Celebrities Who Were Once Homeless

Saturday, Aug 15, 2020, 5:14 pm

By:Tony Williams

1.Djimon Hounsou

Djimon Hounsou moved from his Africa to France when he was 13-years-old. While most people would think that living in Paris would be a dream; but for Hounsou it was not like that at all. The actor lived on the streets of Paris, France and fought for survival. On those same streets, he was discovered by a fashion designerwho ultimately gave him his start in modeling.

2.Sam Worthington

The 2009 film, Avatar put Australian actor Sam Worthington on the map. Before landing a role in the blockbuster film, Worthingtonwas homeless and living in his car. The actor has since admitted that he prefers a roving lifestyle and isn't"very responsible when it comes to mortgages, bills, paperwork."

3.Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson packed up all her stuff and trekked to Los Angeles to make it as a singer. She was to have an apartment with a roommate. Unfortunately, the day she and her roommate were to move into their place, the building caught on fire. The pair had to then live in a car and homeless shelter. A few months later, Clarkson auditioned for American Idol and the rest is history.

4.Drew Carey

Drew Carey is one lucky comedian. The comedian-turned-host fought long and hard to make his dream come true. He reportedly lived in his car for 18-months, in an effort to get a spot on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson." His hard work paid off, because he eventually got a chance to showcase his talent on the show. Carey now credits Carson for jumpstarting his career.

5.Dr. Phil

Dr. Phil spends his days helping people getting their lives back on track, which seems fitting since he too had to do the same thing. In 2009, Dr. Phil revealed that at one point he and his dad were homeless and had to live in a car. The pair sooner or later got enough money to get a room at a local YMCA for five-dollars a week.

6.Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra learned the hard way that love doesn't come easy. When she was in her 20s, a boyfriend stole all of her savings and left her with nothing. As a result, she winded up homeless in California for a few years. Electra hid the fact that she was homeless from the public for several years.

7.Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone had a fighter mentality, even before he starred in the Rocky films. After being evicted from his apartment, Stallone spent three weeks sleeping and living in New York City's Port Authority bus station. To make ends meet, the actor took a role in an adult film to help him get back on his feet. The role paid $200.

8.Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is currently living in a five million dollar mansion, but it wasn't too long ago that he was homeless. In the 1990s, Perry was living in Atlantaand was working tirelessly to get his play, "I Know I've Been Changed," put on the map. Sadly, he used up all of his savings and became homeless. He was homeless on-and-off for six-years. Some days he'd live in his car and others, he'd stay at a pay-by-the-week hotel. Finally, in 1998 his play got some recognition and became a big hit for the producer.

9.Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez defied her mother and found herself living on couches until she made it big. Lopez's determination to become a dancer led to a rift between her and her mother. She mainly slept on the sofa in a dance studio or with friends. After a few months of being homeless, JLo landed a job dancing in Europe. She eventually returned to the USA and got a job as a 'Fly Girl' on FOX's In Living Color.

10.Lil' Kim

Despite her harsh upbringing, Lil' Kim still pays homage to her Brooklyn hometown today. Before she made it big as a female rapper, Lil' Kim's father kicked her out of the house. The rapper became homeless, and would sleep on the couches of friends. However, things turned around for her when she met the Notorious B.I.G. He took her under his wing and made her into the seasoned rapper she is today.

11.William Shatner

In the 1960s, William Shatner became known for his role as James T. Kirk on Star Trek, but after the show ended, he wasn't as successful. After the show ended, Shatner ended up living inside his pickup truck. According to the actor, he was recently divorced, had three kids and had absolutely no money. At the time, he had a job doing summer stock on the straw-hat circuit, but couldn't afford to stay in hotels. The only companion he had was his dog, who sat in the passenger seat.

12.Halle Berry

Halle Berry wasn't always the glamorous actress that fans see her as today. When she was 21, Berry lived in various homeless shelters as she sought a career in Hollywood. Her mother did not approve of her decision to become an actress, so when Berry called her for money so she could buy food, she gave her an ultimatum. Berry had to decide if she wanted to fend for her for herself or come home and forget about acting. Berry chose acting and didn't speak to her mother for over a year because of her ultimatum.

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