Hollywood Walk of Fame

Categorization

Stars on the Walk of Fame are awarded in six categories: motion pictures, television, recording, radio, live theater/performance, and sports entertainment.^{[13][14][Note 1]} Their emblems are:

• Classic film camera representing motion pictures^[15]
• Television representing television^[15]
• Phonograph record representing recording^[15]
• Radio microphone representing radio^[15]
• Comedy/tragedy masks representing live theatre/performance^[15]
• Athletic trophy representing sports entertainment

A seventh special category exists for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to directly honor organizations, corporations, and more.^[15] These entries, known as Awards of Excellence,^[13][17] do not feature the category emblems and their text is in a different font.^[13] Awards of Excellence that honor Walk of Fame sponsors, however, are different; for example, Absolut's award contains category emblems and also cites the company as a "Friend of the Walk of Fame".^[18]

The categories are not represented equally. As of October 2025^[update], 44% of all stars were in the motion pictures category, 25% in television, 19% in audio recording or music, 9% in radio, fewer than 3% in theater/live performance, and fewer than 1% in sports entertainment and Awards of Excellence combined.^{[Note 2]}

Alternative designs

Awards of Excellence display emblems unique to those honored.^{[citation needed]} For example, Johnny Grant's Award of Excellence emblem displays the seal of Hollywood^[20][21] and L.A.P.D. Hollywood's emblem displays a Hollywood Division badge.^[22][23]

The Walk's Apollo 11 entries are circular and meant to resemble the Moon. They also contain the date of the Moon landing, "Apollo XI", and their color scheme is silver and grey on a pink background. The Walk contains four of these entries, one on each corner of Hollywood and Vine.^[24][25]

Star locations

The blocks outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel are considered the prime locations for stars.^[26] Stars of particularly well-known celebrities are often placed in front of the Chinese,^[27] Oscar winners' stars near Dolby Theatre,^[27][28] and rock 'n' rollers outside the Musicians Institute.^[29] Family members and co-stars are often placed together.^[30]

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce decides each star's location^[31] and they try to choose locations connected to the honoree.^[30] For example, John Waters and Ray Bradbury's stars were placed outside Larry Edmunds Bookshop, a business the former has said he loved and the latter had patronized for 50 years;^[32][33] Tim Burton's star was placed outside Hollywood Toys & Costumes, a business he credits as one of his childhood inspirations;^[34] Farrah Fawcett's star was placed outside a hair salon;^[10] and Alfred Hitchcock's star was placed outside Fox Hollywood, a theater that was showing his film Psycho at the time of the unveiling.^[35]

For actors, stars are sometimes placed in locations connected to a role they are known for. Examples include Austin Powers actor Mike Myers, whose star was placed outside an adult store called the International Love Boutique;^[4][36] James Bond 007 actors Roger Moore and Daniel Craig; whose stars are located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard,^[37] Ed O'Neill; whose star was placed outside a shoe store in reference to his character's occupation on Married... with Children,^[38] and Steve Guttenberg; whose star was placed outside the Police Activities League in reference to his role in the Police Academy franchise.^[30]

Honorees may work with the Chamber to find a location for their star as long as it is not outside Grauman's Chinese.^[28] An exception to this was Michael Jackson, who refused to attend his unveiling unless it was located outside the Chinese; the Chamber acquiesced to his demand.^[39] Those who followed this rule include Jay Leno, who requested a location near Hollywood and Highland because twenty years prior he had been arrested for vagrancy there twice;^[40] George Carlin, who requested his star be placed in front of KDAY radio station, where he was previously employed;^[41] Ed McMahon, who requested his star be next to W. C. Fields's,^[28] and Carol Burnett, who requested her star be place outside Warner Brothers Theatre, where she had worked as an usherette and was fired for insisting a couple arriving during the final few minutes of a screening wait for the next screening.^[42]

Awards of Excellence are not located on the Walk, as many feature commercial names, which are banned on sidewalks in Los Angeles. Instead, these entries are located on private property next to the Walk, sometimes just inches away.^[5][13][18]

