Madame Tussauds immortalized Robert Irwin as a wax figure, and placing it next to his late father, Steve Irwin, made the presentation even more memorable.
On Thursday, November 28, in Sydney, Australia, Robert, 20, experienced overwhelming grief upon first seeing his father Steve’s wax figure.
“That’s wonderful.” It’s the first time in a long time that he isn’t just a picture,” Robert remarked, fighting back tears. News.com.au released a video showing the young star shaking his head, taking a deep breath, and walking away to gather himself.
Robert, like his father, a conservationist and zookeeper, lost his life to a stingray when he was just two years old in 2006. Steve and his wife Terri operate the Australia Zoo, where Robert and his sister Bindi, 26, currently work.
“This is one of the strangest experiences of my life.” This is just incredible,” Robert told the Australian morning show Sunrise after getting his wax sculpture, which depicts him clutching a snake. “I just keep looking at every tiny part and saying, ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ I’m uncertain if the world is prepared to accommodate two of us.
The celebrity called the award “really special” and expressed that the placement of his statue next to his father’s, completed in 2015, particularly moved him.
“It was the first time I had ever seen my father’s wax figure. “I’d seen pictures of it, but never seen it in person,” he added. “I was overwhelmed with emotion. I didn’t expect it to happen, but witnessing that moment made me feel extremely emotional. My dad has been on film for 17 years, but seeing him standing there was surreal. It was really a lot to take in.”
At that moment, Robert gulped back tears before gathering himself.
“It was very emotional,” he explained. But you know what? I dedicate my life to upholding his legacy, which makes it profoundly meaningful for me to be with him today. I’m sincerely grateful.
According to Sunrise, Madame Tussauds in Sydney has exhibited Robert as the youngest Australian celebrity.
He and his family have committed their lives to carrying on Steve’s legacy, appearing together in the Animal Planet series Crikey! It’s the Irwin family. In September, Prince William’s Earthshot Prize selected Robert as a global ambassador to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.