When you think about the glamorous life of a celebrity, it can be hard to imagine that, in many times, they didn’t always have it as easy as they do now. Believe it or not, tabloids weren’t publishing the latest celebrity news on some of these people when they were growing up.
Below is our list of 10 celebrities who’ve made it through challenging times.
1. J.K Rowling: Before her success with the Harry Potter series, Rowling was divorced and on government aid. She was so poor that when sending her book to publishers, she manually typed out each version because she couldn’t afford her own computer, or to photocopy the book. It was rejected dozens of times before becoming a best seller.
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2. Jim Carrey: At 14, Carrey’s father lost his job, and the family lived in a van on their relative’s lawn. Carrey worked an 8 hour factory job after school to help make ends meet. He worked on his comedy routine, starting at age 15, and never quit. In 1995, he made over 10 million dollars when he starred in his first major gig, Dumb and Dumber.
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3. Emily Blunt: Growing up, Blunt had a speech impediment that kept her from talking to others. In high school, a teacher encouraged her to try theater. From there, she was able to completely get rid of her speech impediment and move on to being the actress she is today.
4. Charlize Theron: At 15, Theron witnessed her mother kill her father in self-defense. Instead of letting that incident stifle her talent, she went on to make a name for herself. She is the first South African actress to win an Academy Award.
5. Jay-Z: Coming from a rough, Brooklyn neighborhood, no record label would sign Jay-Z as a rapper. So, Jay-Z went on to make his own successful record label. His net worth is estimated around $500 million.
6. Oprah Winfrey: As a child, Oprah was repeatedly sexually abused by her own family members and gave birth at 14 to a baby boy that died two weeks later. Winfrey went on to excel in high school and college and became the icon that she is today.
7. Shania Twain: Shania started singing in bars at the age of 8 to make extra cash for her family. When she was 21, her mother and stepfather were killed in a car accident, and she raised her siblings until they all graduated high school. Then, she decided to pursue her dreams.
8. Sarah Jessica Parker: The actress is one of eight children and took up singing and dancing to help create a better income for her family. At age 11, her family took a trip to New York so Sarah could audition for a Broadway play. She got the role and went on to make millions in her career.
9. Richard Branson: Richard is dyslexic and struggled for years in school. So, he used his personality to get him where he is today. He is the fourth richest person in the UK.
10. Bill Gates: Even the richest person in the world wasn’t always rich. Bill’s first business failed miserably, and the product he tried to sell didn’t even work! However, that didn’t stop him from trying again.
What other celebrities have made it through tough times? Comment below!
