Dolly Parton's Hollywood Star Vandalized Days After Her Death
Dolly Parton's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was vandalized this week, just days after fans began gathering there following the music icon's death at age 80.
The Hollywood Historic Trust confirmed the damage on Tuesday, September 1, telling local reporters the star "does appear" to have been scratched deliberately, and that repairs were already underway.
A Star With Decades of History
Parton's star sits at 6710-6712 Hollywood Boulevard, unveiled in a joint ceremony with actor Sylvester Stallone, her co-star in the 1985 musical comedy "Rhinestone." In the years since, the spot had largely stayed a quiet stop for tourists, until her death transformed it into one of the busiest memorials on the entire boulevard.
Fans left an outpouring of personal tributes at the star in the days following her passing, including flowers, nail polish, a box of Duncan Hines cornbread mix, and pink sunglasses. One handwritten note read, "Thank you for loving me and accepting me before I knew how to love myself," reflecting the deep personal connection many felt toward the singer. Officials removed the memorial items Monday morning ahead of the scheduled repair work, and it was sometime after that clearing that the vandalism occurred.
What Happened at the Memorial Site
According to a custodian present at the scene, a woman kicked over candles that fans had left at the star and used shards from a broken candle to scratch across Parton's name. The vandalism happened just minutes before visitor Lore Corona arrived with her daughters, and no arrest has been reported.
Corona later posted a video describing her reaction to finding the damage, saying, "It just doesn't make any sense," a sentiment echoed across social media as fans expressed frustration that a tribute site had been targeted so soon after Parton's passing.
A Repair Timeline Moved Up to Honor Her
Officials said Parton's star had already been flagged for repair due to prior cracking, but other damaged stars along the Walk of Fame had been prioritized first because of more severe wear. That changed after her death, as the Trust and Chamber moved to fast-track the fix rather than leave a cracked, now-scratched marker as the public face of her tribute during a period of intense mourning.
"When she passed, the Hollywood Historic Trust and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce made the decision to move her repair timeline up," officials said, in order to honor her life and legacy. A new star was already being installed at the site behind caution tape at the time of the vandalism, with the concrete needing to cure before it can be polished.
Star Set to Reopen This Week
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's Ana Martinez said the memorial area had briefly been cleared for the planned maintenance work when the scratching occurred, a timing that visitors and local officials alike called upsetting given the circumstances. Officials say the newly installed star will be polished and ready for fans by Friday.
Parton died on August 25 following a brief cancer battle, and her star has since become an informal shrine, with fans leaving flowers, candles, and handwritten notes at the site around the clock. The vandalism has only deepened the outpouring of tributes, with many admirers vowing to return once repairs are finished to pay their respects to the singer, actress, and philanthropist whose songs became touchstones for generations of fans.
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