The float 'Circus Memories' heads down the parade route during the 110th Annual Rose Parade.
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Vince Bucci
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
For more than a century, the Rose Parade has delighted audiences across Southern California with its colorful, elaborate floats and fanfare.
What you should know: The parade will celebrate its 137th year when floats begin traveling through Pasadena at 8 a.m. Jan. 1, 2026. This year's theme is "Magic in Teamwork," and Magic Johnson is the Grand Marshal.
Keep reading... for details about key participants — from movie and music stars to sports legends to real-life heroes, and a even a couple of fictional characters, and some vintage photos.
For more than a century, the Rose Parade has delighted audiences across Southern California with its colorful, elaborate floats and fanfare.
The parade will celebrate its 137th year when floats begin traveling through Pasadena at 8 a.m. Jan. 1, 2026. This year's theme is "Magic in Teamwork," and Magic Johnson is the Grand Marshal.
This year, for the first time in two decades, rain appears to be highly likely on parade day. Rain conditions are rare for the legendary parade.
Showing off SoCal weather, in fact, was one of the main drivers of the parade's creation.
As the Pasadena Tournament of Roses website recounts, Charles F. Holder led Valley Hunt Club members in creating the parade in 1890, saying: “In New York, people are buried in snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise.”
Here are photos from some of the Rose Parades past, with details about key participants — from movie and music stars to sports legends to real-life heroes, and a even a couple of fictional characters:
1939
Theme: "Golden Memories"
Burbank's 1939 Rose Parade float was titled "Tally-Ho of 1889," calling back to horse drawn wagons popular in the early years of the parade. 1939 was the 50th anniversary of the parade.
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Herman J. Schultheis
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Los Angeles Photographers Collection
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Key people:
Lathrop K. Leishman, President
Shirley Temple, Grand Marshal
Barbara Dougall, Rose Queen
1946
Theme: "Victory, Unity & Peace"
'Winged Victory' leads the floats in the 1946 Rose Parade, just behindis the 'Dawn of Peace' float carrying the Rose Parade Queen and her court.
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Security Pacific National Bank Collection
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L.A. Public Library
)
Key people:
Charles A. Strutt, President
Admiral William F. Halsey, Grand Marshal
Patricia Auman, Rose Queen
1960
Theme: "Tall Tales and True"
Glendale's entry in the 1960 Rose Parade honored the "pioneer spirit" and took home the governor's trophy.
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Valley Times collection
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L.A. Public Library
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Key people:
Raymond A. Dorn, President
Vice President Richard M. Nixon, Grand Marshal
Margarethe Bertelson, Rose Queen
1975
Theme: "Heritage of America"
Baseball player Hank Aaron waves to the crowd as grand marshal of the 1975 Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, Jan. 1, 1975. Riding with him in the open car is his wife, Billye.
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AP
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Key people:
Carl H. Hoelscher, President
Paul G. Bryan, President
Henry L. "Hank" Aaron, Grand Marshal
Robin Carr, Rose Queen
1982
Theme: "Friends And Neighbors"
Actor Jimmy Stewart, grand marshal of the 93rd Tournament of Roses Parade, waves to the crowd as he's accompanied by his wife, Gloria, Jan. 1, 1982.
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Reed Saxon
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AP
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Key people:
Harold E. Coombes Jr., President
Jimmy Stewart, Grand Marshall
Kathryn Potthast, Rose Queen
1990
Theme: "A World of Harmony"
Zsa Zsa Gabor rides her Tennessee walking horse Silver Fox in the 101st Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 1990. The appearance of the famous cop-slapper angered many spectators, who booed loudly as she rode by.
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Douglas C. Pizac
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AP
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Key people:
Don W. Fedde, President
Sen. John Glenn, Grand Marshal
Yasmine Delawari, Rose Queen
1996
Theme: "Kids' Laughter & Dreams"
Kailey Zelek 9, left, Emily Parris 14, center, and Katie Dennis 10, sell 'Kermit the Frog' puppets to bystanders along the Rose Parade route in Pasadena, Jan. 1, 1996. Kermit the Frog is the first non-human to be named Grand Marshal alone.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
)
Left to right, supermodels Kathy Ireland, Vendela and Naomi Campbell wave to the crowd while riding on a float based on the children's fable, "Jack and the Beanstalk" during the 107th Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1, 1996.
