celebrity

The celebrities who refused a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

It's a big thing when a celebrity gets their gold star along Hollywood Boulevard. Friends and family show up, famous actors say nice things about them, and photographers take a lot of pictures.

But the honour of having one's place cemented on the Walk of Fame isn't for every performer. In fact, some of the biggest actors and musicians have knocked back the chance.

Watch: The auditions that scored actors their leading roles. Post continues below.


Video via Mamamia.

Firstly, these stars ain't cheap. It now costs a celebrity US$75,000 for the creation, installation and general upkeep of their star and over 2,750 others scattered along the 18-block stretch of footpath. 

Secondly, the celebrity must commit to a date for their unveiling ceremony within five years or risk losing the nomination. And lastly, the process is long. A third party must nominate the celebrity, and then the application process goes on for a year.

Here are some big names who've turned down a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Julia Roberts.

Image: Getty.

The Pretty Woman star has four Oscar nominations to her name, but still no star. 

Roberts was nominated for the accolade back in 1995 but declined, and rumour had it, she didn't like the idea of people on the street stepping on her name! 

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce did put her up for a star again in 2019, but still, she wasn't interested. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Denzel Washington.

Image: Getty.

After 40 years in the business, you'd think Washington's star would be gathering dust on the well-known walkway. But despite being "nominated and selected" decades ago, the Training Day star never followed through with the process. 

He's always maintained that he doesn't care for Hollywood relationships or "movie-star friends", so the idea of a bells-and-whistle star unveiling is clearly not his thing. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Bruce Springsteen.

Image. Getty.

The Boss didn't refuse his star, per se, but he did mess the committee around by not turning up to the ceremony. Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez says that's when they brought in the "Springsteen policy", whereby a candidate must formally agree to the nomination and actually attend the ceremony to accept it. 

"Now the celebrities have to sign off a form saying that they want a star, and 'Yes, I'll be there for the ceremony if I get it," Martinez says. In the end, Springsteen didn't bother!

ADVERTISEMENT

Leonardo DiCaprio.

Image: Getty.

Die-hard Leo fans started a petition in 2019 to get the Titanic star a spot on the famous sidewalk, but to this day, still no action. 

It's not known whether he's officially been offered a star, but there's a good chance that despite being one of the biggest actors of our time, fuss-free DiCaprio wouldn't be keen to go through the cost, implementation and public fanfare it takes in order to secure a star. 

Madonna.

Image: Getty.

The Queen of Pop apparently doesn't need a star on the Walk of Fame to solidify her global success! 

There's been speculation that she turned down the offer back in 1990, though the seven-time Grammy winner has never publicly commented on why the star never happened.

ADVERTISEMENT

George Clooney.

Image: Getty.

Clooney was another actor who was up for a shiny gold star once upon a time, but just like he couldn't commit to one woman back in the day, he also couldn't commit to a date for the star ceremony! 

Martinez once said, "George was selected... but it seems that he has a very busy schedule." With a humanitarian lawyer wife and six-year-old twins keeping him busy now, that ceremony is looking even less likely to happen!

ADVERTISEMENT

Clint Eastwood.

Image: Getty.

It's hard to fathom that a legendary actor like Eastwood still doesn't have a star, but Donald Trump does. Yet, it's all the veteran actor's doing - he's simply uninterested in receiving a star even after being nominated several times in the past. 

Martinez says of the Dirty Harry star, "There's one spot left in front of the Chinese Theatre if he wants it."

Prince. 

Image: Getty
ADVERTISEMENT

Before his death in 2016, Prince famously refused a star on the Walk of Fame not once, but twice. 

"He was on my wish list, but he felt that it wasn't the right time," Martinez says. 

It's still possible for the late pop star to get a star posthumously, but the process is even longer than the regular application.

Feature Image: Getty.

Love to shop? Take our survey now to go in the running to win a $50 gift voucher.