Jim Carrey

Ever wondred where that always so funny Jim Carrey gets his comedic personality from? When we look at celebrities like Jim, we assume most of them have had it and always had it easy. Well, not all of them. Jim was born into a very poor family. Jim and his family would live in their old VW van parked in various locations in Canada. After some time, the family parked their van in his older sister’s driveway and lived in a tent. Navigating these difficult times has cheered Jim up. He developed a sense of humor and always looked on the bright side of life. Jim, all that positivity has definitely paid off.

Halle Berry

Beautiful actress Halle Berry is known for hergreat acting skills and sharp alluring qualities. When Halle moved to Chicago to become an actress, her family had helped her with some money. When she got to Chicago, she found she was running out of money. Her mother, who seemed fed up with it, figured the best way to deal with it was to stop sending her money. At that moment, Halle realized she was alone. It taught her to become more independent. She started minding her own business and fighting for her own life. She knew she could pull it off even a weird time at an animal shelter, and she did. She learned to live within what was usually quite a tight budget.

Phil McGraw

Millionaire Phil McGrew was one of those gentlemen who did it the hard way. As a young boy, he would live with his father in a car in Kansas City. They were homeless and his father was a psychologist. As he got older, he earned his own bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. Shortly thereafter, he joined his father’s psychology practice in Texas. Phil was soon to be seen on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the ’90s. He later started his own syndicated consulting program after appearing regularly on The Oprah Winfrey Show. His estimated net worth is $280 million. That’s what we call a great story.

Leighton Meester

After starring in the hit TV series Gossip Girl , Leighton was already starting to become popular in the film industry. She has also bagged several roles in the films. Leighton soon became rich. You might be surprised that Leighton played the role of an extremely wealthy girl in Gossip Girlcame from an extremely poor family. In 2010, she won the Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress in a Drama Series. However, Leighton seems to have had a rather difficult childhood. Her mother was pregnant with her while she was in prison. When she had to deliver Leighton, she was taken to a hospital and cared for in a neighboring house. Her mother then had to return to prison. Despite the difficult childhood Leighton had, she seems very content with her parents’ upbringing, which is fantastic.

Leonardo Dicaprio

One of the richest players in the industry even sees it almost as easily in adulthood. Leonardo is worth around $220 million today and there seems to be no end to this dashing handsome man. An A-list actor and Golden Globe winner, Leonardo had very humble beginnings. He was raised by his German mother in Los Angeles, California. His mother often worked two or more jobs to help her and her son. Despite this, they never really managed to lead a comfortable life. Referring to his childhood home, Leonardo said that in the area where he would live, prostitution would ring right around the corner. Crime, violence and theft occurred throughout his home. He said it was very similar to the story of oneTaxi driver in many ways. People like Leonardo give many hope that success is never too far, even if you come from an uncertain place.

Tom Cruise

There are some celebrities who had poor upbringings, while others had a more abusive one. And then there are some who are unlucky enough to face both. Tom was one of those unfortunates who grew up with a bully father. In an interview, Tom said his father was the unpredictable type. He was the guy you would feel safe with, but if anything went wrong he would kick the person. Though it must have been hard growing up, Tom says he learned a lot from it. He always thought there was something wrong with him and that he couldn’t be trusted. He felt that he needed to be more careful around his father, which doesn’t bode well for a child as they grow up. Thankfully, Tom’s mom left him when he was in middle school. The change has been good for Tom and has helped him not only as a teenager but in life in general. Tom is one of the few actors to have won around 30 awards including 3 Golden Globe Awards.

Eminem

Eminem’s childhood days were made clear by his hit movie 8 Miles. Part of his childhood was portrayed very well in the film. Through his music and lyrics, he made it pretty clear that his younger days were tough and even heartbreaking at times. He grew up with his single mother between Missouri and Michigan. After some time, they settled in Detroit, Michigan, but things weren’t very decided for the two just yet. His mother got into an abusive relationship, which also affected Eminem’s upbringing in many ways. Eminem was also severely bullied at school. During one such incident, he suffered a concussion from all the excessive bullying. His mother tried to sue the school for the concussion, but the case was eventually dropped. Despite all the difficulties, he is the number one rapper in the world and is now worth approximately $160 million. He channels his childhood and feelings through his music and we have to say it has served them quite well. He has won over 150 awards including an Oscar. Really inspiring!

