Rags To Riches: Four Inspiring Celebrity Stories

Miracles do happen in real life. However, a lot of hard work and talent is also involved in it. Have you ever wondered what celebrities used to do before they became well-known? Surely some of them weren’t born famous, right? Unlike celebrity kids, most celebrities including sportspersons, political leaders, TV personalities, authors, actors, and actresses came from humble backgrounds. They worked their way up the ladder of success and amassed a huge fortune on their way. Here are some of the most inspiring stories of rags to riches:

Sean Combs — Net Worth $825 Million

Sean Combs — if the name doesn’t strike a chord, maybe P. Diddy does? P. Diddy or Puff Daddy is one of the greatest rappers, singers, songwriters, and producers of his generation. He is currently the second richest hip-hop artist in the USA, right after Jay-Z. But few know in what circumstances his childhood was spent. His father worked for the Air Force but was also involved in a drug racket. When Sean was just two years old, his father was shot dead in his car. Extreme poverty followed for Sean and his mother. They lived in a housing project in Harlem. Thankfully, his mother moved to Mount Vernon, and Sean worked hard and finally got into a university. Today, his net worth is $825 million. He owns a home that costs $7 million, has several business ventures, and can afford to gift his son Maybach cars on his birthdays!

Oprah Winfrey — Net Worth $2.8 Billion

The most amazing and motivating story in this list has to be Oprah Winfrey’s. Born to a single teenage mother who worked as a housemaid, Oprah lived the early years of her life with her grandmother. Extreme poverty drove them to make dresses out of potato sacks which Oprah had often worn. She had two half-sisters and one half-brother. Her brother died of AIDS later, and one of her sisters, who was a cocaine addict, died, too. Physical abuse by close relatives started when she was only 9, and by the age of 14, she was pregnant and gave birth to a stillborn.

Her talent helped her get into an affluent school. However, her poverty always made her a butt of numerous jokes. Her circumstances must have forced her to get away from it all and have a highly successful career. Today, Winfrey is considered to be one of the greatest media moguls in the industry and commands a net worth of $2.8 billion.

J.K. Rowling — Net Worth $650 Million

Here is another woman who had an amazing career and rose from debts and depression and went on to become a millionaire. Though she didn’t grow up in poverty, her growing up years were plagued with various problems. Her mother suffered from multiple sclerosis, and she remained unhappy while growing up. Her short-lived marriage ended when she was subject to domestic abuse. By 1993, she was a single mother raising a child without a job and clinically depressed. She lived on state benefits and wrote a lot. The idea of Harry Potter had occurred much before, and she had started writing then. Being jobless was a blessing as she had time to write. Her manuscript of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone was rejected by 12 publishing houses. But patience paid off, and there was no looking back for Rowling, who tasted success at 32, after Bloomsbury Publishing decided to print her first book in 1995!

Hilary Swank — Net Worth $40 Million

Hilary Swank won the Oscar not once but twice for her performances in Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby. This extremely talented actress is a millionaire today. But, her childhood was rough. Her father left her mother when she was quite young, and the family had to live in a trailer park. Swank was quite talented from her early years. She showed promise on stage, too, and her mother wanted to support her in every way possible. They moved to Los Angeles, but poverty didn’t leave them. They lived in a car until her mother managed to save enough to rent an apartment. Swank has often talked about how she could never fit in — whether at school or other places. This is what drove her to act in the first place, and that’s how we got a brilliant actress in Hilary Swank.

All these stories teach us one thing – whatever happens, you should never lose hope, and keep doing what you do best. Only then will success come to you!