The Most Vandalized Hollywood Walk of Fame Stars
The Hollywood Walk of Fame sits on busy city sidewalks where thousands of people pass every day, so wear and tear is expected and vandalism sometimes happens. Stars are made of terrazzo and brass, which can chip under heavy blows and stain under paint or marker, so maintenance crews keep a close schedule to repair damage and keep the path open.
Most incidents involve spray paint, stickers, or scratches, though a few have included heavy tools that leave deeper gouges. When something happens, staff cordon off the area, document the damage, and either clean or replace sections so visitors can keep moving along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street without long closures.
Donald Trump
His television category star has been struck several times with heavy tools, which left the terrazzo broken and the brass inlay bent. Cleanup has involved removing debris, pouring new terrazzo, and recasting damaged trim before polishing the surface to match the surrounding sidewalk.
The plaque has also been a frequent target for sticker tags and props placed on top for stunts, which requires careful removal to avoid scratching the finish. Crews typically work overnight so the star can reopen for the next day’s crowds.
Bill Cosby
His star has been marked more than once with paint and permanent marker during periods of intense public scrutiny. Workers lift pigment with approved solvents and then refinish the surface to prevent ghosting from the ink.
When deeper scratches appear, technicians grind the top layer of terrazzo and reseal it so the color remains even. The brass letters are rebrushed to restore the original shine after cleaning.
Michael Jackson
Confusion once arose when graffiti landed on a radio host’s star that shares his name, which highlighted how many plaques line the boulevard and how easy it is to mix up locations. The markings were scrubbed off and the surface restored by the end of the day.
The pop star’s own plaque has drawn occasional attention during renewed debate about his legacy. Routine checks focus on smudges, adhesive residue, and minor etching that can appear after heavy foot traffic and fan gatherings.
Mariah Carey
A carved punctuation mark near her name required terrazzo patching and a full polish to blend new material with old. The letters received a light rebuffing so the altered area would not stand out in photos.
After similar incidents, staff review nearby security cameras and adjust patrols along that block. The location draws steady tourist lines, so maintenance teams stage short rolling closures to keep crowds moving while work is finished.
Bob Marley
His recording category star has suffered blunt force damage that chipped the terrazzo and distorted the brass points. Repairs required cutting out a section, fabricating a new piece, and reanchoring it to the base before resealing the joints.
Because this stretch of sidewalk fills early with tour groups, crews schedule noisy work for off hours. The fresh surface is cured and then polished so the star sits flush with the surrounding panels.
John Lennon
Multicolored marker once covered his plaque near the Capitol Records corridor, with doodles and messages that soaked into the porous surface. Technicians used low pressure methods and neutral cleaners to lift the pigments without spreading the stains.
The star received a protective reseal to reduce future absorption from markers and drinks. Guides who operate on that block now report markings quickly so the first pass at cleaning can happen before the color sets.
Ellen DeGeneres
Her star was part of a cluster of plaques hit in a single sweep with black spray paint. The team treated the area with gel remover that keeps runoff from spreading into the grout lines.
Once the paint lifted, the brass was polished to remove haze and the terrazzo was sealed to even the gloss. Coordinated hits like this are handled block by block so an entire section can reopen together.
Jennifer Lopez
Her recording category plaque has been sprayed with paint, which required immediate cleanup to prevent etching. Staff used controlled scrubbing and then reapplied a penetrating sealer to protect against future tagging.
The intersection where her star sits funnels visitors from multiple corners, so additional signage and evening patrols were added after the incident. That helped catch later scuffs and sticker residue before they hardened.
Michael Bublé
Within days of installation, his star was tagged with paint while the surface was still pristine, which can make pigment removal trickier. Crews opted for a mild lift process to avoid taking off too much of the new finish.
After cleaning, the brass notes and letters received a light machine polish so reflections would look even in photos. Early life maintenance on new plaques is common because fresh terrazzo shows small scratches more easily.
