A few of these actors are relative newcomers to show business, whereas others have been around for some time. They had their starts in theatrical productions, television series, comedy clubs, and vaudeville. While awaiting their big breaks, they worked as waiters, a juggler, a dancer, and a screenwriter.
One was so down-and-out that he had to sell his blood. Another had to sell his dog, unable to afford to feed the beloved pet. Although all of them either won fame and fortune or are well on their way to such success, each actor on this list was homeless before making it big.
Christian Olivo took an unusual path to acting. Choosing to be homeless, he bought a gym membership and invested in acting classes. Rising at 5:00 AM, he ran on the beach every day and walked for miles across Los Angeles. Instead of dating, he spent his time practicing acting and honing his athletic prowess as he prepared for his future as an action movie star.
Chris Pratt dropped out of college after a single semester, accepting a friend’s offer to buy him a one-way ticket to Maui. There, he was homeless, sleeping in a van when he didn’t spend the night on the beach. He drank, smoked marijuana, and worked only enough to “cover gas, food, and fishing supplies.”
Comedian Drew Carey had never given a speech before he accepted a 2010 invitation to address a Friends of Youth assembly. He told his 650 listeners that supporting such organizations is worthwhile, explaining how the Cleveland, Ohio, chapter of Big Brothers helped him after his father died when Carey was eight years old.
In 1891, when his father injured himself by stepping on a shovel (in some accounts, a rake), 11-year-old W.C. Fields laughed at the mishap. His father spanked him, and the next day, Fields left home. He only returned for brief visits with his mother when his father was away.
In 1899, when he was 10 years old, Charlie Chaplin and his brother Sydney were forced to earn their own living. Their father, actor Charles Sr., had died, and their mother, singer and comedienne Hannah, was institutionalized for mental illness.
When his father, Percy, lost his job as an accountant, Jim Carrey was in the eighth grade. The family was plunged into economic uncertainty, and Carrey and his siblings had to go to work. They cleaned the wheel factory in Scarborough, Ontario, where his father had managed to get a job as a security guard. In addition, Carrey worked odd jobs to help make ends meet
In the early days of his acting career, Daniel Craig, who would later play British secret agent James Bond, not only waited tables but also slept on park benches at times. In need of money, he accepted a role in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider before he gained national attention as drug pusher Geordie Peacock in the 1996 BBC
Today, Sylvester Stallone is a successful, world-famous actor. But during the 1970s, he was homeless at times as he struggled to land roles. Unable to buy food for his family dog, he was forced to sell his canine companion.