Entertainment

Hollywood Stars Who Went From Rags to Riches

Hollywood Stars Who Went From Rags to Riches

Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley

Before

She was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of six and began acting at the same age for commercials and small TV roles. Although being the daughter of award winning reputed stars like Sharman Macdonald and Will Knightley, she didn’t have the privilege of easy success like the children of many bollywood stars. She even played a double for Natalie Portman in the blockbuster 1999 movie“Star Wars 1991: The Phantom Menace”.

 

Shot to fame

It was in the year 2002 when she was signed to play the role of ‘Juliet Jules Paxton’ in the Super hit movie Bend it like Beckham that marked her shot to fame. Shortly just a year after that, she was signed by Gore Verbinski for the “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl “. After that more and more blockbusters lined up for the actor who once upon a time played only the double.

 Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson

Before

Unlike most in this list Rosario Dawson in her own words also admitted that she never aspired to become an actor before coming in front of the camera. She was like any other kid who went to school and planned to become an engineer or a marine biologist. Her mother gave birth to her when she was just 16 years old. Shortly after Dawson turned a year old her mother married Greg Dawson, a construction worker.  She had a normal childhood and her step father. Greg loved her like his own.

Shot to fame

One day while sitting on a stoop of the East Village squat that her father was busy renovating, the then 15 year old Dawson was discovered by director Larry Clark and writer Harmony Korine who found her befitting for the role they had prepared for their 1995 film “Kids”. This was the turning point for young Dawson who went on to star in numerous other movies and several hits like Rent, He Got Game, Men in Black II and Alexander

 Charlize Theron

 Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron

Before

Theron had a tough upbringing as a child. Her alcoholic and abusive father once tried to attack both her and her mother to which Theron’s mother shot and killed him.Theron’s mother later faced trial but didn’t face any charges as the Court ruled her actions to be self defence.

Theron did not have the best times in school either, she attended the Putfontein Primary School only for a short while because of personal reasons. She completed her studies at the National School of Arts in Johannesburg.

Shot to fame

Theron worked as a model and a dancer from time to time. At one point Theron injured her knee forcing her to quit her dancing career. She was broke and lived in her friend’s basement. One day when she went to cash in the check her mother had sent for the rent, the teller refused to do so, in response to this Theron raged out in anger and began shouting at the teller. Her series of bad luck ended when talent agent John Crosby who witnessed the whole scene right behind her offered to her his business card. From there on her success story began to unfold and she never looked back.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford went door to door auditioning for any role he could get to start off his acting career but things never went his way as he was either selected for just a one liner role or not selected at all. Tired of his never ending bad luck he pursued a career in carpentry and began working soon to support his family of his wife and two children.

Shot to fame

Harrison Ford as a carpenter began working for many famous names like the rock band “the doors”, actress Sally Kellerman and many others from the entertainment world. Ford was once hired to build cabinets for Director George Lucas, who noticed his talent and landed him a role in his movie “American Graffiti”(1973). The relation between Harrison Ford and George Lucas grew better and better and in the year 1977, George Lucas signed him for the role of “Hans Solo” in his “Star Wars” movie which went on to become a huge success. Then later in the years to come his role as Indiana Jones catapulted his fame even more.

 

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey

Before

Oprah faced one of the toughest experiences as a child. She was born to her teenage single mother Vernita lee who worked as a housemaid. Poverty was an everyday issue and she moved around places a lot of times. Winfrey frequently stayed with her grandmother Hattie Mae who was so poor that Winfrey had to sometimes wear a potato sack for clothing because of which the other children laughed at her. Winfrey was constantly molested by her cousins and uncles since the age of nine and by the time she turned 13 she ran away from home. When Oprah was 14 she became pregnant, however due to a premature birth her son died shortly after.

Shot to Fame

Winfrey credits her grandmother Hattie Mae for teaching her how to speak in public and giving priority to her education. At the age of 17, Oprah won the miss black Tennessee beauty pageant. Her oratory skills attracted the local black radio station of WVOL, where she worked during her senior years.  In 1976 she was hired by Nashville’s WLAC TV, and became the youngest and the first black news anchor. She later joined WJZ’s local talk show as a co host and in the year 1983, she began her first Oprah Winfrey Show, which became a worldwide success . Today Oprah earns a whopping $ 75 million in annual income and her Show has generated a net worth of $3 billion.

 

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