10 Stars Who Went from Nothing to Millionaires

In the glitzy world of Hollywood, dreams can become reality, and these 10 stars are living proof. Join us as we delve into the inspiring journeys of celebrities who started with humble beginnings and soared to millionaire status. From struggling actors to A-list sensations, their stories of rags to riches will leave you motivated and starstruck.

AUTHOR: Marianne Paluso

1. Dolly Parton

If there were anyone to admire for self-made success, it would be the incomparable Dolly Parton. One person says she was “born in a single-room shack.” Parton has also said how she grew up “dirt poor.” But through hard work and talent, she has become one of the most successful musicians ever, maintaining crucial songwriter copyrights, purchasing a theme park that became Dollywood, and giving back any way she can. Another user says, “If you’ve ever seen the house she grew up in, you’d be amazed. Dolly Parton is 100% self-made and a woman who stands up for what she believes in. She deserves every ounce of recognition she gets.”

2. Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain is one of Hollywood’s most versatile and respected actresses. And her success was not handed to her. One person says her upbringing was humble and that a single mother raised her. Also, interestingly she “got accepted into Julliard on a scholarship funded by Robin Williams.” Another admirable thing about Chastain is that she has used the status she has attained to fight for fair pay for other actresses and women of color.

3. Viola Davis

Viola Davis is a fantastic example of a self-made woman. One fan relates, “Her memoir tells the ultimate ‘rags to riches’ story and shows the importance of having teachers and mentors who believe in you.” Davis paid her dues in Hollywood and achieved success through perseverance while still acknowledging the emotional support and guidance she received from others.

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger

As successful as Arnold Schwarzenegger is, it can be easy to forget the fascinating trajectory of his career and how his success came from no connections or special treatment. A commenter shares, “To me, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the archetype self-made man, in that he understands that many others contributed to his success from modest beginnings.” Another adds, “He frequently talks about old friends from the 1960s who encouraged and helped him.” This shows a great deal of humility.

5. Angela Bassett

Angela Bassett has enjoyed a long and successful career and was recently nominated for an Academy Award. Her success came from her hard work, determination, and incredible talent. And she is entirely self-made, having grown up in the projects and raised by a single mom. She received a scholarship to Yale University and obtained her Master’s Degree at Yale Drama School.

6. Eminem

A few people articulate Eminem’s extraordinary success given his beginnings. One forum user explains that he "grew up in poverty in Detroit.” The rapper has gone through ups and downs but has cleaned up his life. He is still considered one of the most loyal and successful rappers ever and did so on his own.

7. Adam Driver

Adam Driver has had a fascinating life, but his success is the definition of self-made and sheer perseverance. Driver was a United States Marine Core member but retired after an accident. An admirer of Driver articulates his journey as an actor following the Marines. He attended Julliard, auditioned, and was cast in Girls, which gave him modest success. He was finally cast in a Star Wars movie which “catapulted him into mega-stardom.”

8. Matt LeBlanc

Out of all the Friends cast, Matt LeBlanc is the one whose success was the most significant, given where he started. A Friends fan claims, “Matt LeBlanc was so poor before he landed the role of Joey on Friends that he almost starved and did his own dental work. He had $11 to his name, and by the time the 9th season rolled around, he was making $1,000,000 per episode. Talk about rags to riches.” That is a fantastic journey. It is one LeBlanc did not take for granted. During the first season, LeBlanc reportedly retained construction work, cautious that the show’s success would be short-lived.

9. Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba is considered one of the most successful and wealthiest self-made women working today. She grew up modestly and began acting at a young age, enjoying success in television and film. But her most outstanding achievement comes from the creation of the Honest Company, which, in 2015, had an estimated 250 million dollars in sales.

10. Kevin Smith

A noteworthy self-made entertainer is Kevin Smith. A user explains how he “pawned his entire comic book collection to fund Clerks.” They also note how he chose to shoot the film in black-and-white because it’s less expensive and that it was shot in a store he worked in, given permission by the store owner to film after hours. Smith used what little he had and was able to achieve great success. It’s a terrific example of self-made hard work.

Source: Reddit

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