From *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* to *Alien*, Carlo Rambaldi ’s genius enters Hollywood legend with a star on the Walk of Fame. The Italian special effects creator, one of the most influential innovators in the history of cinema, will receive the posthumous honor on Thursday, October 15, 2026, celebrating a career that transformed imaginary creatures into characters that have thrilled millions of viewers around the world. The official announcement came from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which is promoting the initiative together with the Ministry of Culture, the National Committee for the Centennial Celebrations of Rambaldi’s Birth, and the Carlo Rambaldi Foundation. Expected to attend the ceremony are Antonio Saccone, president of Cinecittà; Cristina Rambaldi, the artist’s granddaughter and vice president of the Foundation; and actor Matt Winston, son of the renowned special effects expert Stan Winston.
The unveiling of the star pays tribute to one of the leading figures in Italian cinema, who was able to combine artistic creativity, technical innovation, and imagination.
Over the course of his career, Carlo Rambaldi won three Oscars: his first major award came with the 1976 film *King Kong*, for which he received a Special Achievement Award. This was followed by an Oscar for *Alien* in 1979 and another for *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial* in 1982—the character most closely associated with his name.
His collaboration with Steven Spielberg began with *Close Encounters of the Third Kind*, before continuing with the success of *E.T.*. Rambaldi also collaborated with David Lynch on *Dune* and worked with directors who defined different eras and genres: from Federico Fellini to Luchino Visconti, from Pier Paolo Pasolini to Marco Ferreri, from Mario Bava to Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, all the way to John Huston, Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone, and Andrej Żuławski. A professional career spanning Italian and international cinema, highlighting the versatility of an artist capable of moving from realism to science fiction, from horror to auteur cinema.
In conjunction with the Walk of Fame ceremony, the Italian Cultural Institute in Los Angeles presents “Carlo Rambaldi: Dreaming the Cosmos,” an exhibition curated by Cristina Rambaldi and open from October 14 through December 31, 2026. The exhibition invites visitors to discover a lesser-known facet of Rambaldi’s personality: in addition to being a master of special effects, he was a painter, sculptor, and designer, driven by a constant curiosity about possible worlds and the relationships between human beings, technology, matter, and the future. The exhibition features paintings from the “Atmosfere Spaziali” series, sculptures, and other significant works from his career. Among the objects on display are the three Oscars won by the artist and the animatronic head of E.T., a symbol of a creative journey that successfully fused sculptural invention with technological experimentation. The exhibition thus conveys the breadth of Rambaldi’s vision, demonstrating how his creativity was not limited to creating effects for the screen but extended to a broader exploration of forms, space, and the imagination.
The event is organizedby the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles in collaboration with the Carlo Rambaldi Foundation, under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Italian Embassy in Washington, and the Consulate General of Italy in Los Angeles. Special thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Cinecittà, and the Carlo Rambaldi National Committee.
The Walk of Fame induction is part of a broader effort to highlight Rambaldi’s artistic legacy. As early as 2025, the Ministry of Culture’s Directorate General for Cinema and Audiovisual Media and Cinecittà, together with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, had organized a retrospective dedicated to 13 films to which the artist had contributed. Another celebratory event was organized at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The star-unveiling ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, at 11:30 a.m. (8:30 p.m. in Italy). The event will be streamed live on the official Hollywood Walk of Fame website, www.walkoffame.com.
“From a small town in the province of Ferrara all the way to Hollywood, Carlo Rambaldi’s story demonstrates just how much our region is capable of producing talents who can reshape the imagination of world cinema. His genius flourished amid the Ferrara countryside and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna, within a culture of hard work and ingenuity that Emilia-Romagna has always known how to cultivate,” said Lucia Borgonzoni, Undersecretary for Culture. “This star, awarded in the year marking the centennial of his birth, belongs to him but also to the community from which he came, and it reminds us that investing in the places where creativity is born—in schools, academies, and workshops of knowledge—means preparing the Rambaldis of tomorrow.”
“Carlo Rambaldi embodies the spirit of Cinecittà: creativity, craftsmanship, technique, and technology,” said Antonio Saccone, President of Cinecittà. “It is humanity combined with innovation, mechanics that become emotion. Few artists in the history of cinema have been able to combine these aspects as he did. Today’s star, just as Rambaldi’s *Extraterrestre* did, brings together planets that are only physically distant: great Italian cinema and Cinecittà with Hollywood, and brings this immense Italian artist home.”
“Carlo Rambaldi was a craftsman from Vigarano Mainarda who spoke the language of great directors: making millions of viewers believe that an object made of latex and gears was alive. The world was moved by E.T. as if it were a person. “This star serves as a reminder that cinema is also about the workshop, patience, and a craft passed down through generations—and that before the digital age, there was an intelligence of the hands, and it was Italian. In this regard, Italy still has much to teach,” added Chiara Sbarigia, President of the National Committee for the Centennial of Carlo Rambaldi.
Cristina Rambaldi, Vice President of the Carlo Rambaldi Foundation, concluded: “Thank you to the Ministry of Culture, Cinecittà, and the National Committee for the Centennial of Carlo Rambaldi for making this moment possible. This star bears the name of Carlo Rambaldi, but it belongs to all artists of practical special effects: sculptors, model makers, mechanics, makeup artists, and artisans who have brought the dreams of cinema to life. Theirs is a rare craft, born of hands and materials, that deserves to be recognized and passed down.”
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| Carlo Rambaldi Conquers Hollywood: A Star on the Walk of Fame for the Creator of E.T. |
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