Other elements

In addition to stars, the Walk consists of several other elements. Hollywood and La Brea Gateway, also known as Four Ladies of Hollywood,^[43] is a gazebo located on a traffic island at Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue^[44] that serves as a gateway to the Walk.^[43] Created in 1993 and dedicated on February 1, 1994,^[44] the structure was designed by Catherine Hardwicke and consists of a square stainless steel Art Deco-style open roof held up by life-size caryatids of Dorothy Dandridge, Anna May Wong, Dolores del Río, and Mae West, each standing on a square base and wearing a glamorous gown. The gazebo's roof is rounded and supports a circular dome, the dome topped by a central spire with descending neon block letters spelling "Hollywood" on each side. Atop the spire is a small gilded weather vane-style sculpture of Marilyn Monroe in her billowing skirt pose from The Seven Year Itch.^[43][44][45] Critics have described the gazebo as "creative and wonderful"^[46] and also "depressingly awful".^[47]

The Hollywood Walk of Fame Mural is a 100-foot (30 m) mixed-media mural made to celebrate the Walk's 60th anniversary and the Chamber's 100th. The mural is meant to tell "a comprehensive story of the history of Walk of Fame from its creation to its persistence..." and also "captur[e] the ages, the diversity and the beauty of the Walk of Fame and its recipients..." It was created by Ian Robertson-Salt, curated by Art Share LA, and unveiled on June 11, 2021.^[48][49]

A Walk of Fame time capsule commemorating the Walk's 50th anniversary was buried below a specially-designed star near Hollywood and Highland in 2010. The capsule contains more than fifty items, including a signed picture of Joanne Woodward, a piece of Elvis Presley's star, a replica of the Capitol Records building, Emmy award memorabilia, an assortment of DVDs, the script for Casablanca, playbills from The Pantages, news articles about the Walk of Fame, a note from Bob Barker, and more. It is scheduled to be opened in 2060.^[50]

Some stars are accompanied by plaques about the star or its recipient. For example, a plaque beside Bob Hope's live performance star honors him as Hollywood's Citizen of the Century, a designation he was given when the star was re-dedicated for his 100th birthday;^[51] a plaque beside Gene Autry's live performance star, his fifth star awarded,^[52] notes that he is the only individual honored in all (at the time) five categories;^[53] and a plaque beside Jennifer Lopez's star recognizes it as the 2,500th star unveiled.^[54] Additionally, stars unveiled in 2010 are accompanied by a 50th anniversary plaque.^[55]

Nominations

In 1962, the City of Los Angeles specified the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as the organization to advise them about new entries to the Walk.^[62] The Chamber does so through a selection committee that receives between 200 and 300 nominations per year.^[11][63] Anyone, including fans, can nominate anyone other than themselves as long as the nominee approves.^[64][11][28] A minimum of five years' experience in the nominated category is required and posthumous nominees must have been deceased for at least two years.^[13] The nomination fee is $275 as of 2026^[update].^[31]

Nominees are evaluated based on professional achievement (including awards and other honors), charitable contributions, and longevity.^[64] The selection process begins in April,^[63] and by June, approximately thirty nominations are selected.^[11] Once selected, honorees must schedule a presentation ceremony within two years; otherwise their nomination is rejected.^[11]

Traditionally, members of the Selection Committee other than chairman are not made public. However, in 1999, in response to intensifying charges of secrecy in the selection process, the Chamber disclosed its committee members; they were: Johnny Grant, committee chair; Earl Lestz, president of Paramount Studio Group; Stan Spero, retired manager at KMPC and KABC; Kate Nelson, owner of Palace Theatre; and Mary Lou Dudas, vice president of A&M Records.^[65] The Chamber's current position is that "each of the six categories is represented by Walk of Famers with expertise in that field."^[11]

Johnny Grant remained committee chair until his death in January 2008^[66] and by September, Lestz was chair.^[67] By 2010, former Director of Communications for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences John Pavlik was chairman,^[68][69] while David Green was chair in 2012 and 2013,^[70] Maureen Schultz in 2014,^[71] Vin Di Bona in 2016 through 2019,^[72] Ellen K in 2020 through 2023,^[73] and Peter Roth in 2024 and 2025.^[74]