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John T. Barr
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AFP via Getty Images
)
Key people:
W.H. Griest Jr., President
Kermit the Frog, Grand Marshal
Keli Hutchins, Rose Queen
1997
Theme: "Life's Shining Moments"
The California State PTA "The Field Trip" float makes its way down the parade route during the 108th Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1997.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
)
Key people:
William S. Johnstone Jr., President
Carl Lewis, Grand Marshal
Shannon Miller, Grand Marshal
Jennifer Halferty, Rose Queen
1999
Theme: "Echoes of the Century"
The Florists' Transworld Delivery float, "Mother's Day," along with other floats and bands travel down the 110th Tournament of Roses Parade route on Jan. 1, 1999.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
)
Four of the named Grand Marshals of the 1999 Tournament of Roses Parade, from left: astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Ray Bartlett, lifelong friend of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, film producer and documentarian David Wolper and actress Shirley Temple Black.
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Nick Ut
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AP
)
Key people:
Dick E. Ratli, President
Buzz Aldrin, Grand Marshal
Jackie Robinson, Grand Marshal (posthumously)
Shirley Temple Black, Grand Marshal
David L. Wolper, Grand Marshal
Christina Farrell, Rose Queen
2000
Theme: "Celebrate 2000: Visions of the Future"
The 2000 Tournament of Roses Royal Court poses for a photo during a ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999. Sophia Bush, then 17, was crowned the 82nd Rose Queen and went on to a successful acting career.
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Nick Ut
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AP
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An entry in the parade.
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Scott Nelson
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AFP via Getty Images
)
Key people:
Kenneth H. Burrows, President
Roy E. Disney, Grand Marshal
Sophia Bush, Rose Queen
2002
Theme: "Good Times"
A giant motorcycle-riding Uncle Sam carries New York firemen, police, and military personnel in front of the Statue of Liberty on the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States float at the 113th Annual Rose Parade.
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David McNew
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Getty Images
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Key people:
Ronald A. Okum, President
Regis Philbin, Grand Marshal
Caroline Hsu, Rose Queen
2005
Theme: "Celebrate Family"
Grand Marshal Mickey Mouse rides in the 116th Tournament Of Roses Parade.
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Matthew Simmons
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Getty Images
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Key people:
David M. Davis, President
Mickey Mouse, Grand Marshal
Ashley Moreno, Rose Queen
2006
Theme: "It's Magical"
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor served as Grand Marshal the last time it rained on the parade in 2006. Rain is forecast again for the 2026 parade.
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Anne Cusack
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Pachyderm Parade float by the City of Burbank makes its way down Orange Grove in the rain, the first time rain came down on the parade in more than 50 years.
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Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Key people:
Elizabeth Evans Wright, President
Sandra Day O'Connor, Grand Marshal
Camille Clark, Rose Queen
2009
Theme: "Hats Off to Entertainment"
The University of Southern California cheerleaders perform at the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 1, 2009. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Key people:
Ronald H. Conzonire, President
Cloris Leachman, Grand Marshal
Courtney Lee, Rose Queen
2010
Theme: 2010: A Cut Above the Rest
Rose Queen Natalie Anne Innocenzi and her court the on the parade route during the 121st annual Tournment of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2010. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Key people:
Gary J. DiSano, President
Capt. Chelsey B. "Sully" Sullenberger III, Grand Marshal
Natalie Innocenzi, Rose Queen
2011
Theme: Building Dreams, Friendship & Memories
Evanne Friedmann was named Rose Queen for the 2011 parade. .
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Frederick M. Brown
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Getty Images
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The Southwest DeKalb High School marching band from Decatur, Georgia played in the 2011 parade.
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Robyn Beck
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AFP via Getty Images
)
Key people:
Jerey L. Throop, President
Paula Deen, Grand Marshal
Evanne Friedmann, Rose Queen
2012
Theme: "Just Imagine..."
