The Hollywood Walk of Fame continues to add new names to its sidewalks, but historians and longtime visitors say the celebrated stretch of pavement has lost much of its shine. The famous walkway, which began with a groundbreaking ceremony in 1960 and now runs across 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street, contains 2,852 brass-and-terrazzo stars honoring achievements in entertainment. Many of those stars are dirty, cracked and covered with grime, according to historians. The surrounding commercial district, filled with discount shops, panhandlers and aggressive vendors, contributes to an atmosphere that feels far from glamorous.
Author and pop culture historian Chris Epting, who remembers visiting the Walk of Fame as a child in the 1970s, said the condition of Hollywood has dragged down the attraction with it. «Unfortunately, Hollywood’s been allowed to fall into a really sad state. It’s outright dangerous in many parts,» Epting said. He argued it is impossible to separate the Walk of Fame from the neighborhood around it. «There’s no way to separate the two. I think a lot of people lament the fact that part of Hollywood — really most of Hollywood — is not that friendly or inviting the way it once was and the stars on the sidewalk pay that price as well.»
Epting recalled attending the ceremony when musician John Oates received his star in front of the Musicians Institute. He noted that stars are sometimes placed in meaningful locations. Jay Leno, for example, asked for his star to be installed at the exact corner where he had been arrested twice for vagrancy early in his comedy career. Epting said he does not believe many people actively seek out stars the way they once did, but better conditions in the area could help visitors reconnect with the attraction.
The Walk of Fame’s new honorees are selected by a committee that typically chooses about 33 names each year from hundreds of nominations. Recently, actress Ming-Na Wen and singer Sheila E., both existing star holders, joined Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ron Frierson to introduce the Class of 2027 at the Funko Hollywood store. The class includes actors Idris Elba, Sam Elliott, sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning, and Kate Hudson. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was selected in the Motion Pictures category, while David Alan Grier, Lisa Kudrow, Pedro Pascal and Adam Scott were chosen in the television category. In the recording field, Waylon Jennings was honored posthumously, alongside The Ramones and Smashing Pumpkins.
Walk of Fame Selection Committee Chairman Peter Roth said in a statement that the 32 honorees had made a lasting impact on audiences around the world through talent, creativity and dedication. «We are honored to recognize their remarkable contributions and look forward to celebrating them as they take their place in Hollywood history,» Roth said.
Despite its continued pulling power, the Walk of Fame may be drawing fewer visitors than officials have long claimed. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce estimates about 10 million visitors a year, but more recent mobility data suggests the number may be closer to 5 million to 6 million.
Hollywood historian Scott Michaels, founder of a Los Angeles tour company that examines the darker side of Hollywood history, said he believes the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has shifted its attention from preservation to revenue. Michaels, who once belonged to the Chamber, pointed out that receiving a star now costs $85,000, compared with $2,000 at one time. Many star ceremonies are now scheduled intentionally to coincide with a celebrity’s film or album release, and even corporate brands have received stars. Because stars are treated as historic landmarks and are never removed, disgraced figures and minor reality television names remain permanently on the walkway.
«There was a time when the Hollywood Walk of Fame was a true honor,» Michaels said. But the physical markers themselves have suffered. At the corner of La Brea and Hollywood Boulevard, a large silver statue called «The Four Ladies,» which marks the start of the Walk, lost a small bronze likeness of Marilyn Monroe at its top after a thief sawed it off. Monroe was recovered, but according to Michaels it has never been reinstalled. In August 2025, a van slammed into the statue and heavily damaged the likeness of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star and one of the four women depicted. More than a year later, the damaged statue has yet to be fully restored.
The combination of rising costs, commercial pressures, street conditions and damaged landmarks has led some historians to question whether the Walk of Fame still carries the prestige it once had. New names continue to be added, and ceremonies still draw crowds, but the walkway itself reflects the struggles of the neighborhood around it. As Epting put it, Hollywood’s decline and the fading appeal of its most famous sidewalk cannot be separated.
