Dolly Parton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Damaged by Vandals
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Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been damaged and defaced by vandals, with repair crews now working to restore it. The star had become an impromptu memorial, surrounded by flowers from fans mourning the country music icon's recent death, making the act of vandalism especially distressing to admirers around the world.
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Ana Martinez said the city was alerted and that the Hollywood Historic Trust, which maintains all Walk of Fame stars, began repairs late last week and has completed the first stage of the work. She said the star will be cured and polished by Friday, restoring it for fans to visit. The article also recalls Parton's four-decade legacy in entertainment, including her 1984 film Rhinestone alongside Sylvester Stallone, noting that the vandalism has not diminished her enduring influence.
- Dolly Parton's Walk of Fame star was vandalised and damaged.
- Hollywood Historic Trust is repairing it; first stage complete.
- Star to be cured and polished for fans by Friday.
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Dolly Parton, the American singer and songwriter known for hits including "Jolene" and "9 to 5", was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a stretch of pavement in Los Angeles that recognises figures from film, music and entertainment. Following her death, fans began gathering at the star to leave flowers and tributes, turning it into an informal memorial site.
The Walk of Fame is looked after by the Hollywood Historic Trust, with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also involved in its upkeep and public communications. Individual stars can be damaged or defaced, whether by wear, weather or deliberate vandalism, and are periodically repaired or replaced by the organisations responsible for maintaining them.
This matters because the star had taken on particular significance for grieving fans as a focal point for remembrance, making any damage to it more emotionally charged than routine wear and tear elsewhere on the Walk of Fame.
Full account
Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been vandalised, days after the country music legend was laid to rest following her death at the age of 80. A fan visiting the landmark noticed several scratches across the star's surface and shared a photograph of the damage on social media, prompting concern from admirers who had gathered there to pay tribute to the singer.
Ana Martinez, who represents the Hollywood Walk of Fame, confirmed that the marker had indeed been scratched, based on the image circulated online. She noted that flowers left by mourners had been cleared away shortly before the vandalism came to light, as part of maintenance work that had already been scheduled the previous week, meaning the removal of tributes was unrelated to the later damage.
Martinez said a crew had begun repairs, with the Hollywood Historic Trust, the body responsible for maintaining and restoring stars along the boulevard, overseeing the work. She indicated that the star would be resurfaced and polished by the end of the week, allowing fans to once again visit the site to honour Parton once repairs were complete.
Parton died on 25 August in Nashville, Tennessee, after a short illness, passing away at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by family. In the wake of her death, tributes poured in from across the entertainment world, and members of her family have since spoken publicly about her legacy, with her niece Lainey Mae Parton describing her as a source of unwavering encouragement and support throughout her life.
Where outlets differ
One outlet (covering the story via Parade-style reporting) frames the vandalism in more dramatic terms, describing it as akin to an 'international offense' given Parton's global fame, and identifies Ana Martinez as a spokesperson for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; the Fox News account instead identifies her as producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The first source devotes significant space to a retrospective on Parton's film career, particularly her 1984 movie Rhinestone with Sylvester Stallone, which is tangential to the vandalism story itself, whereas the second source stays focused on the vandalism and surrounding funeral news.
Only the Fox News report includes details of Parton's death and funeral, including a tribute from her niece Lainey Mae Parton recalling personal memories, information entirely absent from the first source.
The two accounts differ slightly on how the flower removal is framed: one presents Martinez's repair statement without directly linking it to the flowers, while the other explicitly notes the flowers were cleared the morning before the vandalism was reported, as part of the pre-arranged repair work.
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