Rule adjustments

Rules prohibit nominees whose contributions lie outside the categories the Walk of Fame honors, but the Selection Committee has adjusted interpretations of its categories to justify selections. For example, the Apollo 11 monuments officially recognize the astronauts for "contributions to the television industry", something that committee chairman Johnny Grant acknowledged was "a bit of a stretch".^[28] Another example is Muhammad Ali, whose star was granted after the committee decided boxing was a form of live performance; Ali's star was also placed vertically in a wall instead of horizontally in the sidewalk because Ali shares his name with the Islamic prophet Muhammad and therefore requested it not be walked upon.^[3][75]

Only one honoree has had their star unveiled after failing to attend the required unveiling: Barbra Streisand. Streisand did attend when her husband James Brolin was honored two decades later.^[4]

Upkeep

According to local law, the city of Los Angeles bears no responsibility for the maintenance of sidewalks, including those of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Instead, the responsibility lies with property owners, or in the case of the Walk of Fame, a property owners' association. As such, maintenance for the Walk of Fame is paid for by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, funded by half of the fee for each new star. However, these funds are not used exclusively for cleaning and repairs; for example, they also pay for streetscape holiday lighting.^[76]

As of 2016^[update], the cost of a complete star restoration was between $5,000 and $10,000 ($6,700 and $13,400 in 2025). The Chamber often waits for private developers to pay for this, as it is usually included in neighboring construction projects. The Chamber also prioritizes repairing serious damage, such as trip-and-fall hazards, over cosmetic repairs.^[76]

In 1999, the Hollywood Business Improvement District hired homeless, one-legged, former television repairman John Peterson to polish every star at least once a month; previously, he had been doing so of his own initiative.^[77][78] Peterson retired in 2014,^[77] after which his position was filled by a rotating crew of contractors, and as of 2019^[update], Walk of Fame cleaning procedures included daily sweeping and bi-weekly power washing in addition to once-a-month polishing. Cleaning is generally done around midnight, when the sidewalks are less busy.^[79]

Star removal

In answer to various requests, the Chamber announced in 2017 that "the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a registered historic landmark. Once a star has been added ... it is considered a part of the historic fabric"^{[Note 3]} and will not be removed.^[82] The Chamber further clarified this position in 2024, stating that it does not have the authority to remove stars.^[83]

Origin

The Walk of Fame was created in response to the significant revenue drops Hollywood was experiencing in the late 1940s and early 1950s, caused by suburbanization and the Paramount Decree.^[84] Some sources give Hollywood Chamber of Commerce member and Hollywood Improvement Association president Harry Sugarman credit,^[61][85] while the Chamber itself credits 1953 volunteer president E. M. Stuart and also states that the Hollywood Improvement Association was established with Sugarman as president to see the project through to completion.^[62] The origin of the star concept is also uncertain, although it may have come from stars that displayed celebrity names on Hollywood Hotel's dining room ceiling^[62][86] and another theory has it coming from Sugarman's Tropics, a restaurant whose drink menu featured celebrity photos framed in gold stars.^[85] Regardless, by 1955, the basic idea had been agreed upon; it was submitted to City Council in January 1956.^[62]

In February 1956, a prototype was unveiled featuring John Wayne's name and caricature inside a star; caricatures, however, proved too difficult to execute and were replaced by brass emblems.^[4][62] The Walk's proposal also originally called for a blue and brown sidewalk, but this was vetoed by Charles E. Toberman, reportedly because it clashed with a building he had under construction.^[4][62] The final design, including a coral-and-charcoal color scheme,^[87] was then approved, after which 1,558 honorees were selected by committees representing four branches of the entertainment industry: motion pictures, television, recording, and radio. Members of these committees included Cecil B. DeMille, Samuel Goldwyn, Jesse L. Lasky, Walt Disney, Hal Roach, Mack Sennett, and Walter Lantz.^[62] The recording committee originally required minimum sales of one million records or 250,000 albums, but they soon realized many important artists would be excluded by this requirement. As a result, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences was formed to create a separate award for the music industry, leading to the first Grammy Awards in 1959.^[88]

