Welcome to a whirlwind tour of 10 celebrities whose Hollywood Walk of Fame stars have suffered vandalism, revealing the bizarre motives behind each defacement.
10 Celebrities Whose Stars Were Vandalized
10 Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s star, installed in 2007 to honor his television hit The Apprentice, has endured a series of outrageous assaults – a swastika, a mute symbol, and even a smear of feces have all been splattered across its polished surface. The frequency of these attacks was so high that rumors swirled about the Chamber of Commerce possibly pulling the star from the boulevard.
Chamber president Leron Gubler set the record straight, reminding everyone that the Walk of Fame is a registered historic landmark. “Once a star is added, it becomes part of the historic fabric of Hollywood,” he explained, adding that no star has ever been removed for any reason.
In February 2017, the culprit James Lambert Otis pleaded no contest to vandalism. The court sentenced him to three years of probation, 20 days of community labor for the California Department of Transportation, and restitution of $3,700 to the Hollywood Historic Trust plus $700 to the Chamber of Commerce.
Otis was caught on video wielding a pickaxe and a sledgehammer while disguised as a construction worker. After battering the brass medallion at the star’s centre, he walked away with the shiny centerpiece in hand.
9 Bob Marley
Reggae legend and activist Bob Marley (1945–1981) earned his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2001. On October 23, 2017, the star was discovered pounded to pieces with a sledgehammer. The damage was repaired within two days at a cost of $3,000, covered by the Hollywood Historic Trust.
Ana Martinez, a Chamber member and the Walk’s spokesperson, posted a photo of the battered star on Twitter, questioning why anyone would commit such a disrespectful act. Whether the vandal was reacting to Marley’s activism remains a mystery, and no arrests have been made.
8 Mariah Carey
Pop powerhouse Mariah Carey received her terrazzo‑and‑brass star on August 5, 2015. In January 2017, a vandal carved a question mark right next to her name, as if challenging her vocal supremacy.
The timing was uncanny – it came just a week after her infamous New Year’s Eve performance in Times Square, where a damaged earpiece and accusations of lip‑syncing dominated headlines. Carey blamed Dick Clark Productions for sabotaging the show to boost ratings, a claim the company denied.
Police reviewed surveillance footage and chased a lead involving an Instagram user who claimed responsibility for the felony vandalism.
7 Hugh Hefner
Just 24 hours after Playboy founder Hugh Hefner passed away on September 27, 2017, his Walk of Fame star was defaced. The vandal didn’t spray graffiti; instead, they used a crayon to draw a blue crown above his name, perhaps crowning him a pop‑culture monarch.
If caught, the perpetrator would be on the hook for the repair costs, according to a Walk of Fame spokesperson.
6 Bill Cosby
After a wave of accusations that Bill Cosby had drugged and sexually assaulted multiple women, the once‑beloved TV icon saw his reputation plummet. His star, awarded in 1977, became a canvas for protest.
A vandal armed with a black marker scrawled the word “rapist” across the star several times. The culprit remains at large.
5 Sofia Vergara
Actress Sofia Vergara has faced protests over her decision to freeze embryos rather than implant or discard them. The controversy may have fueled the defacement of her star.
In December 2016, embryos named “Emma” and “Isabella” and their trustee James Charbonnet sued Vergara, claiming she denied them inheritance from a Louisiana trust set up for the embryos. The plaintiffs argued that releasing the embryos to their father, Nick Loeb, would allow them to benefit from the trust’s educational and medical funds.
While Vergara and fiancé Joe Manganiello attended the premiere of Magic Mike XXL, her May 2015 star was spray‑painted with the hashtag “#embryodefense.”
4 John Lennon
“It cost alot to win & even more 2 lose.” was just one of many scribbles discovered on John Lennon’s star. A tour guide named Gillian Lomax found the graffiti, which also included a smiley face, a spotted toadstool, the phrase “Blackbird … Rain was here,” and a simple “I love you.”
Lomax dismissed the markings as “rather tacky,” noting the varied ink colors suggested a group of vandals. She tried to rub the graffiti away but to no avail.
After Ana Martinez was alerted, the Walk’s team removed the graffiti and restored the star. Capitol Records reportedly searched surveillance tapes for clues.
3 Harry Houdini
Illusionist Harry Houdini, famed for escaping shackles and straitjackets, saw his own star cracked on Halloween night 2000. The break was later repaired thanks to generous contributions from fellow magicians including David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and Siegfried & Roy.
The star was unveiled again in October 2008, shining once more for the master of escape.
2 Ed McMahon
Newspapers appeared to stick to Ed McMahon’s star, creating a mysterious black‑tar‑like coating. Whether the papers adhered accidentally or the act was deliberate vandalism remains unclear.
No notes, flowers, or other items were found nearby. The Chamber cleaned the mess that same night, and the motive behind the incident is still unknown.
1 Ashley And Mary‑Kate Olsen
Twins Ashley and Mary‑Kate Olsen, famous from Full House and co‑founders of Dualstar, share a star that was defaced with the phrase “FUR HAGS!” The twins have long been targeted by animal‑rights activists for their fur‑wearing fashion choices.
Sharon Stone’s star was similarly attacked with “OLD FUR HAG!” although PETA, which frequently protests the twins’ fur, is unlikely to have been the actual vandal.
Leigh Paul, a writer, enjoys reading and writing but isn’t exactly a fan of arithmetic.