From Rags to Riches
While it may be true for many, not all famous people come from money. They didn’t all stem from already-famous parents who seamlessly brought them into Hollywood with them.
From struggling to eat and keep a roof over their heads to suffering various forms of abuse and trauma, find out how these 14 celebs overcame devastating childhoods to get to where they are today.
Oprah Winfrey
Dubbed the “Queen of All Media,” Oprah Winfrey, is an immensely popular talk show host, television producer, actress, author and media proprietor. She was once the richest African-American of the 20th century, and was ranked the most influential woman in the world in 2007.
Most people assume that people with such high rank and influence must have come from some sort of early advantage in life—but that couldn’t be further from the truth for Winfrey.
Oprah’s Beginning
Oprah was born into poverty in rural Mississippi and was raised by a single teenage mother. Not only that, she experienced early trauma in life and ended up pregnant at age 14. Sadly, her son was born prematurely and died in infancy.
Maryland GovPics, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oprah Winfrey’s Success
Throughout it all, Winfrey excelled in school, earned a scholarship, and by age 19 she was a co-anchor for the local evening news. She only went up from there.
Today, Opray is worth over $3 billion USD.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey is a widely popular Canadian-American actor and comedian. He was the first actor to receive $20 million salary for performing in films, beginning with The Cable Guy (1996). He’s starred in at least 47 films to date, with most of them being big hits.
Carrey’s impressive success didn’t stem from famous parents or a hefty inheritance though.
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Jim Carrey’s Beginning
Jim Carrey was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. His mother was a homemaker and his father was an accountant.
At one point during his childhood his family became homeless and lived in tents in a local park.
Ian Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Jim Carrey’s Success
Eventually, in exchange for a roof over their heads, Carrey and his brother worked as janitors for a factory near the new home.
It was then that he started performing comedy at local places to ease the burden of his challenging life—not knowing he was setting the stage for a very successful future.
Today, Jim Carrey is worth over $150 million.
Jean-François Gornet, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
J.K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling is a British author and philanthropist. She is best known for her award winning, seven-volume fantasy series, Harry Potter. The series sold over 600 million copies, has been translated into 84 different languages, and created a global media franchise which included films and video games.
But before the idea of Harry Potter, Rowling experienced hardships you wouldn’t expect.
John Mathew Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
J.K. Rowling’s Beginning
Aside from her difficult teen years with her mother being sick and an estranged relationship with her father, J.K Rowling’s life fell apart shortly after she started writing her first Harry Potter book.
Her mother passed and her husband was terribly abusive. She ended up taking her daughter and going into hiding before leaving the country entirely.
Things only got worse from there.
Daniel Ogren, CC BY 2.0,Wikimedia Commons
J.K. Rowling’s Success
Rowling, now a single parent, ended up living on welfare, in a mouse-ridden room with limited utilities.
Eventually, a friend lent her some money and she got herself an apartment, got a job, and finished her book—which instantly became a best-seller.
Rowling credits her first Harry Potter book for “saving her life.”
Today, she is worth a whopping $1 billion USD.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, and as of 2019, his films have grossed over $7.2 billion worldwide.
Today, he is one of the world’s highest paid actors—but money wasn’t always available to him.
UNclimatechange, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Beginning
Leonardo DiCaprio was born and raised in California. His mother was a legal secretary and his father was an underground comix artists and distributor.
When DiCaprio was only a year old, his father was unfaithful and his parents divorced. While he still had a relationship with his father, his mother ended up working several jobs to keep food on the table. They lived in a low-income neighborhood plagued with crime and violence.
Against his mother’s wishes, DiCaprio dropped out of school to pursue acting.
Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Success
While DiCaprio had already dabbled in various small roles as a child, at this point in time he had difficulty finding an agent. He attended 100 auditions and had no call backs.
With his financial stability dwindling, he finally secured a handful of commercials and worked his way up from there.
Today, DiCaprio is worth an impressive $300 million USD.
NASA/Goddard/Rebecca Roth, Wikimedia Commons
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, dubbed the “Queen of Country Pop,” is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time and the best-selling female artist in country music history.
Although she had pursued singing from a young age, the success we see today was anything but easy to achieve.
Katherine Brock, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Shania Twain’s Beginning
Shania Twain was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. Her mother divorced her father when she was a baby, and remarried. Her parents then struggled financially, and food was often scarce in their household.
At one point, her mother’s marriage struggled and she took the kids and moved to a homeless shelter for a while.
Shania Twain’s Success
By age eight, Twain started singing in local pubs to earn money for her family. Shortly after that she was invited to sing at larger events, took singing lessons from someone local for free, and eventually joined a cover band.
She continued to work her way up, and today, Twain is worth an incredible $400 million USD.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress and television producer. She has several accolades, and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
Since 2005, Parker has run her own production company, Pretty Matches, which has created content for HBO and other networks.