Members of Wells Fargo theme float 'Just Imagine...' move along Orange Grove Boulevard during the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade. (Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP)
Musician Kenny G participates in the Rose Parade on Jan. 2, 2012 in Pasadena, California. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Key people:
Richard W. Jackson, President
J.R. Martinez, Grand Marshal
Drew Washington, Rose Queen
2014
Theme: "Dreams Come True"
Parade Grand Marshal Vin Scully and wife Sandra Hunt attend the 125th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2014. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Key people:
R. Scott Jenkins, President
Vin Scully, Grand Marshal
Ana Acosta, Rose Queen
2016
Theme: "Find Your Adventure"
The Disneyland Resort float is on display at the 127th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1, 2016. (Photo: Scott Brinegar/Disneyland via Getty Images)
Key people:
Mike Matthiessen, President
Ken Burns, Grand Marshal
Erika Winter, Rose Queen
2017
Theme: "Echoes of Success"
Members of the Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Industrial No. 3 Buhos Marching Band, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico participate in the 128th Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 2, 2017. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Key people:
Brad Ratli, President
Janet Evans, Grand Marshal
Allyson Felix, Grand Marshal
Greg Louganis, Grand Marshal
Victoria Castellanos, Rose Queen
2018
Theme: "Making a Difference"
The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association float won the Founder Award at the 129th Rose Parade. (Photo: Michael Owen Baker/AP)
Key people:
Lance Tibbet, President
Gary Sinese, Grand Marshal
Isabella Marez, Rose Queen
2019
Theme: "The Melody of Life"
Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal Chaka Khan waves during the 130th Rose Parade on Jan. 1, 2019. (Photo: Michael Owen Baker/AP)
The UPS Store float, 'Books Keep Us on Our Toes' and winner of the Sweepstakes Award, moves along the route in the 2019 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade. (Photo: Carlos Delgado/AP)
Key people:
Gerald Freeny, President
Chaka Khan, Grand Marshal
Louise Siskel, Rose Queen
2020
Theme: “The Power of Hope”
In this 2020 Rose Parade float, cartoon animals operate heavy equipment
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Sharon McNary
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LAist
)
Key people:
Laura Farber, President
Camille Kennedy, Rose Queen
Rita Moreno, Grand Marshall
Gina Torres, Grand Marshall
Laurie Hernandez, Grand Marshall
2022
Theme: "Dream. Believe. Achieve."
The parade returned in 2022 after being cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.
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Alborz Kamalizad
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LAist
)
Participants in the float for the City of Alhambra way during the Rose Parade of 2022.
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Alborz Kamalizad
/
LAist
)
Key people:
Dr. Robert B. Miller President
Nadia Chung, Rose Queen
LeVar, Burton Grand Marshall
2023
Theme: "Turning the Corner"
The Cal Poly Universities float in the 2023 Rose Parade was named "Road to Reclamation" and won the "Extraordinaire Award". Cal Poly has appeared in parade 74 times.
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Mariana Dale
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LAist
)
Key people:
Amy Wainscott, President
Bella Ballard, Rose Queen
Gabby Giffords, Grand Marshall
2024
Theme: "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language"
The 2024 Rose Parade.
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Michael Blackshire
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
)
Key people:
Alex Aghajanian, President
Naomi Stillitano, Rose Queen
Audra McDonald, Grand Marshall
2025
Theme: "Best Day Ever!"
Tennis great Billie Jean King, was the Grand Marshal of 2025 Rose Parade.
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Damian Dovarganes
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AP
)
Key people:
Ed Morales, President
Lindsay Charles, Rose Queen
Billie Jean King, Grand Marshall
2026
Theme: "The Magic in Teamwork"
Key people:
Mark Leavens, President
Serena Hui Guo, Rose Queen
Magic Johnson, Grand Marshall
A version of this story initially ran in 2019. It has been updated with additional parade details.
The rubble of homes that burned down on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu as a result of the Palisades Fire.
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Ted Soqui
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CalMatters
)
Topline:
State Farm reaches settlement over emergency insurance rate hikes after last year’s Los Angeles County fires.
Why it matters: State Farm, the largest insurer in the state with about 20% market share, received approval for unprecedented emergency insurance rate increases in California last May. The company told the state that the billions of dollars it expected to pay out after the deadly fires placed it in financial peril.
