We admire celebrities after they make it big in Hollywood, earning both fame and wealth. However, the road to stardom is never a quick or easy path, especially for celebrities who come from the humble ground. Sweat and tears, failures, and inner struggles come along the way to their peak of success.
Many celebrities experienced a tough life before they became famous. Some even grew up in foster but are now living a successful life. They are strong, living proof that shows the power of the foster care system in turning a life around and giving people a second chance.
Who hasn't heard the name of Marilyn Monroe, Pierce Brosnan, or Seal? With their talent, hard-working attitude, and strong spirit, these people have been leading stars in Hollywood. Scroll down to see other names on the list!
#1 Marilyn Monroe
Source: Reuters
To this day, Marilyn Monroe is one of the greatest movie icons of all time. However, her past was far from glamorous. The actress had been abandoned since childhood and lived in foster care for half of her life. Just two weeks after she was born, Monroe was left for the first time with a foster family. The poor little girl ended up living in 9 more foster homes and an orphanage until she married for the first time at 16 to get out of the care system that badly failed her.
#2 Pierce Brosnan
Source: Karwai Tang/WireImage
Pierce Brosnan hit his biggest time with his portrayal of James Bond in the Bond film series, starring in four films from 1995 to 2002. At the age of 4, he started living with his grandparents due to his mother moving away as she was training to be a nurse. Two years later, his grandparents died and the young Brosnan stayed with various relatives and was then sent to live in a boarding house until age 10.
#3 Seal
Source: seatgeek
Seal was born to a Brazilian father and Nigerian mother. He spent the first four years of his life in a foster family in Essex, then returned to the care of his biological parents. However, his father was very strict and often physically abusive.
#4 John Lennon
Source: Vinnie Zuffante / Getty Images
John Lennon was born in an era of air raids, frightening bombings and blackouts of the Second World War. This means his early life was filled with uncertainty. His father divorced his mother when he was only 18 months old, and Lennon lived with his mother. When his mother began to date someone new, his behavior became worse, causing him to be expelled from the nursery for bad behavior. Lennon ended up living with his aunt and her husband as a foster care solution.
#5 Neil Morrisey
Source: Matt Writtle
Neil Morrisey is open about his foster care story. He said that he didn't understand why he (aged 10) and his brother (aged 12) had been taken from their parents, and their two older siblings. The four siblings ended up being separated into two different children’s homes. However, Morrisey later discovered it was due to the filthy, neglecting household they had grown up in.
#6 Eddie Murphy
Source: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Eddie Murphy's foster care story is much different. His parents divorced when he was three years old. Five years later, his father died, and his mother faced financial struggles which led her to be hospitalized for a long period of time. For that reason, Eddie and his brother were sent to a foster home for around a year.
#7 Coco Chanel
Source: Roger Schall/Corbis
Coco Chanel (Gabrielle Bonheur) and her sister lost their mother at the age of 12. The siblings were then sent to live in an orphanage. This foster care facility was run by the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Mary – founded to care for the poor and rejected.
#8 Steve Jobs
Source: Wikipedia
Steve Jobs grew up in foster care for a part of his life. His father was a Syrian Muslim immigrant, so his mother's family didn't allow her to marry an Arab. After his mom gave birth to him in San Francisco, he was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs whom he openly referred to as “his parents”.
#9 Cher
Source: UGG / NEIL FAVILA
Cher's parents while she was pregnant with Cher. Her mother made her way through life with occasional singing gigs and small movie roles. Living in poverty led to her mother's illness, and she ended up being sent to foster care for a period of time. Her mother then returned for her and Cher grew up with care from her mother and grandmother.
#10 Lorraine Pascale
Source: lorrainepascale
Lorraine Pascale spent the first 18 months of her life in foster care. Lorraine created Fostering and Me, a BBC program that details her experiences of her fostering childhood.