'It's a place of diversity, drama, illusion and broken dreams'
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Captain America has a thick British accent, and his day job is cinematographer. Iron Man lives in an apartment behind Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, and at least one of Batman's wings are made with a pair of shower curtains from Target. Superman comes from Ukraine, not the planet Krypton, and don't be surprised to see several Spider-Men and Catwomen of various races and nationalities. Welcome to the superhero world of Hollywood Boulevard, where just about every caped crusader you've seen in comic books or on film is busy posing for photos with tourists.
While the Hollywood we see in movies is a place of glamour and beautiful celebrities, the cast of superheroes filling Hollywood Boulevard is frequently anything but. Many are people struggling to make a buck as they pursue their dream of stardom. "It's a place of diversity, it's a place of drama, it's a place of illusion, a place of broken dreams," says Dan Inigo, a 25-year-old actor who prowls the boulevard dressed as Spider-Man.
Although he barely scrapes by, Inigo says it's still a great gig for a struggling actor who needs to keep an open schedule for auditions. "You can just suit up and come down here whenever you need," he said. "It really is a perfect job if you are an artist."
If you want to make any real money on Hollywood Boulevard, you have to really look the part, says Matthias Balke, who put $3,000 into his elaborate Batman ensemble. He doesn't grab tourists or crack a joke to get their attention. Instead, he waits for them to come to him. "My way of soliciting is the quality of my costume," he said. "People see it, they come to me to ask me for a picture. I'd never walk up to anybody."
The screenwriter-producer-actor says tips can range from a few coins to as much as $100. He accepts them all, noting the change occasionally comes in handy: "Even Batman has to do laundry." Longtime street performers say the business used to be more lucrative, until the boulevard became overpopulated with costumed characters. What's worse, some look grungy, while others turn off tourists with aggressive demands for money. "This should be done by people with performance backgrounds," Balke said. "It should be like Disneyland." — AP
Wearing a Superman costume, Toly Shtapenko, of Ukraine, takes a long stride along the Hollywood Walk of Fame to impress tourists, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. — AP photos
Ramiro Rodriguez in a Bumblebee costume, a character from the Transformers movie series, shakes hands with young tourists on Hollywood Boulevard, in Los Angeles.
Superman impersonator Justin Harrison, center, high-fives a commuter wearing a sweatshirt with a Superman symbol printed on it as he and his roommate, Reginald Jackson, in a Red Power Ranger costume, head back home after working on Hollywood Boulevard.
Rashad Rouse, 27, whose dream is getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, hangs upside down from a traffic signal pole in a Spider-Man costume to get attention from tourists on Hollywood Boulevard, in Los Angeles.
Superhero impersonator Omar Budhoo stands in front of Thomas Suriya's mural depicting iconic Hollywood celebrities while waiting for a green light to cross the street in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Captain America impersonator Henry Hodge, a cinematographer from England who lives a stone's throw away from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre, opens his apartment door in Los Angeles.
A young tourist tips Justin Harrison, wearing a homemade Captain America costume, and Harrison's roommate, Reginald Jackson in a Black Panther costume after taking pictures with them on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Superhero impersonator Justin Harrison, left, rides a Metro train wearing a Superman costume on his way to Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Batman impersonator Matthias Balke is silhouetted while standing on Hollywood Boulevard near the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Two Spider-Man impersonators, Rashad Rouse, front, and Juan Carlos Banegas, an immigrant from Honduras, change in the alley next to the TCL Chinese Theatre after working on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Superhero impersonator and actor Dan Inigo, left, uses a tourist's smartphone to take a selfie on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Covered in sweat, impersonator Belnarr Golden enters a public restroom with his SpongeBob SquarePants costume folded in half after working on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Donte, a musician who only gave his first name, straightens out dollar bills on his first day in a brand new Chewbacca costume purchased from eBay for $441, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles.
Belnarr Golden, wearing a SpongeBob SquarePants costume, dodges a tourist trying to pull the nose of his costume on Hollywood Boulevard, in Los Angeles.
Superhero impersonator Matthias Balke poses with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard near the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.