Why now: The proposed deal among the state Insurance Department, consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and State Farm, disclosed late last week, comes after months of public hearings convened by the insurance department and settlement talks.
Read on... for more from the proposed settlement.
The Los Angeles County fires last year drove up insurance costs for many Californians. Now, a proposed settlement means some State Farm policyholders whose premiums rose won’t see additional increases, and others should even get refunds.
State Farm, the largest insurer in the state with about 20% market share, received approval for unprecedented emergency insurance rate increases in California last May. The company told the state that the billions of dollars it expected to pay out after the deadly fires placed it in financial peril.
The proposed deal among the state Insurance Department, consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and State Farm, disclosed late last week, comes after months of public hearings convened by the insurance department and settlement talks.
Consumer Watchdog, which questioned the rate increases State Farm asked for, says the settlement saves the company’s California policyholders a total of $530 million. From the proposed settlement:
Homeowners’ rate hikes will stay at the previously approved interim rate of 17% instead of the 30% the company sought.
Condo owners who saw interim rate hikes of 15% will see their rates drop to an increase of 5.8%, and get refunds with interest dating back to June 1, 2025.
Rental unit owners with interim rate hikes of 38% will see those increases drop to 32.8%, and receive refunds with interest.
Renter policyholders will see an increase of 15.65% vs. the interim rate hike of 15%.
In addition, State Farm has agreed not to cancel any new policies this year, and it won’t be canceling some policies it had planned not to renew in wildfire-affected areas. The insurance department characterized those provisions as important to the continued stability of the state’s insurance market, which has been beset with availability and affordability issues.
“When consumer advocates are able to challenge the data and present their own analysis, excessive requests are reduced and consumers are protected,” said Harvey Rosenfield in a statement. Rosenfield founded Consumer Watchdog and wrote Proposition 103, the voter-approved law that governs insurance in California.
State Farm has paid out more than $5 billion in claims from the L.A.-area fires so far, said spokesperson Tom Hartmann.
After consumer complaints and lawsuits, the insurance department is investigating the company’s handling of claims from the fires and expects results from that examination later this spring.
The agreement, which must be approved by an administrative law judge, also requires State Farm to undergo additional review of its rates in 2027. The company will be required to make a one time 2.5% premium discount available to renewing policyholders if its ratio of premiums to available cash reaches a certain level; Consumer Watchdog litigation director Will Pletcher said the deal will give the group more timely access to the company’s annual financial statements to help keep it accountable.
The insurance department expects the judge to decide on the settlement by April 7. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will then review the judge’s decision and have the final say.
Iran's state media issued what it said was a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and keep up attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 13th day.
The Strait of Hormuz: The Iranian statement said the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for a fifth of the world's oil supply, should remain closed. It said Iran continues to believe in friendship with its neighbors but will continue targeting U.S. bases in the region. "The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used.," the statement said, according to an English version published by Tasnim News Agency, run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Unclear of statement's authenticity: It was purported to be the new leader's first statement since he succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war. It's unclear if the statement was from Mojtaba Khamenei himself. There's been speculation about the leader's current condition and whereabouts. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that Khamenei was lightly injured early in the war.
Iran's state media issued what it said was a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and keep up attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 13th day.
It was purported to be the new leader's first statement since he succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war.
The statement said Iran will avenge the blood of its "martyrs," including the victims of a March 1 attack on a girls school in the city of Minab, which Iranian officials say killed at least 165 people, many of them children. NPR has confirmed the U.S. military is investigating how it could have targeted the school.
The Iranian statement said the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for a fifth of the world's oil supply, should remain closed. It said Iran continues to believe in friendship with its neighbors but will continue targeting U.S. bases in the region.
"The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used.," the statement said, according to an English version published by Tasnim News Agency, run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
It's unclear if the statement was from Mojtaba Khamenei himself. Another person was heard reading out the remarks on Iranian state media, with a photo of Khamenei posted on the TV screen, as it was broadcast around the world.
There's been speculation about the leader's current condition and whereabouts. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that Khamenei was lightly injured early in the war.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Here are other major updates about the conflict.
