Rags to Riches: Stars Beat the Odds
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50 Photos: Celebs Who Go From Rags to Riches
It's hard to believe that some of the most beautiful and successful stars like Justin Bieber, Demi Moore, and Tom Cruise came from not-so-glamorous backgrounds. From living out of pickup trucks to eating meals from food banks, some celebrities didn't always have it so easy. CTVNews.ca's Maleeha Sheikh takes a look at 25 stars who started from almost nothing but managed to make it to the top.
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Leighton Meester
Humble Beginning
The 'Gossip Girl' star was born at a federal prison to a mom who was serving time for her involvement in a drug-ring that smuggled marijuana to the U.S.
AP Photo/Gary He
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Booming Career
The starlet who has appeared on 'CSI: Miami' and acted in films like 'Country Strong' and 'The Roomate' is worth an estimated $5 million. Her recent big purchase was a $1.5 million home in L.A.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
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Hilary Swank
Humble Beginning
The two-time Oscar-winning actress lived out of her car as a teenager with her mother for a brief time when she decided to pursue her acting dream in L.A.
Columbia Pictures
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Booming Career
The diverse actress who is known for her roles in 'Boy's Don't Cry' and 'Million Dollar Baby' is worth an estimated $40 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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Halle Berry
Humble Beginning
When Halle Berry left home for Hollywood to pursue her dream as a model and actress she spent some time in a homeless shelter after running out of money.
Universal Pictures
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Booming Career
The Oscar winning star would have no problem buying a home - or three - with her net worth at a reported $70 million.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
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Sarah Jessica Parker
Humble Beginning
Reportedly the 'Sex and the City' star as well as her siblings had to survive on welfare money during her childhood and she even received tickets for free lunches from the state.
New World Pictures
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Booming Career
The star that still fears being broke again even after a string of movies like 'Sex and the City' and 'I Don't Know How She Does It' is worth around $90 million. Being broke looks a far way off.
AP Photo/Kevin Wolf
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Shia LaBeouf
Humble Beginning
The sexy star didn't get into acting because of the fame but instead wanted to earn cash to help his poor family. His father was a drug dealer and was often verbally and mentally abusive.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
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Booming Career
The 25-year-old 'Transformers' star is worth an estimated $25 million and earns between $5-10 million per movie.
AP Photo/Markus Schreiber
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Jim Carrey
Humble Beginning
The Canadian funny man didn't have much to laugh about in his adolescence. Carrey lived out of a camper van with the rest of his family and worked full day shifts at a tire factory after school for a period of time.
Morgan Creek Productions
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Booming Career
The high-school dropout must've believed in his comedic talents. His perseverance paid off because he is now worth an estimated $150 million.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
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Leonardo DiCaprio
Humble Beginning
The iconic 'Titanic' star and his mother lived in Hollywood surrounded by drug dealers and prostitutes and reportedly he got beaten up a lot.
Paramount Pictures
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Booming Career
Known for his serious acting roles in movies like 'J. Edgar' and 'Inception', the star is worth an estimated $200 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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Demi Moore
Humble Beginning
As a child, Demi Moore spent part of her years in a trailer park and had an abusive father who spent his days drinking and not working.
Columbia Pictures Corp.
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Booming Career
The 'Ghost' actress and high-school dropout is worth an estimated $150 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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Tom Cruise
Humble Beginning
One of Hollywood's biggest stars came from a poor childhood and reportedly his mother held down as many as four jobs at once to support Cruise along with his siblings.
Geffen Company
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Booming Career
The 'Mission Impossible' star known for his strong Scientology beliefs has no need to worry about money now. He's reportedly worth $250 million.
AP Photo/Evan Agostini
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Danny DeVito
Humble Beginning
Before his big break, the short actor was also short on cash and even spent a night sleeping on a NYC transit bus.
Paramount Television
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Booming Career
The actor well known for his role in 'Batman Returns' and other movies like 'Twins' doesn't have to worry about where to crash anymore since he has a net worth of $70 million.
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
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William Shatner
Humble Beginning
The 'Star Trek' actor lived in a pickup truck with a walk-in camper on the back after the cancellation of his show in 1969 and a bitter divorce.
Paramount Television
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Booming Career
The Canadian actor and recording artist did quite well for himself despite some hurdles along the way and is worth an estimated $200 million.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand
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Mark Wahlberg
Humble Beginning
Before being known as 'Marky Mark' the troubled youngster dropped out of school at age 14 and went to work as a street thug. The actor stole things, made drug deals and wasn't afraid to put his dukes up.
