J.Lo, Halle Berry & Co

These stars went from “broke” to movie star

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10.05.2024 20:03

Not all Hollywood stars were born rich - some even lived on the breadline until they miraculously landed the "saving" movie role. Here are the most famous stars who went from bankruptcy to Hollywood legend.

In 2002, he didn't even know how he was going to pay his rent. Chris Pine's bank account was overdrawn, his 30-year-old BMW was in disrepair and life in Hollywood was expensive. In this almost hopeless situation, the future "Star Trek" star received a call on his flip phone that would change his life.

In the podcast with Willie Geist, Pine revealed: "My acting agent was on the line and was thrilled that I got a role in part 2 of 'Suddenly Princess'." The 65,000 dollar fee was "like 50 million dollars" for the poor young actor and he's been rolling ever since.Pine isn't the only Hollywood star who was totally broke when he got his big break. Here are the most famous examples.

Chris Pine went from bankruptcy to million-dollar Hollywood star (Bild: 2024 Getty Images)
Chris Pine went from bankruptcy to million-dollar Hollywood star

Sylvester Stallone had to sell his beloved dog
Sylvester Stallone was so poor in the mid-70s that he had to sell his beloved dog Butkus for 40 dollars. Not only could he no longer afford the dog food, "Sly" needed money to avoid starvation.

According to Stallone, this was followed by "a modern miracle" and he received the news that his screenplay for "Rocky" had found a buyer. The rest is Hollywood history. And Stallone could afford to buy Butkus back. However, he then had to pay 15,000 dollars for the Bull Mastiff.

Stallone even had to sell his beloved dog. When his successful role in "Rocky" made him very successful, he bought him back. (Bild: APA/dpa/Rolf Vennenbernd)
Stallone even had to sell his beloved dog. When his successful role in "Rocky" made him very successful, he bought him back.

"The Rock" was "broke like no other"
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson tweeted in 2011 that he had almost completely burned out after the end of his university career as a football player: "It was 1995, I had 7 dollars in my pocket and I knew: I was as broke as anyone." Then he got an offer to be a wrestler on TV, which led to his Hollywood career as an action hero. Today, his fortune is estimated at 800 million dollars.

Dwayne Johnson's wrestling career led to his Hollywood offers as an action hero. (Bild: 2021 Getty Images)
Dwayne Johnson's wrestling career led to his Hollywood offers as an action hero.

'Friends' role saved Matt LeBlanc
Matt LeBlanc was on the verge of having to give up his dream of acting in the early 90s. On Conan O'Brien's TV show, he revealed: "I was at the end of my rope and only had 11 dollars left. I had already taken a job as a waiter so I wouldn't starve." Then he got the news that he had landed the role of Joey Tribbiani in a new sitcom called "Friends".

Matt LeBlanc became world famous for his role as Joey Tribbiani in "Friends". (Bild: AFP or licensors)
Matt LeBlanc became world famous for his role as Joey Tribbiani in "Friends".

Melissa McCarthy made famous by "Gilmore Girls"
Melissa McCarthy only had a roof over her head at the beginning of her acting career thanks to the financial help of her sister and parents. In "Glamour" magazine, the comedienne revealed: "I remember trying to get five dollars out of the ATM and not being able to. Because I didn't have enough in my account."

In desperation, she took a job as an assistant to a film production coordinator. She only had this for a short time because the director decided to give her the role of Sookie St. James in "Gilmore Girls".

Melissa McCarthy's role in "Gilmore Girls" saved her from ruin. (Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Alberto E. Rodriguez)
Melissa McCarthy's role in "Gilmore Girls" saved her from ruin.

Chris Pratt: Not enough money for a plane ticket to the set
Chris Pratt was living almost penniless in a tent on the beach in Maui when he found out that he had booked a role in a movie in Los Angeles. In the "Smartless" podcast, the "Jurassic World" star revealed that he almost didn't make it to the set: "I only had 60 dollars, which wasn't enough for a plane ticket from Hawaii to California." Luckily, the producer of the movie laid out the money for him and "I never went back to Maui".

Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger (Bild: APA/Rich Polk/Getty Images for Disney/AFP)
Chris Pratt and his wife Katherine Schwarzenegger

Halle Berry lived in a homeless shelter
Halle Berry had moved to New York to become an actress. She didn't get a role and was so broke that she ended up on the street. When she found out that she had landed a role in the sitcom "Who's the Boss?", she found herself living in a homeless shelter. The guest role opened the door to a great Hollywood career, the highlight of which was an Oscar win for "Best Actress in a Leading Role".

A guest role in a sitcom opened the door to a very successful Hollywood career for Berry. (Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Alberto E. Rodriguez)
A guest role in a sitcom opened the door to a very successful Hollywood career for Berry.

J.Lo's role as a "Fly Girl" dancer was her breakthrough
Jennifer Lopez dreamed of making it as a singer and actress. In "W" magazine, she revealed that her mother had refused to support her daughter's plans - "because she wanted me to go to college." J.Lo was homeless, broke and had to sleep on the sofa of her dance studio. But then she got a role as a "Fly Girl" dancer in the series "In Living Color", moved to Los Angeles and became a star.

It's hard to believe: pop queen Jennifer Lopez was once on the verge of bankruptcy. (Bild: APA/AFP/Angela WEISS)
It's hard to believe: pop queen Jennifer Lopez was once on the verge of bankruptcy.

Robb Stark had to get by on five dollars a day
Richard Madden was so unsuccessful as an actor that he had to get by on five dollars a day. On the "Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", the future Robb Stark revealed that every day he was faced with the option of "either a meal or a newspaper with a liter of beer".

Robb Stark's "Game of Thrones" role was his breakthrough to a very successful Hollywood career. (Bild: picturedesk.com/Daziram / Action Press / picturedesk.com)
Robb Stark's "Game of Thrones" role was his breakthrough to a very successful Hollywood career.

He often opted for the second option out of frustration. His landlord had already informed him that he would be evicted for rent arrears - when he got his role in "Game of Thrones".

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