Truth Behind Hollywood Walk of Fame: Do Celebrities Pay Money to Get Their Stars on Walk of Fame?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most popular and historic landmarks of America situated in Hollywood, California. The 1.3 miles-long sidewalk has 2,765 five-pointed stars and each star has the name of a celebrity who has achieved something extraordinary in the entertainment industry.

A lot of famous actors, directors, singers, producers, and musicians have received a star on the Walk of Fame throughout the years. However, did you know that Hollywood charges a fee from celebrities who wish to get their names embedded in a star on the Walk of Fame?

Celebrities have to pay a fee of almost $75,000 to have a star of their name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Every year, the Hollywood Walk of Fame selection committee receives almost 200 applications of which only 20-25 celebrities are selected and receive a star to immortalize them in history. Any celebrities who have worked in their field for more than five years and have won an award recognized by the committee can be nominated. Even the fans can nominate their favorite celebrities for the Hollywood Walk of Fame provided their management or the celebrity themself agree to the same.

According to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, if a celebrity is selected to receive the star, they will also have to pay a whooping amount of almost $75,000 for “the creation and installation of the star, as well as maintenance of the Walk of Fame.”

However, in most cases, this fee is mostly paid by the celebrities’ sponsors or the studios that nominated them to receive the star.

These A-listers refused to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Although some consider it to be a great honor to be selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, some A-listers have a very different outlook on receiving this honor. Here are a few of the all-time greats that have allegedly turned down to get a star on the Walk of Fame for their own reasons.

Madonna

After breaking multiple records with her album Like a Virgin at the end of the 1980s, the Queen of Pop was nominated for the Hollywood Walk of Fame by a group of fans or critics but she turned down the nomination herself.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood is most of the most established actors that the world has ever seen. The four-time Academy Award winner actor has reportedly been approached by the Chamber of Commerce to receive a star of his name on the Walk of Fame on multiple occasions but the actor has turned it down himself.

Al Pacino

Al Pacino will go down in history as one of the greatest actors the world has ever seen. According to the Chamber of Commerce, after accepting to receive the honor, the celebrity must also attend a ceremony for the unveiling of their star within 2 years of their selection. Al Pacino reportedly accepted the accolade but never decided on a date to receive the star.

Muhammad Ali

The greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali was also nominated to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, Ali refused to have his name on the ground that can be ‘stepped on‘ by people. Therefore, in 2002, the Chamber of Commerce decided to place his star on the wall of the Dolby Theatre thus becoming the first and only star to be placed on a wall than a sidewalk.

A lot of other A-listers like George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, and Bruce Springsteen have reportedly also turned down a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as they feel a star on a sidewalk may not be the best way to immortalize their work.

Source: Hollywood Walk of Fame