Construction of the Walk was scheduled to begin in 1958, but two lawsuits delayed it. The first was filed by local property owners challenging the $85 per foot of storefront, $1.25 million ($13.9 million in 2025) in total,^[62] tax assessment levied upon them.^[89] In 1959, the assessment was ruled legal.^[90] The second was filed by Charles Chaplin Jr., who sought $400,000 ($4.46 million in 2025) in damages for the exclusion of his father,^[89] whose inclusion had been withdrawn due to pressure from local business owners.^[12] Chaplin Jr.'s suit was dismissed in 1960, allowing for construction to begin.^[91]

While Joanne Woodward is often singled out as the first person to receive a star—she was the first to be photographed with one^[28]—she was one of eight names chosen at random and inscribed on prototype stars;^[62][92] the other seven were Olive Borden, Ronald Colman, Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, and Ernest Torrence.^[62][92][93] The eight prototypes were installed in front of the first Federal Building on the northwest corner of Hollywood and Highland and dedicated in September 1958;^[93][94] their purpose was to generate publicity, gauge public interest, and demonstrate how the Walk would look.^[62][92]

The Walk's official groundbreaking took place on February 8, 1960, and was attended by Chamber members Stuart and Sugarman, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Ernest E. Debs, and future honorees Linda Darnell, Gigi Perreau, Francis X. Bushman, and Charles Coburn.^[12] On March 28, 1960, the first permanent star, Stanley Kramer's, was set near Hollywood and Gower.^[62][95] In total, 2,058 stars were unveiled: 1,558 for honorees^[62][66] and 500 blank stars meant to acknowledge the Walk as a living monument.^[84] The Walk was dedicated on November 23, 1960, and completed in the spring of 1961.^[66]

Stagnation and revitalization

Although the Walk was originally conceived in part to improve and beautify the neighborhood,^[96] the 1960s and 1970s saw protracted urban decay in the area.^[97][98] After the initial installation, eight years passed without a new star. In 1962, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance naming the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce the agent to advise the City regarding new honorees. The Chamber then devised rules, procedures, and financing methods to do so. In December 1968, Richard D. Zanuck was awarded the Walk's first new star^[62][99] and by May 1975, 99 stars had been added.^[62][66]

In 1980, Johnny Grant was awarded a star for his television work,^[100] for which Grant took it upon himself to create a memorable ceremony. Impressed by his efforts, the Chamber and Grant agreed that he become Walk of Fame Committee chairman and that in this position he help resurrect the Walk.^[62][101] Grant stimulated the Walk's publicity by requiring each new recipient personally attend their star unveiling.^[101] He later recalled that "it was tough to get people to come accept a star" due to the state of the neighborhood at the time.^[98] Grant also transformed the unveilings into media events, which were commonly aired on nightly newscasts, and he instituted a $2,500 ($9,769 in 2025) fee for each new star, to fund the Walk's upkeep.^[101] The fee has increased over time and was $85,000 as of 2026^[update].^[31]

In 2002, Grant received an Award of Excellence star to acknowledge his efforts to revitalize the neighborhood.^[21][102] He was also named chairman of the Selection Committee and Honorary Mayor of Hollywood,^[21] the latter a ceremonial position previously held by Art Linkletter and Monty Hall,^[103][104] amongst others.^[105] Grant held these positions until his death in 2008, by which point he had hosted more than 500 star unveilings^[62][106] and his name was considered synonymous with the walk.^[62] After Grant's death, representative Diane Watson stated that "no name [is] more associated with Hollywood’s Walk of Fame than Johnny Grant"^[107] and today, the Chamber credits Grant's leadership with having "built the Walk into an international icon."^[62]

Preservation and expansion

The Hollywood Walk of Fame was designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 194 in 1978.^[80] In 1985, the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and while the Walk was not included in the listing, it was mentioned as an element of "fine urban design".^[81]

