MANILA, Philippines—Theme park visitors can now pose with some of the country's most recognizable celebrities, athletes and public figures as Star City officially opened the STARtista Gallery, a new attraction featuring hyperrealistic resin statues of Filipino icons.
Launched on June 19, the exhibit showcases lifelike figures representing personalities from entertainment, sports and public service, offering guests a museum-like experience reminiscent of international celebrity wax attractions.
Among those currently featured are ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, celebrity couple Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres-Gomez, Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, billiards legend Efren "Bata" Reyes, actor-comedian Michael V., actresses Angel Aquino, Rhian Ramos, Rica Peralejo, Ara Mina, Maui Taylor, Diana Zubiri and Gladys Reyes, as well as younger stars including Wilbert Ross, Bea Binene and Ashtine Olviga.
The gallery also includes figures of Pops Fernandez, Paolo Contis, Django Bustamante, Michael Flores and several other personalities.
According to Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, wife of Star City founder Fred J. Elizalde, the project was inspired by her husband's vision of creating a space that celebrates Filipino achievement in an interactive and accessible way.
"STARtista Gallery is a new fun addition to Star City where hyperrealistic statues of beloved Filipino icons come to life. Fred wanted to create a space where guests could celebrate Filipino talent in a fresh, engaging and highly shareable way," she said during the launch.
While the statues are placed behind barriers for preservation, they are positioned to allow visitors to take photos alongside the figures.
Actress Gladys Reyes said she was surprised and honored to learn she would be included in the gallery.
"It's an honor to be one of those chosen to have a figure made. It's something to be proud of because in a way, you are being immortalized," she said during an interview.
Reyes added that she only requested that the figure closely resemble her facial features and hairstyle.
For actor Michael Flores, the exhibit serves as more than a photo opportunity.
"I feel blessed to be part of this gallery. People, especially the younger generation, will be able to see the history of Philippine show business. They'll get to know the stars from different eras and understand their contributions," he said.
Ara Mina, meanwhile, said the attraction highlights local talent while giving Filipinos a homegrown alternative to celebrity figure museums abroad.
"Out of so many artists in the Philippines, being chosen is something to be grateful for. It's like having our own version of a Tussauds museum here, so people can support something that's proudly ours," she said.
Project lead John Galang said the figures were created using detailed 3D scans of the personalities to capture their likenesses as accurately as possible.
"We did 3D scans of the artists. If you look closely, the faces are very similar to the real people. This is an ongoing tribute to Philippine show business," Galang said.
He added that future additions will include more personalities from television, sports and politics, including former presidents, with the goal of making the gallery both entertaining and educational.
Galang said the team is also focused on attracting younger audiences by including contemporary stars familiar to today's generation.
The gallery's expansion is already underway, with figures of Bayani Agbayani, Gabby Concepcion and comedy icon Dolphy currently in production. More personalities are expected to be added over the next two months.
Visitors can access the STARtista Gallery at no additional cost with a regular Star City admission ticket.