A big star is going to be permanently etched into Hollywood. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that Shaquille O’Neal is finally getting his decades long entertainment career acknowledged with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He headlines the 2025 class with Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, and Timothee Chalamet. O’Neal is the only athlete among the 35 chosen ones, which is rare enough. This is not only a big moment for the Big Diesel multiverse of entertainment; even his fans are overwhelmed by the news.
He is not the first from the NBA to get this honor. Kobe Bryant became the first NBA player to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. While Shaquille O’Neal’s silver screen career has been thriving since Blue Chips in his rookie year, Bryant beat him to the Oscars and to a star at the TCL Chinese Theatre in 2011. He is also the first athlete to have his hands and feet imprinted among Hollywood stalwarts.
More athletes have received stars since. Magic Johnson was the next Laker great to get one, and he was recently at Billie Jean King’s ceremony. Even Muhammad Ali, Shaq’s inspiration alongside Magic, has a star. The big guy’s about to join his favorite athletes. And yes, that very much includes Kobe.
Joining Shaq and Cyrus are Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Melody Thomas Scott, Noah Wyle, as well as musicians Air Supply, Lyle Lovett, Josh Groban, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
Shaq himself confirmed the news by sharing it on his Instagram. He’s yet to officially comment on the achievement, but a range of stars and his fans took the opportunity to congratulate him on the occasion.
Shaquille O’Neal’s Hollywood news overdue
Among Shaquille O’Neal’s six kids, Shareef O’Neal jumped in first to celebrate. Although he simply reshared the news, after the unique bond Shaq shares with his third eldest was shown on Netflix’s Power Moves, even this silent show of appreciation is sweet.
Matt Barnes was the first in the NBA community to react. He’s already flexing his connection to a bonafide Hollywood star by writing, “My dawg [Shaq]” with a salute emoji.
Bildnummer: 55165228 Datum: 17.07.1996 Copyright: imago/EntertainmentPictures
1996 – Kazaam – Movie Set Jul 17, 1996; Los Angeles, CA, USA; L.A. Lakers basketball superstar SHAQUILLE O NEAL (as Kazaam) and FRANCIS CAPRA (as Max Conner) star in the film Kazaam directed by Paul Michael Glaser. !ACHTUNG NUTZUNG NUR BEI FILMTITEL-NENNUNG! PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY People Entertainment Film kbdig 1996 quer
Bildnummer 55165228 Date 17 07 1996 Copyright Imago EntertainmentPictures 1996 Movie Set JUL 17 1996 Los Angeles Approx USA l a Lakers Basketball Superstar Shaquille O Neal As and Francis Capra As Max Conner Star in The Film Directed by Paul Michael Glaser Regard Use only at FILMTITEL ANSWER PUBLICATIONxINxGERxONLY Celebrities Entertainment Film Kbdig 1996 horizontal
Luke Gawne, the Chicago-based rapper who collaborated on the 2024 song, “Chaos” with DJ Diesel himself, summed it up in one word – “GOATTT,” To be clear, Gawne idolized Michael Jordan growing up, but is a huge Shaq fan as well.
Most can be forgiven to have a reaction like this one fan, who asked, “just now?!?” Considering Shaq’s success on the big screen with ’90s campy classics – Blue Chips, Kazaam, Steel – a good few were like this fan, “damn he should’ve been had one now that I think about it.” Sure, his movies were panned, but he does have a Hollywood resume.
When this Instagram user said, “I’m actually surprised he didn’t have one yet,” it hit. Shaq is indeed everywhere. A million commercials, deejaying in the most unexpected places, and popping up in random shows that are not connected to basketball. He is a multifaceted entertainer and has admitted in the past that he also wants to be seen as an actor.
His acting, through the initial years, was often limited to cameos in Adam Sandler movies. But he’s now doing some serious acting in Gravesend, in which he plays a street gang boss, Mustafa, where he’s not just intimidating because of his size. Till Amazon Prime sets a date for the season 3 premiere, Shaq’s already got Arnold Schwarzenegger’s word for a role on Fubar.
Since he’s finally getting his Hollywood legacy cemented, fans have a request to accommodate his size 22 feet and a footlong handspan. “in all fairness….his star should be twice the size ”
The ceremony will take place in 2026. Shaq has a year to write that speech which may as well top his 2016 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame speech. And as is evident from the reactions, there will be plenty of people supporting him.
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