JSLALALAND

CITY & ITS PEOPLE

Will you really see celebrities in LA? | The LA celebrity map 2026

You will. But if you actually want to see celebs, don't wander around hoping; go where they 'work': TV tapings, star ceremonies, premieres, studios and concerts. The most important page is the etiquette: follow them where they work, leave them alone where they live.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

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  1. 00 | The stars live in this city

    In Taipei, fangirling means airport arrivals and fan signings; in LA, the person in the cap ahead of you in the checkout line might be the one. To see them for sure, go where they work.

  2. 01 | Five ways to see a celeb

    Being in a studio audience, Walk of Fame ceremonies and premiere red carpets are free and rely least on luck; concerts and games need tickets; the restaurants celebrities frequent are up to fate. 'The higher on the list, the less it's about luck.'

  3. 02 | Celeb-spotting etiquette (the most important page)

    'Fan out where they work; leave them be where they live.' Ask before taking a photo together, and if they say no, it's no; don't follow, wait or stake out, don't photograph kids, and stay away from any home addresses.

  4. 03 | California has laws protecting these

    Penal Code 11414 prohibits harassing children under 16 because of their parents' jobs; Civil Code 1708.8 is the anti-paparazzi law. 'In LA, you're an audience member, not a paparazzo.'

  5. 04 | Be in the audience for free: Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    Sign up on 1iota, free, and the guests sit just a few rows in front of you. 18+, photo ID required, and phones go into locked pouches during tapings.

  6. 05 | Game shows + variety

    Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! allow kids 8+; the contestants on DWTS are celebrities to begin with; The Price Is Right has moved to Glendale and has the loudest audience >_<

  7. 06 | Premieres and red carpets

    About 200 sets of handprints in the TCL Chinese forecourt, free to see 24 hours a day, and El Capitan often hosts Disney premieres. Premieres are mostly on weekday evenings; get to the front of the barricade an hour or two early.

  8. 07 | The movie is shooting on my block

    I've lined up for premieres too, standing at the barricade waiting for the red carpet to start. Another time, a movie came straight to me: a street near my place got closed off for a shoot. In LA, filming doesn't just happen on studio lots.

  9. 08 | Walk of Fame star ceremonies

    Free, forty-five minutes, and the star shows up in person for their own star. Dates are only announced about ten days ahead; it starts at 11:30, and right after, the sidewalk goes back to passersby.

  10. 09 | The Oscars' home

    You can't get into the awards shows, but the 30-minute Dolby Theatre tour shows you a real Oscar statuette; at the Academy Museum you can add the Oscars Experience to simulate accepting an award on stage.

  11. 10 | The awards-season calendar

    Golden Globes 1/10/2027, Grammys 2/7, Oscars 3/14, and none of the ceremonies sell public tickets. 'During awards season, Angelenos watch the traffic advisories': Hollywood Blvd closes the week of the Oscars.

  12. 11 | Studio tours: the stars' offices

    WB has Central Perk, Paramount is the last major studio headquartered in Hollywood, Sony lets you walk to The Wizard of Oz soundstage, and Universal park tickets include the tram tour.

  13. 12 | K-pop and Koreatown

    In September 2026, BTS played four shows at SoFi, and LA declared BTS Week. The intersection at 6th & Oxford in Koreatown is called SM Entertainment Square, and for albums, try Koreatown Plaza.

  14. 13 | Arenas: Lakers and Clippers

    The courtside row at Lakers games is called celeb row, and you can see the front row from any seat. If you spot someone you recognize, just cheer from your seat; don't wait for people in the aisles or at the exits.

  15. 14 | The WeHo the media always covers

    Erewhon, Laurel Supply, Craig's, Tower Bar (no photos, period), Chateau Marmont. I once ran into Leonardo DiCaprio at Rite Aid.

  16. 15 | The Westside to Malibu

    Joan's on Third, Brentwood Country Mart, Giorgio Baldi, Nobu Malibu. Sometimes there are photographers staking out the door; we're there to eat, and we leave when we're done.

  17. 16 | Where they shop, stroll and hike

    The Grove often has events and book signings; Melrose Place and Larchmont are for coffee and browsing little shops; Runyon is where people work out, so don't point your camera at anyone or film them.

  18. 17 | They're living their everyday lives too

    Hiking Runyon, I ran into Charlize Theron, not a stitch of makeup and still naturally stunning; in line at Alfred, I ran into Teri Hatcher; on Larchmont I often run into faces from TV.

  19. 18 | Before you go: how to look things up, what to bring

    For tapings, bring photo ID and a jacket (studios are cold), and don't wear a white top. If you see lots of trucks and cones on the street, they're filming, so follow the crew's directions.

  20. 19 | A celeb-spotting day route

    Morning Walk of Fame star ceremony on Hollywood Blvd → find the handprints at TCL Chinese → see the Oscar at the Dolby → an afternoon Kimmel taping → if there's a premiere that evening, stay for the red carpet.

  21. 20 | Two-city mirror

    In Taipei, fans agree to meet up, wait together and scream together. 'In Taipei, fangirling is heading out together; in LA, it's pretending together that you didn't see them.'

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An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).