14 Fictional Characters Who Have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
I’m not saying these characters don’t deserve to be honored. But a gimmicky pay-for-play scheme to enrich entertainment industry executives is a slightly shameful way to celebrate your favorite cartoons and puppets.
The Muppets (Puppets)
In the saddest, most heartless promotional lingo I’ve ever seen, the Walk of Fame’s website proudly announced that “the ceremony coincided with The Muppets movie leapfrogging into homes on Blu-ray™, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand.” What a sad way to celebrate America’s favorite sentient socks.
Big Bird (Muppet)
Big Bird is technically represented by two stars, as he got his own in 1994, a full 18 years before The Muppets got theirs. The press release absolutely dragged his ass (“he is prone to frequent misunderstandings, on one occasion even singing the alphabet as one big long word”) before doxxing him (“He lives in a large nest behind the 123 Sesame Street brownstone”).
Snow White (Mary Sue)
Inducted in 1987, Snow White is the first female human character to get a star. Her write-up calls her “pure hearted, innocent” and “a born optimist,” and yet, she’s not above getting messy and dragging her nemesis, calling her “a suspicious, ugly crone.”
Shrek (Ogre)
Shrek’s blurb focuses mainly on how much money he made for DreamWorks, but also delves into some of his charitable work: he’s given away three million books to underprivileged children, supported the National Autistic Society and held fundraiser for special needs children in Kansas City.
The Munchkins (Denizens of Munchkin Country)
This is the largest group represented by a single star. Judy Garland’s son, Joey Luft, sponsored the star, which is honestly pretty rad of him.
Godzilla (Kaiju)
Gojira finally got his recognition 50 years after his first film debuted in 1954. Batman was inducted in 2024, and DC tried to make a big deal about him being the first superhero with a star on the Walk. But Godzilla has him beat by 20 years.
Pee-wee Herman (Cherubic Man-Boy)
A lot of these characters got honored decades after their rise to prominence, but Paul Reubens only had to wait six years between his first stage show as Pee-wee Herman in 1982 and his literal stardom in 1988.
Tinker Bell (Fairy)
Eighty-six years after her film debut, Tink was honored with a Star in 2010. The blurb assures us “pixie dust was in generous supply” at the ceremony, which like, yeah man, it’s Hollywood.
Mickey Mouse (Cash Cow)
Mickey was the first animated character inducted, in 1978. The blurb explains that “Mickey was created as a replacement for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” which is like calling Pete Best a dipshit while inducting the Beatles into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame.
Minnie Mouse (Girlfriend)
Minnie was inducted a full four decades after Mickey, despite premiering in the exact same animated short. She was honored not just for her filmography, but as a fashion icon and philanthropist as well.
Disneyland (Adult Playground)
Hollywood has a city ordinance against engraving corporate entities onto sidewalks, so these freaks had their Star (and a stupid little plaque) installed just off the sidewalk.
Lassie (Fictional Dog)
Lassie and Rin Tin Tin were inducted on the same day in 1960, but since Rin Tin Tin is a real dog with a real cool backstory, only Lassie gets the nod as the first fictional character to be inducted. She’s also the first female character, and wouldn’t be joined by Snow White for almost 30 years.
Strongheart (Real Dog)
This one’s a stretch, because it’s an actual performer, but Strongheart is the dog’s stage name, so we’re counting it. Born Etzel von Oeringen to a German breeder, he became a show dog in the United States, where he was scouted by a big-time Hollywood director. After changing his name to something less Central Powers-y, Strongheart would star in six major films and become a Hollywood legend. Unfortunately, he cut his teeth as a police dog in his youth and served in the German army during World War I. ACAB means Etzel.
Chevy Suburban (Fuckin’ Car)
Honestly, this is a fantastic achievement in advertising and lobbying. In 2019, the Chevy Suburban became the first inanimate object to get a Star, in honor of its 1,750-plus film and 250+ television appearances. I’m looking forward to seeing “Toxic Masculinity” and “Gun” receiving their due in the near future.