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They can hire a private jet at a moment’s notice or bunk down at any given 5-star hotel around the world, but life hasn’t always been so glamorous for the following stars. Some were so poor they lived in homeless shelters while others spent nights sleeping in their cars, park benches or on the subway system. Click through the gallery as we reveal some of Hollywood’s most dramatic rags to riches stories.
As rags to riches stories go, you don’t get a more dramatic tale than Oprah Winfrey’s. The richest African American of the 20th century – said to be worth $2.9 billion - was born dirt poor in rural Mississippi to a 14-year-old mother. Winfrey even wore potato sacks as dresses before living out her teenage years in inner-city Milwaukee.
As rags to riches stories go, you don’t get a more dramatic tale than Oprah Winfrey’s. The richest African American of the 20th century – said to be worth $2.9 billion - was born dirt poor in rural Mississippi to a 14-year-old mother. Winfrey even wore potato sacks as dresses before living out her teenage years in inner-city Milwaukee.
Friday Night Lights actorTaylor Kitsch spent many lonely nights sleeping on the subway system after moving from B.C. to NYC to study acting. When Kitsch finally made it to sunny California with stars in his eyes, the aspiring actor was forced to live out of his car before landing his first role.
Eminem may have once lived in a Detroit trailer park – having been raised in poverty by a single teenage mother – but now the rapper has a fortune so monstrous he could buy up all the trailer parks in America should he get the urge.
Life is pretty cushy in that sprawling Malibu mansion for Oscar winner Halle Berry, but the star didn’t always live so glamorously. During the eighties Berry spent time living in a Chicago homeless shelter after running out of money and being turned away by her mother.
“Boyfriend” singer Justin Bieber may have earned $55 million in the last year alone, but the 19-year-old certainly wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Mother Pattie Mallette was just 17 years old when she became pregnant with the star, and the pair lived in low-income housing while she worked odd jobs to support them.
It’s hard to believe that same struggling actor who regularly slept on park benches would go on to become 007 himself! But if his down-to-earth nature is any indication, James Bond star Daniel Craig certainly seems to have remembered his humble beginnings
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling sits atop an almost $1 billion fortune having penned the best-selling book series of all time, but her staggering success is in stark contrast to the days she spent as a struggling single mom on welfare writing in coffee shops
For Shania Twain, the hardest part about growing up poor was the constant hunger pangs, so she was actually relieved when her family moved into a Toronto homeless shelter because it meant she could score regular meals. And while the superstar singer is currently headlining a multi-million dollar Vegas show, Twain started out far more humbly as an eight-year-old playing local bars to support her family.
With a reported net worth of $150 million, Canadian comedian Jim Carrey is living a far different life now than during his childhood, which became an exercise in survival after his father lost his job. Not only was Carrey’s family forced to live in their van, but at age 15, the actor dropped out of school to work as a janitor and help support his siblings
She boasts one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, but success certainly didn’t come overnight for “Foolish Games” singer Jewel. The blonde beauty’s car doubled as her home for a period of time while travelling around the U.S. doing street performances and small gigs.
In 2011, Forbes named Tyler Perry the “Highest Paid Man in Entertainment,” having earned $130 million in the previous year alone. This amount was roughly $130 million more than what the star had the many times he found himself homeless having blown all his money trying to fund his stage productions.
As the most celebrated late night talk show host of his generation, there isn’t a celebrity guest David Letterman can’t access, or a passing fancy he can’t satisfy with his unlimited Gold card. However, things were a little more difficult for the TV icon pre-fame, with a homeless Letterman forced to sleep in his 1973 Chevy pickup.
As rags to riches stories go, you don’t get a more dramatic tale than Oprah Winfrey’s. The richest African American of the 20th century – said to be worth $2.9 billion - was born dirt poor in rural Mississippi to a 14-year-old mother. Winfrey even wore potato sacks as dresses before living out her teenage years in inner-city Milwaukee.
As rags to riches stories go, you don’t get a more dramatic tale than Oprah Winfrey’s. The richest African American of the 20th century – said to be worth $2.9 billion - was born dirt poor in rural Mississippi to a 14-year-old mother. Winfrey even wore potato sacks as dresses before living out her teenage years in inner-city Milwaukee.
Friday Night Lights actorTaylor Kitsch spent many lonely nights sleeping on the subway system after moving from B.C. to NYC to study acting. When Kitsch finally made it to sunny California with stars in his eyes, the aspiring actor was forced to live out of his car before landing his first role.
Eminem may have once lived in a Detroit trailer park – having been raised in poverty by a single teenage mother – but now the rapper has a fortune so monstrous he could buy up all the trailer parks in America should he get the urge.
Life is pretty cushy in that sprawling Malibu mansion for Oscar winner Halle Berry, but the star didn’t always live so glamorously. During the eighties Berry spent time living in a Chicago homeless shelter after running out of money and being turned away by her mother.
“Boyfriend” singer Justin Bieber may have earned $55 million in the last year alone, but the 19-year-old certainly wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Mother Pattie Mallette was just 17 years old when she became pregnant with the star, and the pair lived in low-income housing while she worked odd jobs to support them.
It’s hard to believe that same struggling actor who regularly slept on park benches would go on to become 007 himself! But if his down-to-earth nature is any indication, James Bond star Daniel Craig certainly seems to have remembered his humble beginnings
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling sits atop an almost $1 billion fortune having penned the best-selling book series of all time, but her staggering success is in stark contrast to the days she spent as a struggling single mom on welfare writing in coffee shops
For Shania Twain, the hardest part about growing up poor was the constant hunger pangs, so she was actually relieved when her family moved into a Toronto homeless shelter because it meant she could score regular meals. And while the superstar singer is currently headlining a multi-million dollar Vegas show, Twain started out far more humbly as an eight-year-old playing local bars to support her family.
With a reported net worth of $150 million, Canadian comedian Jim Carrey is living a far different life now than during his childhood, which became an exercise in survival after his father lost his job. Not only was Carrey’s family forced to live in their van, but at age 15, the actor dropped out of school to work as a janitor and help support his siblings
She boasts one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, but success certainly didn’t come overnight for “Foolish Games” singer Jewel. The blonde beauty’s car doubled as her home for a period of time while travelling around the U.S. doing street performances and small gigs.
In 2011, Forbes named Tyler Perry the “Highest Paid Man in Entertainment,” having earned $130 million in the previous year alone. This amount was roughly $130 million more than what the star had the many times he found himself homeless having blown all his money trying to fund his stage productions.
As the most celebrated late night talk show host of his generation, there isn’t a celebrity guest David Letterman can’t access, or a passing fancy he can’t satisfy with his unlimited Gold card. However, things were a little more difficult for the TV icon pre-fame, with a homeless Letterman forced to sleep in his 1973 Chevy pickup.
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