Universal Pictures
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Booming Career
This married father of four who has played many diverse roles in movies like 'The Lovely Bones' and 'The Fighter' is worth an estimated $150 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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Justin Bieber
Humble Beginning
The Ontario self-taught musician grew up in low-income housing with his mother and they often had to go to food banks just to be able to eat.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
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Booming Career
Known for his hits like 'Baby' and making teenage girls swoon all over the world, this teenager is worth an estimated $85 million.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
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Mariah Carey
Humble Beginning
The beautiful singer grew up in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Long Island in near poverty. Later she moved to NYC and took many part-time jobs, including waitressing to help make ends meet.
Columbia Records
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Booming Career
The Grammy-winning multi-platinum hitting singer known for her hits 'Someday' and 'Heartbreaker' is worth an estimated $500 million.
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
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Celine Dion
Humble Beginning
The Canadian child was born into an impoverished but happy family of 14 in Quebec. In her childhood she sang with her siblings in a little club that her parents owned.
CP PHOTO 1983
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Booming Career
Often referred to as one of pop's most influential voices and even landing a show in Las Vegas, this star is worth an estimated $400 million.
AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
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Shania Twain
Humble Beginning
This Canadian country-singer grew up so poor in Canada that her family often went without food. Afraid that her family would be split apart, she never told school authorities about her poor upbringing.
CP PHOTO / Moe Doiron
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Booming Career
Known for her eccentric style and fun hits like 'Man! I Feel like a Woman', this brunette beauty is worth an estimated $350 million.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
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Snoop Dogg
Humble Beginning
Snoop Dogg started out life as a poor kid in Long Beach, California. He spent time in and out of jail and involved in drug issues.
AP Photo/Reed Saxon
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Booming Career
The skinny rapper, and singer who has collaborated with artists like Katy Perry, and Nicole Scherzinger is worth an estimated $110 million.
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
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Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Humble Beginning
Born in Harlem, this celebrity grew up in a public housing project and was later raised upstate by his mother who reportedly worked several jobs to make ends meet.
AP Photo/Nick Ut
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Booming Career
The musical talent and fashion mogul who has won three Grammy Awards and has a successful fashion line is worth an estimated $475 million.
AP Photo/Katy Winn
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Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson
Humble Beginning
This rapper's mother gave birth to him when she was 15 years old. She was a cocaine dealer who was killed at age 27, and then '50 Cent' started selling drugs.
Interscope Records
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Booming Career
He initially wanted to be a boxer but ended up in the music scene. That was a good choice, considering he is now reportedly worth more than $100 million.
AP Photo/Dan Steinberg
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Jewel
Humble Beginning
This blonde beauty was raised in Homer, Alaska, in a home without indoor plumbing. To make ends meet she and her father would often sing in bars and on the street.
AP Photo/Jim Cooper
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Booming Career
The 'Foolish Games' singer who even knows how to yodel doesn't have to worry about living without heat anymore as she is worth an estimated $30 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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Jennifer Hudson
Humble Beginning
This talented singer grew up in the gang-infested south side of Chicago. She worked at Burger King just before she started competing in American Idol.
AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
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Booming Career
After being one of the finalists in the third season of American Idol and winner of a Best Supporting Actress award at the Oscars, she doesn't have to worry about flipping burgers anymore since she is reportedly worth $18 million.
AP Photo/Charles Sykes
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Mary J. Blige
Humble Beginning
The R&B superstar was born in The Bronx, New York City and says she was molested at age five. She also dropped out of high-school.
Uptown Records
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Booming Career
This talented singer is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards and is worth an estimated $45 million.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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J.K. Rowling
Humble Beginning
Before she started working on the 'Harry Potter' series this talented writer was struggling to get by as a single mother and was living off of welfare.
AP Photo/Alastair Grant
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Booming Career
This British author gained worldwide acclaim for selling more than 400 million copies of the Harry Potter series. She isn't even in the million dollar category... Rowling is worth an estimated $1 billion.
AP Photo/Akira Suemori
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David Letterman
Humble Beginning
Before making it big, this late night talk show host lived out of his red 1973 Chevy pickup truck due to financial constraints.
CBS
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Booming Career
The hilarious celebrity interviewer who is also an Emmy Award winner has his pickup truck days long behind him since he is worth an estimated $400 million.
AP Photo/Eric Reichbaum
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Oprah Winfrey
Humble Beginning
One of the world's most well-known personalities was raised on her religious and poverty-stricken grandmother's farm. She was sexually molested at a young age by male relatives.
AP Photo/File
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Booming Career
Known as the queen of talk, Winfrey has a multimedia empire, including her own network and magazine, and is now worth an estimated $2.7 billion.
AP Photo/Mustafa Quraishi
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