This morning, actor Deepika Padukone’s fans woke up to exciting news. The celebrity, who is one of the most prominent stars of the country, is going to be the second Indian after late actor Sabu Dastagir to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While her fans have been celebrating the news across the internet, there were some netizens who questioned her eligibility and also claimed that Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan deserved the honour before DP.
But a common question on everyone’s mind is — how does one get a star at the historical landmark in Los Angeles, California? Let us explain.
What’s the criteria for nomination?
The list of criteria for nominating a celebrity for a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame includes professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the nominee will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.
Who has the right to nominate?
The official website of the Hollywood Walk of Fame states: Anyone, including a fan, can nominate a celebrity as long as the celeb or his/her management is in agreement with the nomination. If there is no letter of agreement included from the celebrity or his/her representative, the committee will not accept the application.
Nominations are made online along with an application fee of $275, which is approximately ₹23,465.
Documents required for nomination
Photo of the nominee, brief bio of nominee, nominee’s qualifications, list of contributions to the community and civic-oriented participation of the nominee, a letter of agreement from the nominee or their management team.
Who makes the decision?
The nominations are sent to the Walk of Fame Selection Committee. Once they make their selection of 24-30 names out of an average of 200 applications a year, the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors take a vote. For a final approval, the nominees list is submitted to the City of Los Angeles’ Board of Public Works Department.
On being selected, the celebrity or a brand sponsoring the celebrity are required to pay $85,000 (roughly ₹72,52,961) for the creation, installation of the star and the maintenance of the Walk of Fame.
Apart from Deepika, the Motion Pictures category for the Class of 2026 also includes Emily Blunt, Timothée Chalamet, Rami Malek, Chris Columbus, Marion Cotillard, Keith David, Rachel McAdams, Demi Moore, Franco Nero, Molly Ringwald, Stanley Tucci, Carlo Ramboldi and Tony Scott.