Stephen King

Stephen King is the most famous horror author there is. Today he has all the money he needs and rightfully deserves it. Stephen is the winner of many awards and has written some great books that have been bestsellers in their respective genres. When Stephen was a young boy, his father left the family. That left her mother, Stephen and his older brother all to themselves. His mother, who was a single mother, did the best to achieve both goals. Things didn’t just stop there; Stephen’s grandparents fell ill soon after. His aunt insisted that his mother should take care of the grandparents. With no stable income, Stephen’s mother had to live on money borrowed from her family and care for a family of five, including hers. Things have been going great for Stephen and now he doesn’t have to worry about where the money is coming from. He has already published over 50 novels and received several awards.

Mariah Carey

Known to be a great pop singer, Mariah Carey had a tough time growing up. While her parents were together, they were financially solid as her father was an aeronautical engineer. After their father left, they could no longer rely on his income. The mother had to take care of Mariah and her brother Morgan while doing her best to provide them with a decent living. She had a hard time figuring out the income for both children. Revised in the Mariah Carey , Her mother finally found employment as a singer and singer-coach in an opera. She then did enough to move the family of three to a nicer and safer neighborhood. The change in life and looking at her mother becoming independent probably helped Mariah as well. She then grew up to be a strong and successful singer. It’s always good to hear a story about women who are doing well.

Oprah Winfrey

One of the most popular characters on television, Oprah Winfrey has long been a very beautiful woman. With hit shows from the time she started giving back to society and interviewing some of the most respected people around the world, Oprah saw her way to the top in no time. forbeshas even recognized her as the richest homemade woman in America. After seeing Oprah today, it’s hard to imagine that she grew up in an extremely poor family. Such was her family’s poverty that she wore potato peeling sacks for clothing. The way she dressed attracted negative energy and behaviors from other children her age. Oprah’s mother had abandoned her and she was raised by her maternal grandmother. When she was just 6 years old, she joined her mother and moved to Wisconsin. Her mother worked as a maid and could not afford to pay Oprah, Oprah’s half-sister and herself. Shortly thereafter, Oprah was sent away again to live with relatives. The saddest part of a girl’s childhood is when sexually abused. Oprah said she was sexually abused, which must have started when she was 9 years old. Aside from all those scars and childhood scars, Oprah has managed to live an amazing life of her own where she also enjoys giving back to society. Oprah is a great example for many women around the world who faced similar problems as she did growing up.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah Jessica Parker is remembered for her role in the famous film, Sex and the City. However, Sarah didn’t have it as easy as the others on this list. She struggled with poverty from a young age. Sarah’s mother worked and had a steady job but the only problem was that they were 8 children in the house, one of which was Sarah herself. Sarah said they were living on welfare and were barely able to meet their goals. There were times when they had no electricity. Sarah mentioned that despite all the problems, Sarah’s mother never gave up on her dream of wanting to dance and sing. Her mother would barely find enough money to pay for her singing and ballet lessons. It is clear that these courses have paid off as Sarah is not only a successful actress but also a producer.

jewel

MTV Music Award-winning singer Jewel is one of the few people on this list who didn’t even have a home plumbing system in their house as a kid. She lived and grew up with her father in a rather small Alaskan town. Her house was so rustic and old that there was no plumbing system. They had to use the outbuilding for water and other purposes. Her father and she sang in the local bars to earn money for a living. Even after she moved out of Alaska, her finances didn’t improve. Jewel would live in her car and did whatever it took to make ends meet. She then got lucky and signed a six record deal with Atlantic Records. After that, there was no flashback to Jewel. She was on a spree and making more than she could ever imagine. She ended up selling over 27 million albums worldwide. Well we have to say, gem, you were one of the few who literally made it out of nowhere.