Knowledge | Posted by Si Thu Aung
Rags-to-riches stories don't just happen in the movies.
Some of the world's richest and most successful people didn't start off that way — they spent nights sleeping on the streets, in their cars, or on friends' couches. Some of these celebrities struggled with addiction or trying to make it on their own while pursuing their dreams.
Fast-forward to today, many hold Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy award titles and have earned the respect and admiration of their industry peers and fans across the world.
Here are 9 incredible stories of people who turned misfortune into great success.
(1)'Jurassic World' star Chris Pratt lived out of a van in Maui, Hawaii
Pratt, aka Burt Macklin, has been turning heads with his transition from lovable funny guy Andy Dwyer on "Parks and Recreation" to action hero Owen Grady in "Jurassic World."
But that's not the only major transition the actor's gone through.
At age 19, Pratt accepted a one-way ticket to Maui, Hawaii, from a friend and set up a humble abode in a flea and mice-infested van — a setup that he told The Independent was "pretty awesome."
"We just drank and smoked weed and worked minimal hours, 15-20 hours per week, just enough to cover gas, food, and fishing supplies," Pratt said. "You know it was a charming time."
That same year, actress Rae Dawn Chong met Pratt when he was waiting tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Maui, took note of his good looks, and cast him in her directorial debut, "Cursed Part III." (Pratt is seen holding the script in the above photo.)
"The moment she told me she was bringing me to LA, I knew," he said. "I was like, 'This is what I'm going to do with the rest of my life.'"
(2) Director James Cameron lived out of his car before selling the rights to 'The Terminator' for $1
When Cameron was writing "The Terminator," he was "barely making ends meet, even living in his car for a time," according to IGN.
But his main concern at the time wasn't money. He was determined to direct his screenplay despite his limited experience.
When he pitched "The Terminator" at meetings, the production companies said they liked the script, but they didn't like the idea of him being in charge.
Cameron persevered and partnered with producer Gale Anne Hurd, who bought the rights to the screenplay for $1 and named Cameron the director.
The film went on to make $77 million worldwide.
(3) Comedian Jim Carrey once lived out of a VW camper van and in a tent on his sister's front lawn
According to the biography "Jim Carrey," the comedian dropped out of high school and lived in a VW bus with his family parked in different places throughout Canada. They eventually moved into a tent on his older sister's lawn and parked the van in the driveway.
Carrey said it was during these tough financial times growing up when he developed a sense of humor.
(4) Oscar-winner Halle Berry once stayed in a homeless shelter in her early 20s
When she first moved to New York to become an actress at age 21, Berry ran out of money, and her mother decided the best thing would be to not send her daughter more cash, People reports.
During this period, the actress said she stayed in a homeless shelter.
In an interview with Reader's Digest, Berry said:
It taught me how to take care of myself and that I could live through any situation, even if it meant going to a shelter for a small stint, or living within my means, which were meager. I became a person who knows that I will always make my own way.
(5) Daniel Craig, aka James Bond, once had to sleep on park benches in London
Craig now has several critically acclaimed movies on his resume, but The Independent reported that the 007 actor waited tables and even slept on park benches early in his career as an actor.
(6) Millionaire Chris Gardner, who inspired the movie 'The Pursuit of Happyness,' was homeless with a young son while he took part in a finance training program
Aside from a movie based on his life starring Will Smith, Gardner also has two New York Times bestselling books under his belt: his autobiography "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."
But before his story was shared with the world, Gardner was living on the streets with his young son. At the time, he was trying to pursue a career in finance despite not having any experience in it, or even a college degree. He received a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program but could not afford to live off of the small salary, and his wife eventually left him.
Today Gardner is a motivational speaker and CEO of Gardner Rich LLC with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.
(7) After being fired, Jewel was homeless for a year
Multi-platinum singer Jewel once lived on the streets after her boss fired her because she wouldn't sleep with him, she writes on her website.
"I ended up homeless for a year," she says. "I kept writing songs, and started singing in a local coffee shop called The Inner Change Cafe. I developed a loyal following. No one knew I was homeless."
She ended up securing a label and making an album that sold 12 million copies, according to her website.
(8) Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank lived in a car with her mother while they saved up for an apartment in Los Angeles
According to Time, Swank, who grew up in a trailer park, moved to California with her mother as a teenager to pursue a career in acting.
Before landing roles, she and her mom lived in a car and stayed in an empty house for a few months.
Swank told CBS News: "We had a friend who was selling their house. And so they said, 'You know, there's no furniture, but you can stay there at night. And then, during the day, you have to leave so we can try and sell it.' So we got air mattresses. Blew the air mattresses up. Slept on the air mattresses. And left in the morning."
She went on to win two Oscars by age 30.
(9) Shania Twain slept in a homeless shelter with her mother and siblings
Before going on to win five Grammy awards, Shania Twain was homeless. According to Time, she grew up in an abusive household and spent time in a Toronto homeless shelter, along with her mother and siblings.
Twain writes about this experience in her memoir, "From this Moment On."
In the 2011 publication, she writes, "Mom got out of the car to use a payphone while we sat and waited in the car, returning a few minutes later with a piece of paper on which she'd scribbled the address of a homeless shelter. That night, we slept in a crowded, sweltering place on cot-like beds spread out along the walls of a series of spacious, open rooms designed for large groups."
Ref: businessinsider
