The star of everything from “Swingers” to “Brawl in Cell Block 99,” “Wedding Crashers” to “Freaky,” Vince Vaughn has made an impression on moviegoers that’s even bigger than his 6-foot-5 frame. Whether it’s comedy or horror, on the big screen or small, his performances often feel oversized but always exude a lived-in authenticity that’s why so many of them have endured as standouts and mainstays in the genres he’s explored. And yet when he’s given an honor commensurate with his impact on the entertainment industry – a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – Vaughn reacts a little more like a wallflower than you might expect.

"I get a little shy about this kind of thing," Vaughn tells Variety. "Years ago, I was lucky enough to participate in a Mann's Chinese [handprint ceremony] and that came out of nowhere — and it was really fun. But it's definitely something fun and a great opportunity to spend some time with friends and family."

Friends and family are the people with whom he's done much of his best work. Vaughn first met actor and filmmaker Peter Billingsley, perhaps best known as Ralphie in "A Christmas Story," in the 1990 CBS Schoolbreak special "The Fourth Man," and their scripted relationship laid the groundwork for a real-life relationship. "We were playing best friends and he said, 'We really need to build some chemistry and maybe that will translate,'" Billingsley recalled. "And I was really impressed. Some people would throw this project under the bus, but from day one he just thought whatever we could do to make it better, he wanted to do it."

Billingsley later produced "Made" for Vaughn and Jon Favreau, and they have since collaborated on "The Break-Up," "Couples Retreat" and "Term Life," the last two of which he directed. He says news of Vaughn's stardom takes him back to their days as the bar-crawlers and club-hoppers whose exploits would be immortalized in "Swingers."