Chris Meledandri
Summary
Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri was honored with the 2,848th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 10th at 11:30 am PT at 6357 Hollywood Boulevard. Meledandri received his star in the category of Motion Pictures.
Illumination Studios’ Chris Meledandri poses as Universal Pictures, Focus Features, and DreamWorks Animation’s CinemaCon Presentation at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, NV on Wednesday, April 15, 2026
(photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
WHO | HONOREE Chris Meledandri
EMCEE Award winning Film Critic, Writer, Producer Scott Mantz
GUEST SPEAKERS Steve Carell and Donna Langley
WHAT Dedication of the 2,848th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
WHEN Wednesday, June 10th, 2026 at 11:30 AM PT
WHERE 6357 Hollywood Boulevard on the North side of the street
WATCH LIVE The event was streamed live exclusively at www.walkoffame.com
Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri was honored with the 2,848th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 10th at 11:30 am PT at 6357 Hollywood Boulevard. Meledandri received his star in the category of Motion Pictures. Joining emcee Scott Mantz were Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, and Academy Award nominee Steve Carell.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the legendary Walk of Fame for the City of Los Angeles and has proudly hosted the globally iconic star ceremonies for decades. Millions of people from here and around the world have visited this cultural landmark since 1960.
ABOUT OUR HONOREE
“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome Chris Meledandri to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the motion picture category,” stated Ana Martinez, Walk of Fame producer. “Chris has brought joy, imagination, and unforgettable storytelling to audiences around the world through his visionary work in animation and filmmaking. Chris is being honored for his outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry and his lasting impact on generations of moviegoers” added Martinez.
A pioneer in the entertainment industry, Meledandri is known for some of the most successful and highest-grossing animated films and franchises of all time. Since founding Illumination in 2007, Meledandri has produced 16 feature films. Among these are the four Despicable Me movies and two Minions movies, which comprise the most successful animated franchise in history.
Driven by the goal of uniting audiences of all ages globally and making an enormous impact on culture, Meledandri has reshaped the animation landscape by introducing beloved, unforgettable characters that have become ingrained in the pop culture zeitgeist. At the same time, Illumination has become known for the extraordinary artistry and craftsmanship behind its films. One of the most remarkable aspects of Meledandri’s work is his ability to transcend the screen, creating stories that form deep emotional connections and inspire passionate fandom. Illumination’s films strike the perfect balance between being subversive and emotionally engaging, allowing them to resonate far beyond the theater. This unique approach has not only resulted in box office success – grossing more than $11 billion worldwide – but also earned critical acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination and several PGA Award nominations.
Meledandri’s producing credits include Despicable Me, The Lorax, Hop, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, The Grinch, Migration and Nintendo and Illumination’s record-shattering The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Illumination’s highly anticipated Minions & Monsters film opens on July 1st.
Before founding Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, Meledandri was President of 20th Century Fox Animation, where he executive produced some of the studio’s most popular films, including the Ice Age films, Robots and Horton Hears a Who. Meledandri also executive produced Cool Runnings.