Pharrell Williams
His star was among those hit during the same paint spree, with aerosol mist across the brass and terrazzo. A containment blanket and approved solvent kept the remover from seeping into the joints and surrounding slabs.
Follow up included a gloss test to ensure the cleaned area matched the original sheen. The crew recorded measurements so any later work on that panel can match thickness and finish level.
Sofía Vergara
Graffiti referencing a high profile legal dispute appeared near her name and required precise removal to keep the etched letters crisp. After cleaning, the edges around the brass inlay were burnished so micro scratches would not catch light.
Because her star had been inducted recently at the time, staff also checked for hairline cracks that sometimes form as new terrazzo settles. The inspection allowed minor touch ups before the area reopened to full foot traffic.
Harry Houdini
A crack found on Halloween drew attention because the date matched the magician’s legacy. The star was stabilized with an epoxy injection and the surface level was corrected to remove a small lip that can catch shoes.
Technicians inspected the anchor points that hold the brass components in place. Once the repair cured, the plaque was polished to restore a uniform look across the points and the name band.
Imogene Coca
Her plaque was one of several tagged during a multi star incident. Gel removers were applied in stages so the paint could be lifted without streaking across the terrazzo.
After cleanup, crews refreshed the sealant line where the panel meets the sidewalk expansion joint. That step helps keep water and cleaning fluids from wicking beneath the star during later maintenance.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
An insulting phrase connected to fashion protests was written across their shared star. Workers removed the markings and performed a fine grind to erase etching that the ink left behind.
The location saw a brief uptick in sticker tags after the incident, so a higher frequency of walk throughs was scheduled. The finish was brought back to a consistent sheen to prevent the patched area from looking dull in photos.
Aretha Franklin
A message tied to fur protests appeared on her recording star, similar to wording seen on other plaques in that period. Cleaning focused on pigment lift followed by a reseal to keep the color from reappearing during hot weather.
Teams also checked the surrounding grout for chemical reaction from improvised cleaning attempts by passersby. Any weakened joints were replaced to keep the panel locked tightly in place.
Ed McMahon
A thick tar like substance and newspaper were pressed onto his star, which required a different approach than paint removal. The crew softened the material with heat and carefully lifted it so the terrazzo would not chip.
Residue was treated with a neutral cleaner and the area was buffed until the brass regained its luster. Because the substance can stain if left in the sun, the quick response helped prevent permanent discoloration.
Gregory Peck
Thieves once cut the entire plaque out of the sidewalk using a concrete saw, which left a square hole and forced an immediate replacement. Fabrication was fast tracked so the star could be reinstalled and the trip hazard eliminated.
Anchors were upgraded and the edges were keyed to improve resistance against future attempts. The replacement was aligned to match the original layout so line spacing and star points stayed consistent with adjacent panels.
James Stewart
His star was removed during nearby construction and then stolen before reinstallation, which led to a police recovery and the need for a fresh plaque. The recovered piece showed damage that could not be reversed without visible scarring.
The new star was set with updated hardware and then leveled to the surrounding sidewalk to remove any rocking. Documentation from the original installation helped match fonts and spacing so the look remained authentic.
Jenni Rivera
Soon after her induction, black paint landed on the star and well meaning fans tried to scrub it, which accidentally damaged the grout. Professionals stepped in to neutralize the chemicals and regrout the joints so the panel would stay watertight.
The cleanup served as a reminder that official crews should handle incidents to avoid deeper harm. After repairs, the surface received a protective seal and a polish to return the plaque to its debut condition.
Selena Quintanilla
Her nearby recording star was sprayed during the same overnight incident, though workers reached it quickly and prevented staining. The brass accents were polished after cleaning to remove haze left by the remover.
Because the two stars sit close together, staff monitored the block for several days to catch any follow up attempts. The area is now part of a regular inspection path that checks for early signs of tagging.
Share which cases you have seen on the boulevard and tell us in the comments which stars you think draw the most unwanted attention.