A Star of Her Own
On Monday morning, actress and comedian Molly Shannon received the 2,850th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a ceremony at 6765 Hollywood Boulevard. The star, placed in the Television category, sits directly beside the star of her longtime friend and fellow Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell. The event, emceed by Access Hollywood’s Kit Hoover, featured tributes from Ferrell and actress Connie Britton, and was streamed live online.
Shannon, visibly moved, spoke of her early struggles in Los Angeles. “I remember my dad told me, ‘You can always come home anytime. I’ll send you the money and the ticket.’ I was so broke that I actually considered it … and then I had an epiphany,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘At least I’m out here doing what I love. So many people I knew from high school had given up on their dreams.’ I thought, ‘At least I’m in L.A. trying. And that alone is a very meaningful life, and that is actually a good, brave thing.’”
"There is a lot of rejection in show business and many people will make you doubt yourself, until one day you get on Saturday Night Live and become a superstar. … Getting a star means so much to me. Dreams do come true."Molly Shannon
Ferrell: She Saved the Show
Will Ferrell, who joined SNL in the same turbulent 1995 season as Shannon, delivered an emotional tribute. He remembered hearing her perform as Mary Katherine Gallagher for the first time: “I had to run to do a quick change and as I was changing, I’m hearing Molly perform the character … and I’m feeling the stands shake with laughter to the point where I thought, ‘Oh my god, I haven’t heard laughter like this so far in the three shows we’ve done.’ And it hit me. It was such an emotional moment because I remember thinking, ‘Oh, we’re gonna be OK. That Molly saved us.’”
"I think Molly Shannon saved Saturday Night Live, I’ll say it."Will Ferrell, actor and comedian
Connie Britton, who worked with Shannon on projects including The White Lotus and Promising Young Woman, focused on Shannon’s role as a mother and her comedic genius. “Do you know who one of the best moms on the planet is? Molly fricken Shannon,” Britton said. “Molly, you have been such an inspiring mom … and I, as your friend, have always cherished your incredible wisdom as we raised our kids together.” Britton also praised Shannon for teaching her own son “what funny is” and for creating characters full of “human heart and soul.”
During the ceremony, Shannon struck her famous “Superstar” pose – leaping into the air with arms raised – a nod to the nerdy Catholic schoolgirl character that made her famous. The moment capped a career that spans six SNL seasons, an Independent Spirit Award for Other People, a New York Times bestselling memoir, and a recent SAG Award as part of the Only Murders in the Building ensemble. She will next reunite with Ferrell in the Netflix comedy series The Hawk, premiering July 16, 2026.
The star, administered by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, is the 2,850th since the Walk of Fame’s completion in 1961. Shannon’s husband, Fritz Chestnut, and daughter Stella joined her for the unveiling. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “At least I’m in L.A. trying. And that alone is a very meaningful life.”