“Dream your dreams and reach for the stars” is a piece of advice Juanita Moore shared with young girls. What these young girls most likely did not realize is that the advice was coming from one of the people who paved the way. A Star Without A Star: The Untold Juanita Moore Story brings to the screen one woman’s journey in creating change in Hollywood.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce accepts nominations for its annual awards during a designated period each year. There is a fee for the application itself and a fee for having the star, a portion of which is used for maintaining the star. From the Hollywood Walk of Fame website:
The criteria for receiving a star consists of the following: professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected. Posthumous awards require a two-year waiting period after death.
The role for which she is most recognized is that of Annie Johnson in the film Imitation of Life (1959). She was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award in the category of Supporting Actress for her work on this film. Even with this acknowledgment of her talent and having appeared in over 70 films, the fact that more than half of those roles were uncredited had an impact on her eligibility. At the time the film was made, her 1998 application had been passed over, as had posthumous applications in 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Juanita Moore led a life full of adventure and struggle. This piece focuses on her career and contributions to the film industry. Moments in history are depicted through the use of clips from films, live stage performance recordings, still photographs, and interviews. The interviewees include Juanita Moore, Art Evans, Sidney Poitier, Susan Kohner, and Louise Fletcher. The filmmaker Kirk E. Kelleykahn said, “My directorial mission with A Star Without A Star is to challenge the longstanding biases in Hollywood, particularly towards actors and actresses whose performances have made a profound impact, shifting perceptions through their characters. It sheds light on the power of storytelling to open eyes to the harsh realities of racism.” This piece is rich in history, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to watch and write about it.
*Update: October 18, 2024, at 11:30 pm PT, Juanita Moore was honored posthumously with the 2,793rd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Director: Kirk E. Kelleykahn
Cast: Juanita Moore, Amentha Dymally, Art Evans, Louise Fletcher
Selig Rating: 4 stars
Runtime: 1h 30m
Theatrical Release Date: November 9, 2022
Streaming and DVD Release: July 4, 2025
Genre(s): Documentary
Movie Site: A Star Without A Star website
Trailer: A Star Without A Star trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.