To jump to specific areas of coverage, use the links below:
Two oil tankers were hit in Iraqi territorial waters near the southern port area of Basra, Iraqi officials said Thursday. It is the first oil-related strike reported in Iraq's waters during more than a week of war, in another sign of the conflict's escalation.
Iran, a critical ally of Iraq, took responsibility for attacking one of the tankers, which it said was owned by the U.S.
A port official said the attack targeted vessels near Basra's port approaches, and Iraq's security spokesman described it as sabotage.
Iraqi officials said one person was killed, and 38 crew members were rescued, with search operations continuing.
Iran has stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial shipping in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, warning that the world should brace for oil prices to double.
— Jane Arraf
U.S. and allies to release record oil stockpiles
The U.S. confirmed it will release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of a coordinated International Energy Agency (IEA) release of 400 million barrels from emergency stockpiles.
The U.S. contribution amounts to roughly 40% of the total, to be released gradually over about four months.
The IEA's executive director, Fatih Birol, said the goal is to keep the supply of oil flowing as the conflict disrupts shipping routes and energy infrastructure. But analysts warn stockpile releases can only partially offset prolonged disruption in the Gulf, where roughly a fifth of global oil consumption normally transits the Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, President Trump said the price spike is temporary and said the reserve release would push prices down.
According to the popular app Gas Buddy, the current average cost of regular unleaded is now up to $3.61 a gallon.
- Camila Domonoske
Iran continues attacks on Gulf States
Countries in the Gulf reported new incoming threats and interceptions Thursday, as Iran continued firing drones and missiles across the region – including at U.S. military bases.
The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Wednesday condemning Iran for recent attacks across the Persian Gulf region, calling them a "breach of international law" and "a serious threat to international peace and security."
- Rebecca Rosman
Israel launches large strikes on Hezbollah sites in Beirut after rocket fire into Israel
People inspect homes damaged by a projectile launched from Lebanon, in Haniel central Israel, on Thursday.
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Baz Ratner
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AP
)
The militant group Hezbollah launched its biggest rocket attack against Israel since the start of the war with Iran. The Israeli military said the Iranian-backed group fired heavy volleys toward northern Israel overnight into Thursday, triggering interceptions and sending residents repeatedly into shelters.
The Israeli military responded by launching more attacks against what it said were Hezbollah launch sites and command infrastructure.
Huge booms were heard across the capital and large black smoke billowed from the Dahieh neighborhood in south Beirut, while an attack in central Beirut – where thousands of people are displaced – killed 8 people and injured 31, according to Lebanese officials.
Wide evacuation orders for south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs have displaced at least 800,000 people so far, according to the Lebanese government.
Lebanon, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has unusually called for direct talks with Israel to end the escalating fighting with Hezbollah. Israel has not officially responded.
Israeli strikes on Iran have continued, with Iran firing missiles at Israel intermittently, including overnight.
Israeli military officials say about half of the missiles Iran has launched at Israel have carried cluster warheads, which spread out into smaller bombs over a wider area – increasing the risk to civilians.
- Daniel Estrin, Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Rebecca Rosman
Pentagon: Preliminary assessment suggests U.S. likely responsible for strike on Iranian school
The Pentagon has opened a formal investigation into the missile strike on an Iranian girls school that killed at least 165 civilians, many of them children, after a preliminary assessment suggested the U.S. was at fault, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The investigation is expected to take months and will include interviews with all those involved, from planners and commanders to those who carried out the strike.
If a U.S. role in the attack is confirmed, it would rank among the military's most deadly incidents involving civilians in decades. Congress created a special Pentagon office to prevent the accidental targeting of civilians but it was dramatically scaled back by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth soon after he took office last year.
"This investigation is ongoing. As we have said, unlike the terrorist Iranian regime, the United States does not target civilians," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.
The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.
NPR previously reported — based on commercial satellite imagery and independent expert analysis — that the strike was more extensive than initially reported and appeared consistent with a precision strike on a nearby military complex, raising questions about whether outdated targeting information contributed to the tragedy.
- Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf, Geoff Brumfiel
Rebecca Rosman contributed to this report from Paris, Jane Arraf from Erbil, Iraq, Hadeel Al-Shalchi from Beirut, Daniel Estrin from Tel Aviv and Camila Domonoske, Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf and Geoff Brumfiel from Washington. Copyright 2026 NPR
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LAFC forward Son Heung-min during a MLS match between FC Dallas and the Los Angeles Football Club at Toyota Stadium.
(
Mark Fann
/
Shutterstock.com
)
Topline:
If you’re a soccer fan — or just a fan of South Korean phenom Son Heung-min — you may have heard that the Los Angeles Football Club planned to put up a larger-than-life mural of the footballer in Koreatown last month. But the mural has yet to appear.
More details: LAFC planned to reveal the mural during the launch of their 2026/2027 jersey at The LINE Hotel. Now the reveal has been pushed back to sometime in June.
Why now: The delay stems from issues with the city’s mural approval process, at least according to city officials.
Read on... for more about the mural of Son Heung-min.
If you’re a soccer fan — or just a fan of South Korean phenom Son Heung-min — you may have heard that the Los Angeles Football Club planned to put up a larger-than-life mural of the footballer in Koreatown last month. But the mural has yet to appear.
LAFC planned to reveal the mural during the launch of their 2026/2027 jersey at The LINE Hotel. Now the reveal has been pushed back to sometime in June.
The delay stems from issues with the city’s mural approval process, at least according to city officials.
Gabriel Cifarelli, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, said they received a mural registration application for the site. But the department said it could not issue a notice to proceed because the application was “ineligible and incomplete” under the city’s mural ordinance and administrative rules.
“DCA staff offered the applicant advice and further guidance, and remains available for questions,” Cifarelli said.
If a mural includes a team logo it is considered an advertisement and not original artwork, according to the city department. In that case, the permit must be issued through the city’s Building and Safety Department.
A new application has not been submitted through the mural program, Cifarelli said, and it was not immediately clear whether LAFC applied for a permit through the Building and Safety Department.
LAFC spokesperson Danny Sanchez didn’t confirm if a new permit has been submitted.
“The mural unveil was rescheduled to June to better align with World Cup festivities,” Sanchez said.
Dave Young Kim was commissioned to paint the mural and previously painted a Son mural on the side of the Crosby building in Koreatown in October, but that was only up for a few weeks.
He still plans to paint the mural on The LINE Hotel in June.
“I’m assuming at this point, LAFC is likely trying to line it up for a more opportune time,” said Kim. “The mural was originally supposed to line up with the launch of the new jersey so something similar.”
Leo Hernandez, 35, said he hopes the mural goes up before the World Cup.
“I didn’t know it was pushed back all the way to June,” he said. “I’ll be in Mexico for the World Cup.”
Hernandez, who goes by “El Soccer Guy” on Instagram and has nearly 50,000 followers, has been attending LAFC games since 2018. He said Son’s arrival to L.A. has brought a new wave of fans to the club.
“I’ve never seen so many Koreans,” he said. “He’s bringing a whole new community to LAFC. I don’t know if they love soccer or they love Son or both, but it’s amazing to see.”
“Son is starting to be my favorite on the team,” he added. “He’s so good. He wants the team to shine. And I love his positivity and energy.”
Julia Paskin
is the local host of All Things Considered and the L.A. Report Evening Edition.
Published March 12, 2026 5:00 AM
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley in a scene from “Wonder Man.”
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Disney+ / Marvel Television
)
Topline:
There’s a lot of real Los Angeles mixed into the recent MCU series “Wonder Man,” now on Disney+, which makes for a version of the MCU that feels a little more grounded in reality, especially for Angelenos.
The context:Wonder Man is an action-comedy about two struggling actors also dealing with superhuman forces and secret government agencies — think The Studio meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's part of the Marvel Universe, but also feels accessible to viewers not that familiar with the MCU. Showrunner Andrew Guest told LAist that was by design, and was helped by grounding the show in an realistic portrayal of life in Los Angeles.
Read on ... for more about the real L.A. locations featured in Season 1, and why a Season 2 (if it does happen) might film elsewhere.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all about people with superpowers living in a world very much like our own.
