Another celebrity statue has gone viral — and not in a good way.
A new monument honouring Tina Turner was just unveiled in Brownsville, Tenn., outside her former high school, and fans were quick to mock it.
Some have called it ugly, others were less kind.
Many on social media criticized the statue’s disproportionate head and exaggerated facial features; some even labeled it racist.
It’s hardly the first statue to grab attention of the wrong kind.
From music legends to sports icons, here’s a look back at nine celebrity statues that faced harsh receptions.
Dwyane Wade
This statue of Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade captures a moment of Wade standing on the scorers’ table pointing down and screaming “This is my house!”
But the unveiling sparked instant backlash online, with some comparing it to Morpheus from “The Matrix.”
Its dark shadows, excessive wrinkles, and open-mouthed scream give it more of a horror-movie vibe than a tribute to a basketball hero.
Wade was initially shocked by the statue. During its unveiling he remarked “Who’s that guy?” according to NBC Chicago.
Cristiano Ronaldo
This memorable bust for soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo scored more criticism than acclaim.
While the main news that day was an airport being named after him, all anyone could talk about was the eyesore behind him.
The statue vaguely looks like Ronaldo, a part from every feature of his face looking twisted and puffed up.
Sculptor Emanuel Santos defended his work, saying, “Not even Jesus pleased everyone.”
“This is a matter of tastes. It’s not as simple as it seems,” he told GloboEsporte.com.
The chubby face and weird smile made this one a classic to look back on.
Melania Trump
Well this aged poorly.
Melania Trump once had a wooden statue erected in her hometown of Slovenia, carved from the trunk of a linden tree. It was dressed in a pale blue dress reminiscent of what she wore at Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration.
The statue was burned down in July 2020, and a bronze replacement was later installed — only to be stolen in May.
Neither version bore much resemblance to the First Lady. The wooden one especially stood out: rough, splintery, and more painful to look at than walk past. Both ended up more confusing than commemorative.
Kate Moss
British supermodel Kate Moss was immortalized in 2008 by local sculptor Marc Quinn, who depicted her as a golden yoga goddess with her hands and feet contorted behind her head.
The result? A surreal, twisted gold figure that fetched £1.5 million, and left viewers scratching their heads.
It’s a strange one for sure, and hopefully they got their money’s worth.
Michael Jackson
This one is pretty bad.
Michael Jackson’s statue in Brazil is meant to pay homage to his connection to the community, where the music video for “They Don’t Care About Us” was filmed.
Instead, it’s unnaturally skinny, its arms stick out above its head and its writs are turned outward so he knuckles stare up to the sky. It doesn’t look natural and the face is less then appealing and strikes a very unique pose that no one will remember the artist doing.
Andy Murray
Former British tennis star Andy Murray had a very interesting statue made for him. During an ATP tournament in Shanghai in 2011, the former British No. 1 had a statue made that made him but with one distinct feature: he was wearing terracotta armor.
Large squares of armor ran across his body, with a larger head and a face that looks nothing like Murray. He also wields a tennis racket ready for war in ancient China. Suffice to say, it wasn’t a good move.
Wimbledon is set to unveil a statue in his honour at the 2027 Championships. Fingers crossed it goes better than this.
Oscar Wilde
Maggie Hambling’s statue of Irish author and poet Oscar Wilde near Charing Cross station in London is a sight to see.
The statue looks nothing like Wilde. Its strange green and bronze coloured swirls make it look more like a sea monster emerging from a lagoon. This one is another addition to the list of artistic expressions taken too far.
While it doubles as a bench for tourists, the likeness (or lack thereof) lands it squarely on the list of odd artistic interpretations.
Steve Irwin
The beloved “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin is featured in this statue alongside his two children and an alligator, but the tribute falls flat.
The all-white sculpture makes all three appear chubby, with exaggerated features. Irwin’s cheekbones and jawline look cartoonish, and his kids suffer from the same issues.
James Dean
This bust of actor James Dean is just downright scary. The eyes are simply voids, making his head look soulless yet shiny while attached to a large stone pillar. This bust doesn’t do justice, instead it comes off as creepy.
For something so simple a lot of things went wrong.