In 1984, a fifth category, Live Theatre, was added to acknowledge contributions from the live performance branch of the entertainment industry; additionally, a second row of stars was created to alternate with stars from the first row.^[62] In 1994, the Walk was extended one block west,^[62] to the Hollywood and La Brea Gateway gazebo, which was added that same year.^[43][108] Also in 1994, during construction of the B Line, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) removed and stored more than 200 stars.^[109] Controversy arose three years later, when the MTA proposed destroying the terrazzo pads of 122 additional stars while preserving only the brass lettering, surrounds, and medallions, then replacing the terrazzo after construction was complete,^[8] but the Cultural Heritage Commission ruled that the stars and their terrazzo pads needed to be removed intact.^[110]

The Walk celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. Each star unveiled that year was accompanied by a 50th anniversary plaque^[55] and a time capsule was also added under its own star.^[50] Additionally, on July 25, 2010, the neighborhood held an anniversary festival that included live music, studio and theater tours, and an exhibit at the Hollywood Museum.^[111] The U.S. House of Representatives also officially commended and congratulated the Walk that year.^[66]

In 2023, a sixth category, Sports Entertainment, was added to acknowledge contributions of athletes to the entertainment industry.^[16] About 24 stars were added per year in all categories combined as of 2020^[update],^[63] while more than 30 honorees were selected in 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026.^[112]

Restoration

In 2007, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority began a year-long study to determine the best way to stabilize the buckling that was damaging the Walk of Fame's stars and terrazzo.^[113] The following year, all 2,365 stars were evaluated, each of which received an A, B, C, D, or F; 10 received Fs, 50 received Ds, and 778 (33% of all stars) were identified for replacement, as were 2,155 blank squares.^[114] The estimated cost for these replacements was $4.1 million ($6.13 million in 2025);^[113] however, this proved to be a severe underestimate.^[115] A two-year timeframe for the project^[114] also proved to be an underestimate; star replacements did not begin until 2012^[115] and four years later, 20% of the Walk's stars remained in disrepair.^[76]

To encourage funding of the restoration by corporate sponsors, the Chamber inaugurated the "Friends of Walk of Fame" program in 2008.^[114] This program, which recognizes donors with honorary plaques near the Walk in front of Dolby Theatre,^[18] received criticism, being described by a Los Angeles Times reporter as "the latest corporate attempt to buy some good buzz." Another critic stated "I think Johnny Grant would roll over in his grave."^[18] Corporations that participated in the program include Absolut and L'Oreal,^[56] with the sponsorships costing about $1 million each.^[116]

In 2018, city council-member Mitch O'Farrell initiated a plan to improve the entire Walk of Fame corridor; the following year, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works in conjunction with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Hollywood Heritage, and the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance commissioned Gensler to plan a $4 million ($5.04 million in 2025) renovation.^[117][118] Gensler's proposal was released the following year; it proposed new landscaping and bike lanes, sidewalk dining and widening, and the removal of street lanes and parking between Argyle Avenue and La Brea Avenue.^[119][120] Streetscape improvements, including increasing sidewalk space; consolidating bus stops and adding bus shelters; adding benches, tables, and chairs for sidewalk dining; and removing parking lanes between Orange Drive and Gower Street, were approved in 2021 and funded in part by $7.2 million ($8.55 million in 2025) from Measure M.^[121]

Theft

In 2000, James Stewart's and Kirk Douglas' stars disappeared after they had been temporarily removed for a construction project. Police recovered the stars in the home of a construction worker employed on the project; however, the stars were badly damaged and had to be remade. One of Gene Autry's five stars was also stolen from a construction area.^[122][123]

In 2005, thieves used a concrete saw to remove Gregory Peck's star from its site at Hollywood and North El Centro Avenue. The star was replaced almost immediately but the original was never found, nor were the perpetrators who stole it.^[122][123] Another theft occurred in 2019, when Austin Clay, who had previously vandalized Donald Trump's star, stole the Marilyn Monroe statue atop Hollywood and La Brea Gateway.^[124]

Thieves have also attempted to chisel out individual stars' category emblems.^[122]

