A wax figure of one of Spain's foremost leading ladies Penelope Cruz has made its US debut at Madame Tussauds in Washington DC.

Staff at the museum rolled out the red carpet for the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee's wax likeness.

Cruz's figure arrived to her debut in a black v-neck shirt and palazzo pants that showed off her physique, complimented by chic peep toed shoes and diamond accessories.

According to Madame Tussauds' publicists studio artists studied hundreds of photos and hours of video footage to ensure Cruz's figure would be as accurate as possible.

A bona fide movie star in her native country Spain, Cruz's career in the US took off in 2001 with her role in Vanilla Sky.

She went on to become the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Volver.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will honor her as Outstanding Performer of The Year in January.

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