Today she is a major fashion icon, actress, and businesswoman garnering widespread media attention—but it hasn’t always been this way.
MiamiFilmFestival, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Beginning
Sarah Jessica Parker was born in Ohio. Her mother was a teacher and her father was an entrepreneur and journalist.
Her parents divorced when she was a toddler and her mother remarried—together they had eight children. And sadly, they struggled to support their large family. Often times, the power was shut off and the family had to forego Christmas and birthdays.
Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Success
Parker’s mother brought her kids to as many free events as possible, like ballet and theater, to immersive them in culture and expose them to the arts.
Parker credits this as the beginning to her success. She started training in singing and ballet, and today she is now worth over $200 million USD.
David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. She is primarily known for her decades-long career in country music, and has been described a “country legend,” selling more than 100 million records worldwide.
But before she became a global sensation, Parton faced many challenges.
RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton’s Beginning
Dolly Parton was born in a one-room cabin on the banks of Little Pigeon Riber in Pittman Center, Tennessee. Her father paid the doctor with a sack of cornmeal after delivering her.
She is the fourth of twelve children. Her mother was a homemaker and her father worked small construction jobs and farm jobs.
She has described her family as being “dirt poor.”
Curtis Hilbun, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton’s Success
Dolly Parton started singing in church at age six. At seven, she started playing a homemade guitar. As the years went on, she took small gigs at local radio stations and TV programs.
When she was 13, she met Johnny Cash, who encouraged her to keep going and follow her own instincts.
Today, Dolly Parton is worth an outstanding $650 million USD.
Kingkongphoto, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Celine Dion
Often dubbed, “Queen of Power Ballads,” Celine Dion is a Canadian singer noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals.
With 200 million records sold worldwide, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, the best-selling French-language artist, and one of the best-selling musical artists of all time.
And while she has also been named the world’s highest paid female musician four separate times, at one point, she struggled just to eat.
Kingkongphoto, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Celine Dion’s Beginning
Celine Dion was born in Quebec, Canada. She is the youngest of 14 children. Her mother was a homemaker and her father was a butcher. They struggled immensely to put food on the table, and Dion’s older siblings often had to give up their portions for the younger ones.
Eventually, her parents acquired a small piano bar, where her and her siblings performed for free.
RepliCarter, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Celine Dion’s Success
When Dion was 12, she composed her first song and her brother sent the recording to music manager René Angélil—Dion’s future husband.
Angélil was incredibly moved by Dion’s voice and was determined to make her a star. He mortgaged his home to fund her first record, which became a No. 1 hit and made her an instant star.
Today, Celine Dion is worth a whopping $550 million USD.
Egghead06, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise is an incredibly popular American actor and producer. He is regarded as a Hollywood icon and has received numerous accolades.
Cruise is also currently one of the highest-grossing box-office stars of all time, and one of the world’s highest-paid actors—but, he too, came from a rough beginning.
Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tom Cruise’s Beginning
Tom Cruise was born in New York. His father was an electrical engineer and his mother was a teacher.
Sadly, his father was physically abusive, and struggled hard financially. When he couldn’t provide, he took it out on his kids.
Not only that, they moved a lot. Cruise attended 15 different schools in 14 years—and lacked any genuine friendships growing up as a result.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tom Cruise’s Success
Tom Cruise didn’t let his home life disrupt his goals. And while he did get himself in a bit of trouble over the years, one thing he kept constant was his involvement in drama. And after graduating high school he left home and went back to New York to pursue an acting career.
Today, Tom Cruise is worth an incredible $600 million USD.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Eminem
Eminem is an American rapper regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. His global success is considered to have broken racial barriers to the acceptance of white rappers in popular music.
He is among the best-selling music artists of all time, was the best-selling music artist in the United States for the 2000s, and has won numerous awards. In 2022, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Many of Eminem’s songs are inspired by his real-life experiences, which prove that his fame and fortune today are well deserved.
DoD News Features, Wikimedia Commons
Eminem’s Beginning
Eminem was born in Missouri, with the name Marshall Bruce Mathers III. When he was a year and a half old, his father suddenly abandoned them and his mother struggled to provide. As a result, they moved around a lot—eventually ending up in a primarily Black Detroit neighborhood.
Mika-photography, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Eminem’s Struggles
Eminem and his mother were one of three White households on their block, and as a result, Eminem was targeted by local youth and suffered regular beatings, resulting in hospital stays.
His mother suffered from a “very suspicious, almost paranoid personality,” and struggled to keep her son safe.
Eminem’s Success
Eminem was first introduced to hip hop through his uncle when he was a pre-teen. When his uncle took his own life, Eminem stopped speaking for several weeks.
A few years later, he and a friend began performing freestyle rap battles at school, which eventually evolved into open mic contests, and then his entry into the Detroit rap scene.
