Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is undergoing a replacement after being allegedly vandalized. Ana Martinez, the senior vice president of media and talent relations for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, confirmed to Los Angeles news station ABC 7 on Sept. 1 that the star was already scheduled for replacement due to existing cracks before the vandalism occurred. The damage took place after tributes left by fans were cleared from the star in preparation for the planned maintenance.
Following Parton's death at age 80 on Aug. 25, many fans had paid tribute to the country music legend by leaving flowers and other memorabilia at the star, which was originally dedicated in 1984. Martinez told TMZ that a fan reported on Aug. 31 that an individual had scratched the star and stolen flowers from the site.
Blogger Lore Corona shared a video on Threads on Aug. 31, detailing how she and her daughter attempted to clean the defaced star using wipes and a towel. According to Corona, a custodian at the scene explained that a woman had kicked candles around and used the shards of one to scratch the star, while a man subsequently arrived and stole the flowers. Video footage posted by KNX News 1070 AM showed the red star had been removed entirely, leaving a hollow square in the sidewalk.
Later that day, the Hollywood Historic Trust, which maintains the stars on the Walk of Fame, shared a photo showing restoration progress, with a blank red star placed in the previously empty square. The organization stated that the new star will be available for viewing this Friday.
