-on photorealistic, and a testament to the Aussie actress's screen presence.

Source [ www.theinsider.com ]

Worst: Jennifer Aniston

By far the most successful of the Friends alumni, Jennifer Aniston has a string of solid performances and box-office hits to her name.

You're likely to see a mannequin at your local M&S bearing a better resemblance to Jen than this waxen disaster, which looks like a bad mocap version of Laura Linney.

Source [ www.mirror.co.uk ]

Worst: Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts has a huge megawatt smile, true. But this creation has acknowledged little else about the star and has focused on creating the largest grin possible.

Disturbing to look at, this Stepford-Wife-alike model is further reminder of the inherent creepiness of wax doppelgangers. Just try tearing yourself away from her endless gaze.

Source [ www.exposay.com ]

Worst: Lindsay Lohan

If you had no idea who Lindsay Lohan was, laying eyes on this waxwork wouldn't exactly give you any clues. No, she's not a forty-year-old extra from Coronation Street, she's actually a young actress turned wildchild.

The likeness between artwork and subject is so non-existent that it would be no surprise if this dummy is wheeled out to represent other teen stars when the need arises. Kristen Stewart? Sure, why not? Vanessa Hudgens? Yeah, go for it!

Source [ www.exposay.com ]