Diversity

An analysis in 2011 found that minority representation, while rising, was underrepresented on the Walk. Of all stars, 5.1% honored African-Americans, 3.4% honored Hispanics, and 0.4% honored Asians, all of which were significantly less than those minorities' percentage of the overall population.^[125] Analysts and commentators were not surprised by this, as the same lack of representation was present in Hollywood as a whole.^[125][126] The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce responded by stating that it has been working hard to improve diversity. They also noted that several of the Walk's original honorees were minorities, including Anna May Wong, Dolores Del Rio, Cantinflas, Hattie McDaniel, and others.^[125]

Multiple honors

Frank Sinatra's three stars, for recording, television, and motion pictures

Gene Autry is the only person honored in five categories, while Bob Hope and Tony Martin have been honored in four^[12] and Roy Rogers and Mickey Rooney have been honored individually in three and in a shared star for a fourth, Roy Rogers as part of Sons of the Pioneers^[127] and Mickey Rooney with his wife Jan Chamberlin.^[128] More than thirty individuals have been honored in three categories, including Jack Benny, Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore, and Gale Storm,^[12] and many have been honored in two.^{[citation needed]} Additionally, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, and each member of The Beatles have been honored twice in the same category, individually and as part of a group.^[129][130]

The family with the most individuals recognized is the Barrymores, with six.^[4] Other families with three or more individuals recognized include the Bridges,^[131] Carradines,^[132][133] Dern-Ladds,^[134] Garland-Minnellis,^[135][136] Hustons,^[137][138] Lockharts,^[139][140] and Nelsons.^[141]

Unique and unusual

Animals

Three dogs are included in the Walk: the fictional character Lassie and animal actors Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart.^[178] An animated dog, Snoopy, is also included, as are several other animated animals.^[179]

Shared names

Radio personality Michael Jackson's star after the 2009 death of the musician of the same name

Musician and recording artist Michael Jackson's star about two weeks after his death

Two pairs of stars share identical names representing different people. There are two Harrison Ford stars, one for the silent film actor and the other for present-day actor, and two Michael Jackson stars, one for the pop singer and the other for the radio personality.^[4] After Michael Jackson's death in 2009, many fans mistook the radio personality's star for the singer's, the latter of which was inaccessible due to the premiere of Brüno.^[192]

Organizations

Commercial organizations must have an entertainment industry connection of at least fifty years to be considered for an Award of Excellence. While not technically part of the Walk, as in Los Angeles it is against the law to place corporate names on sidewalks, these stars are installed on private property adjacent to it.^[5] Stars in this category include Disneyland, The Hollywood Reporter, KTLA, Hanna-Barbera, Los Angeles Dodgers, Variety, and Victoria's Secret Angels.^[5][12][212]

Other organizations honored with stars in or adjacent to the Walk include the Los Angeles Police Department Hollywood Division, Screen Actors Guild, The Recording Academy, and the Walk of Fame itself.^[212]

Errors

Several stars have been unveiled with the wrong name. Most notably, film and television actor Don Haggerty's star originally displayed the first name "Dan". The mistake was fixed, but years later when the television actor Dan Haggerty (no relation to Don) received a star, confusion due to the former misspelling sprouted an urban legend that Dan Haggerty was the only honoree to have a star removed.^[213][214] Other stars that bear the wrong name include Thomas Kane Tully's, which reads "Thomas L. Tully",^[215] and Mauritz Stiller's prior to 1988, when it read "Maurice Diller".^[216]

In addition to incorrect names, some honorees' names have been misspelled. In 2010, Julia Louis-Dreyfus's star was constructed reading "Julia Luis Dreyfus".^[4][217] The actress was reportedly amused and the error was corrected.^[218] Similarly, Dick Van Dyke's star misspelled his last name as "Vandyke" before it was rectified,^[4] and several stars remain misspelled, including Lotte Lehmann (misspelled as "Lottie"), Merian C. Cooper ("Meriam"), and Auguste Lumière ("August").^[219] Some stars also contain emblems that do not match the category the honoree was honored in, including Carmen Miranda, who was honored in the motion picture category but her star bears the television emblem, and Larry King, who was honored in the television category but his star bears a motion picture emblem.^[4]