Today, Eminem is worth an impressive $250 million USD.
Leighton Meester
Leighton Meester is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as Blair Walforf on Gossip Girl, and has also dabbled in modeling. She was one named one of the world’s most beautiful women and has graced the covers of numerous international fashion magazines.
Meester also has an extensive record in philanthropy, and is known for donating a lot of various causes including women, children, abuse victims, homelessness, and various illnesses and syndromes.
Her desire to help others stems from her challenging childhood.
Daniel Batalles, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leighton Meester’s Beginning
Leighton Meester was born in Texas. Her mother was a writer and her father was a real estate broker.
At the time of her birth, both of her parents were serving time in a federal prison for their involvement in a high-profile substance trafficking ring. Her mother was able to give birth to her and then nurse her for three months in a halfway house before returning to lock up for the remainder of her sentence.
Meester and her siblings lived with grandparents during this time.
Eventually, her parents got out and separated, but managed to provide a somewhat “normal” upbringing for her.
David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leighton Meester Success
Around the age of 14, Meester moved to Los Angeles with her mother and siblings and began working as a model. This eventually led to commercials, and then small roles on TV, and then the big games.
Today, Leighton Meester is worth about $16 million USD.
Kristin Dos Santos, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a South African and American actress and producer. She is one of the world’s highest-paid actresses, and has received numerous accolades.
In 2016, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. But her success was built on serious childhood trauma.
MTV International, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Charlize Theron’s Beginning
Charlize Theron was born in Transvaal Province of South Africa. She is an only child to two road constructionists, and grew up on a family farm.
Theron’s childhood was plagued by illness. She was often unwell with jaundice and the medication she took caused her upper teeth to rot to the point where she had to have them surgically removed. She had no upper teeth until she was about 10 years old.
But, that’s not even the worst part.
Fuzheado, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Charlize Theron’s Trauma
her alcoholic and abusive father. When she was 16, her father physically attacked her mother and fired a gun at both of them. Theron’s mother frantically retrieved her own piece and fired back, ending her husband’s life.
Ultimately, it was determined self-defense, and both Theron and her mother were relieved of any part in his demise.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Charlize Theron’s Success
Charlize Theron didn’t let her trauma stop her from growing up. Although she saw herself as a dancer, she actually won a one-year modelling contract when she was 16 in Italy, and moved with her mother to Milan.
A few years later they made their way to the U.S. and things only went up from there.
Today, Charlize Theron is worth an impressive $200 million USD.
World Economic Forum, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an immensely popular Austrian and American actor, businessman, filmmaker, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder. He is known for his roles in high-profile action films, and served as the 38th governor of California.
While his record of success is nothing short of impressive, it wasn’t an easy feat.
Governo do Estado de São Paulo, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Beginning
Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, a small village in the Austrian state of Styria. His mother was a homemaker and his father was a Nazi.
His father was awful in many ways, and kept a very strict household. Schwarzenegger suffered various forms of abuse at the hands of his father, which included hair pulling and being hit with belts.
His father also did not believe Schwarzenegger to be his, so he was blatant about his lack of care for him as a child.
Aside from all of that, the family often struggled financially.
State of California, Wikimedia Commons
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Success
As a teenager Schwarzenegger spent most of his time at the gym to avoid being a home. He developed a love for bodybuilding and at age 17 he officially started his competitive career.
That career later evolved into acting, and then he further dabbled in politics.
Today, Arnold Schwarzenegger is worth is estimated to be between $450 million and $1 billion USD.
Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone is a widely known American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades and is one of only two actors in history to have starred in a box-office No. 1 film across six consecutive decades.
While Stallone may seem like the epitome of strong, his childhood proves he has overcome hardships some of us could never imagine.
Anastasiya Fedorenko, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sylvester Stallone’s Beginning
Sylvester Stallone was born n the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City's Manhattan borough. His mother was a women’s professional wrestling promoter and his father was a hairdresser.
Stallone was heavily bullied in school due to the paralysis of the lower left side of his face—which happened as a result of a birth complication. He also spent part of his infancy in foster care, rejoining his family at age 5. His parents then divorced and he lived with his father until he joined his mother at age 15.
But that’s not all.
nicolas genin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sylvester Stallone’s Struggle
Stallone always knew he wanted to be an actor, and attended various schools majoring in drama. He ended up taking a role in a softcore adult film that he later said he had done out of desperation after being evicted and was homeless. He slept in a bus terminal for three weeks and said he was “at the very end” of his rope.
He took odd jobs and slept in various shelters and almost gave up his acting career entirely.
nicolas genin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sylvester Stallone’s Success
Stallone eventually got small roles in big films, that led to bigger roles in even bigger films. He gained worldwide fame with his starring role in the smash hit Rocky (1976), and things only got better from there.
Today, Sylvester Stallone is worth an incredible $400 million USD.
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