And there’s a lot of real Los Angeles mixed into the recent MCU series “Wonder Man,” now on Disney+, which makes for a version of the MCU that feels a little more grounded in reality, especially for Angelenos.
It's an action-comedy about two struggling actors also dealing with superhuman forces and secret government agencies. Think The Studio meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sir Ben Kingsley reprises his Iron Man 3 character Trevor Slattery, the messy British actor hired to play a bad guy called The Mandarin. And Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man.
Through their adventures trying to book the gig-of-a-lifetime while surviving the perils of the MCU, L.A. landmarks and cultural references abound, and ground the series in a relatability for many Angelenos, including lots of inside jokes for those working in the entertainment industry.
3 cultural references that make Wonder Man feel like real Los Angeles
Historic places, some we’ve had to part with
There’s a series of roughly 100-year-old small, independent movie houses used as locations in Wonder Man — the Eagle Theatre now home to Vidiots, Westwood's Village Theater now operated by American Cinematheque (with views of The Bruin Theater across the street), and the Highland Theatre which closed in 2024.
A scene from 'Wonder Man' on Disney +.
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Marvel Television
)
Speaking of iconic L.A. spots breaking local hearts, the vintage bar within Echo Park’s Taix French Restaurant was used as an interior location for the series. Taix is closing at the end of the month to make way for new development.
“Taix, the Highland Park Theatre — these places that it was only three years ago were there,” Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest told LAist, “a lot of these establishments sadly, are not surviving. And this town is in a rough, rough place.”
(Though actor/director Kristen Stewart recently said in an interview with Architectural Digest that she bought The Highland Theatre and is restoring the building.)
L.A. traffic (especially around the Hollywood Bowl on a performance night)
Traffic is part of life in Los Angeles and with so many scenes shot in Hollywood, even the main characters of Wonder Man must experience that bumper-to-bumper frustration.
Though, because it is a TV show, they were able to indulge in the fantasy of beating that traffic in a way that in reality would be highly dangerous (and illegal).
“We got to shut down Sunset Boulevard for a little while to shoot a car going onto the sidewalk in front of the Palladium,” said Guest. And surprisingly, he explained, they didn’t have to shoot in the middle of the night to make the shot happen: “That was Friday night…. We didn't close all lanes of traffic. The street was open. We were shooting while Los Angeles was still going strong.”
The scene also references the frequent traffic back up during big shows at the Hollywood Bowl, even earning the show a social media repost of the scene from Chaka Khan.
Having family and friends 45 minutes away, who you rarely visit
Wonder Man includes an episode titled Pacoima where the main character visits his family and childhood home.
“My wife grew up in Chatsworth, and one of the things I found fascinating about her experience growing up there was that many of her friends and their families never went to Los Angeles,” said Guest.
“The idea that Simon grew up close to, but far enough away that Hollywood and Los Angeles did not feel like they were part of his life…so when he moved to the city, Pacoima is not a place he goes to a lot. And I feel like that's a part of L.A. that is true to this city. That doesn't get explored a lot and felt like it was another detail that we got to sort of throw into the show.”
There’s lots of other Southern California. references to enjoy from the Talmadge Apartments, an historic renaissance revival building on Wilshire Blvd., a mural of Danny Trejo, and even a cameo from Gisellle Fernandes, real-life L.A. broadcaster for Spectrum 1 News.
Should you get lost in the multi-verse, at least this L.A will be pretty familiar.
BONUS: Could there be a Season 2 of Wonder Man? And would it still be set in L.A.?
Guest couldn’t confirm anything about a possible Season 2, but told LAist, “It’s still on the table as an option, potentially."
As for whether a potential Season 2 would also film in Los Angeles and continue to highlight the city in new ways, Guest said it’s occurred to him that one of the best ways to write about Hollywood could be “ to send our show somewhere else because everybody in this town who's working has to move — whether it be Budapest or London or Ireland or Vancouver — very little is actually happening in this town. And that’s a story that I don’t think is being told right now about L.A.”
Season 1 of ‘Wonder Man’ is now streaming on Disney+.
Watch Julia Paskin's interview with actor/comedian X Mayo, who plays Simon Williams' agent in 'Wonder Man':
