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Fans Make DIY Hollywood Walk Of Fame Stars For Carrie Fisher And George Michael
Fans have flocked to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to create stars for Carrie Fisher and George Michael, neither of whom had stars on the iconic boulevard.
Actress Carrie Fisher died on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack on board a flight from London to Los Angeles. Star Wars fan Jason Thomas donned a Jedi robe to create a star for Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence for her role as Princess Leia Organa in the sci-fi franchise, in front of the Chinese Theatre last night. The star read, “Carrie Fisher, May the Force always be with you,” and has since been covered in flowers, candles and even a toy lightsaber.
“When I found Carrie Fisher didn’t have a star I found that to be unacceptable,” Thomas told NBC Los Angeles. “[I] decided to take it up myself to make one of her. She’s touched my generation.”
It was at this theater that Fisher would stroll down the red carpet in December of 2015 at the premiere of A Force Awakens, her first appearance as Princess Leia in a Star Wars film since she appeared in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
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RIP @carrieffisher thanks 4 the memories!! Makeshift Star #hollywood walk of fame made by fans, since she did not have one! 👸🏻#CarrieFisher pic.twitter.com/agZf5YejIF
— Alberto Mendez (@TheBertoMendez) December 28, 2016
One fan left behind a cinnamon bun, likely due to the hairstyle she wore in A New Hope. Cinnabon practically did the same thing yesterday, but it was met with backlash over their use of her death for self-promotion.
Other fans made Fisher a star out of paper.
These devoted #Starwars fans drove to #Hollywood from #Anaheim to honor #CarrieFisher, and created a star for her. Story at 11pm on @ABC7 pic.twitter.com/4RC3zd6NVQ
— Chelsea Edwards (@_chelseaedwards) December 28, 2016
Musician and LGBTQ icon George Michael died at his London home on Christmas Day. Fans likewise made Michael a star, leaving behind photos, flowers and candles.
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Michael’s fans are also paying their respects outside of his home in London, according to the Hollywood Reporter. One fan wrote “WHAM” on a photography store into which Michael had, many years ago, crashed his Land Rover.
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Tributes left outside the home of pop music icon George Michael in The Grove, Highgate on December 28, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
While it made seem odd that these two legends did not already have a star, the tributes are not selected necessarily based on a celebrity’s talent, relevance or cultural impact. Celebrities have to be nominated first, and then someone has to pony up $30,000 to pay for the star, its maintenance, and their Walk of Fame ceremony—which the star must also agree to attend. When Prince died in April of 2016, fans were outraged to find out that he did not have a star on the boulevard. They, too, created DIY stars to honor Prince using empty stars, and even started an online petition to get him one.
However, it was Prince himself who opted not to have a star. Anna Martinez, who produces the Walk of Fame Ceremonies, told The Wrap that Prince was twice approached about a star, but both times stated that “the timing was not right.” Celebrities may receive a star posthumously, but only after five years have passed, and they still cost $30,000.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce will leave the memorials up for a few days to allow fans to come and pay their respects, TMZ reports, as they did with Prince’s impromptu stars.
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