Controversial

Several honorees have resulted in controversy, some immediately when honored and others later. Charlie Chaplin's initial selection was so controversial due to his political views that it was revoked,^[206] and today his inclusion would be questioned due to his multiple relationships with minors.^[220] Gal Gadot's inclusion has also received backlash due to her outspoken support of the Israeli military; her star unveiling was met with protests and her star was vandalized soon after.^[221][222]

Numerous individuals and organizations have called or petitioned for the removal of Donald Trump's star, including local residents,^[223] Latino advocacy groups,^[224] and West Hollywood City Council, the latter of which stated that "the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an honor. When one belittles and attacks minorities, immigrants, Muslims, people with disabilities or women – the honor no longer exists."^[225][226] Others have also come to the star's defense.^[227]

Spade Cooley is believed to be the only convicted murderer honored by the Walk.^[228] He is not the only murderer though, as Gig Young is known to have murdered his wife. Young was never convicted, however, as he committed suicide shortly after.^[224] Other controversial criminal-related stars include those of accused rapists and domestic abusers, some of whom were convicted while others were not.^[224] The MeToo movement saw concerted efforts to have several of these honorees removed, most notably Bill Cosby after his sexual assault conviction that was later overturned.^[220] Similar removal campaigns were held against Sean Combs.^[83]

Rejected

The Chamber rejects about 85-90% of the nominations it receives each year.^{[Note 4]} Rejections are not made public; however, after Kim Kardashian publicly stated her desire for a star, the Chamber clarified that her nomination would be rejected as the Walk does not honor reality stars unless they have been nominated for or won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, or other major award given for a performance.^[229][230]

Numerous individuals have been selected for the Walk but rejected the honor, including Prince, who rejected it twice,^[231] and Clint Eastwood.^[63] Others have also de facto rejected a star by refusing to schedule or show up for their unveiling, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and Denzel Washington.^[232]

Street vendors and performers

The Walk of Fame is one of Los Angeles's most popular locations for street vendors. In 2018, street vending was banned, but the ban was rescinded in 2024.^[247] Vendors commonly sell merchandise or bacon-wrapped hot dogs.^[248]

Buskers, musicians distributing albums, and other street and costumed performers also frequent the Walk, particularly outside Grauman's Chinese Theater and Madame Tussauds Hollywood. In 2016, City Council considered limiting the number permitted in the area, as many visitors report negative experiences due to the performers' rude and aggressive behavior. The performers have also been known to get into altercations with each other.^[249][250]

Unveilings

Star unveilings are free to attend;^[11] are almost always paid for by a studio, network, record label, or other corporate patron;^[76] usually coincide with a new release from the honoree;^[76] and attract crowds in the dozens, hundreds, or thousands. Michael Jackson's unveiling in 1984 set a record for the highest number of attendees, with 5,000,^[39][251] while Selena Quintanilla's 2017 unveiling attracted 4,500 attendees, an amount the Chamber claimed was a record despite it being less than Jackson's.^[252] Vicente Fernandez's unveiling also attracted a similarly high 4,000 attendees.^[253] Anthony Anderson's unveiling, which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, had a notably low attendance of 25.^[63]

Tributes

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has adopted the tradition of placing flower wreaths at the stars of newly deceased honorees; as a result, these stars have become impromptu memorial and vigil sites. Fans often show respect by laying flowers or other symbolic tributes, and some continue to do so on anniversary remembrances. Others show support in other ways; for example, Julio Iglesias's star is cleaned and polished once a month by a group of elderly women.^[254]

Rallies, protests, and vandalism

Walk of Fame stars are sometimes used as sites for rallies or protests. Often, the protests occur as vandalism, which has ranged from profanity and political statements to damage with heavy tools. In 2005, closed circuit surveillance cameras were installed on Hollywood between La Brea and Vine to discourage these activities.^[255] Additionally, if an honoree has a large enough scandal, police will increase their presence around that person's star to deter vandalism.^[220]

Donald Trump's star, obtained for his work on the Miss Universe pageant and The Apprentice,^[220][256] has been the site of numerous protests and rallies; it has also been vandalized multiple times. During the 2016 presidential election, a service dog's owner had the dog defecate on Trump's star, which was then posted on Twitter.^[257] Shortly after, James Otis, a claimed heir to the Otis Elevator Company fortune,^[258][259] used a pickaxe and sledgehammer to destroy the star's brass inlays. He readily admitted to the vandalism^[260] and was sentenced to three years' probation.^[261] The star was repaired and then served as the site of rallies^[262] and protests^[263] throughout the election.

