Pittsburgh-native playwright August Wilson receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA — Pittsburgh-native playwright August Wilson has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wilson died on Oct. 2, 2005, but his legacy has lived on. He received his star on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at 1611 Vine Street.

He was born in Pittsburgh’s Hill District on April 27, 1945.

His wife, Constanza Romero Wilson, accepted the award on his behalf. Angelique Jackson emceed the ceremony and was joined by Denzel Washington, Danielle Deadwyler and the cast and filmmakers of The Piano Lesson, his third play to be made into a movie.

Wilson’s star is the 2,799th on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was placed in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category.

“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is honored to pay tribute to trail-blazing playwright August Wilson, whose profound storytelling continues to inspire and resonate with audiences around the world,” stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.

In 1968, he helped form the Centre Avenue Poets Workshop.

He is best known for The American Century Cycle which consisted of 10 plays which were each set in a different 20th century decade. Pittsburgh and the Hill District served as the settings for those shows and the struggles of Black Americans in that community inspired much of his work.

Click here to read more about August Wilson.

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