Further vandalism of Donald Trump's star occurred in 2018 when it was destroyed a second time, this time by Austin Clay.^[264] Clay later surrendered to police, after which he was sentenced to one day in jail, three years of probation, and twenty days of community service. He was also ordered to attend psychological counseling and pay $9,404.46 in restitution.^[265] Later in 2018, after Trump's star was repaired, it was placed behind bars^[266] and defaced with swastikas and other graffiti.^[267] Conversely, dozens of blank stars were vandalized in support of Trump's star that same year.^[227] Trump's star was vandalized multiple times again in 2020, including with a pickaxe, with dog feces, and with spray-paint.^[268][269]

Other politicians' stars have not seen the same level of protests or vandalism; however Ronald Reagan's star was the site of a 1981 gathering to request signatures petitioning him to keep leopards on the endangered species list.^[270] The star was also peed on for David Bowie's Day-In Day-Out music video; however, the moment was removed so that MTV would accept the video into their rotation.^[170]

Protests and vandalism of non-politicians' stars also occur. In 2009, Sharon Stone, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Aretha Franklin's stars had the words "Old Fur Hag", "Fur Hags", and "Fur Hag" written on them, presumably in protest of them wearing fur clothing.^[271] In 2015, Sofia Vergara's star was graffitied in reference to her use of frozen embryos.^[272] In 2017, Bob Marley's star was damaged by a heavy object^[273] and protestors also gathered around Kevin Spacey's star to protest predatory culture in Hollywood.^[274] In 2024, Selena Quintanilla and Jenni Rivera's stars were covered in black paint twice within 24 hours^[275] and in 2025, Gal Gadot's star was vandalized in reference to the Israeli military.^[222] Bill Cosby's star has been vandalized multiple times, including in 2014 and 2018,^[276] and in 2015 protestors (including Lili Bernard and Victoria Valentino) used the site to protest rape limitation laws in California.^[277][278] Radio commentator Michael Jackson's star has also been defaced (presumably, it was mistaken for the singer's star with the same name), after which Paris Jackson cleaned it up.^[276]

Not all vandalism on the Walk is a form of protest. John Lennon's star was defaced with several non-negative messages in 2013 and Hugh Hefner's star was defaced with a blue crown and the letters "RIP" shortly after his death in 2017.^[276] Furthermore, not all Walk of Fame protests are directed at individuals. For example, in 1988, activists sledgehammered several of the Walk's curbs in support of the Americans with Disabilities Act^[279] and the Walk of Fame was also the gathering point for an estimated 25,000 Black Lives Matter protestors in 2020.^[280]

In media

Notable films that feature the Hollywood Walk of Fame include Pretty Woman, where streetwalkers use the names on several stars to describe where they streetwalk,^[170] The Substance, which begins and ends on the main character's fictional star,^[301] Harry and Tonto, where the titular characters are picked up at the Walk,^[302] Inland Empire, where the main character vomits blood on the Walk,^[303] and The Fanatic, where the main character is a busker on the Walk.^[304] Jimmy Kimmel Live! has done skits on the Walk, including having Mark Hamill pretend to remove Jimmy Kimmel's star to make room for his own^[305] and having Hamill stand beside his star to see if anyone would recognize him.^[306] The music video for Miley Cyrus's "Walk of Fame" features the Walk,^[307] The Kinks's Celluloid Heroes was both inspired by and mentions the Walk,^[308] and Sofie Royer has a song titled "Hollywood Walk of Fame".^[309] Street photographer Garry Winogrand has also featured the Walk of Fame in his work.^[310][311]