Entertainment
Kristen Wiig & 8 Other Celebrities Who Struggled More Than You Did In Their 20s
The Christmas tree is in the garbage. The liquor cabinet needs restocking. Grandma's $100 check is going to pay for alcohol for the rest of the semester. For some, winter break's completion marks the beginning of the end. The end of college, that is.
We know how scary this time is. Real life is waiting for you at the end of the next four months and you're silently freaking out, apprehensive about your future and fearful of disappointing anyone with your next move. While we understand this stress is inevitable, please don't fret.
Here are some of Hollywood's greatest stars who were a mess in their 20s who not only made it out alive, but also on top.
Hillary Swank made $75 a day.
Actress Hillary Swank was so broke throughout her early film career that she lived in her car with her mother. At 25, she made $75 a day working on the film, Boys Don’t Cry. She went on to win the Oscar for her performance in the film and is now one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood.
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Oprah Winfrey was fired.
Oprah Winfrey was reportedly fired from one of her first evening news spots in Baltimore for becoming too emotionally invested in what she was reporting on. She was “demoted” to a daytime position, which turned into the beginnings of The Oprah Winfrey Show.
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Tyler Perry was dirt poor.
Successful filmmaker Tyler Perry was completely broke before becoming a blockbuster success. He lived in a 200 square foot studio apartment, ate Ramen noodles, and wrote plays to escape his life.
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Kristen Wiig sold hot dogs at the mall.
Actress and comedian Kristen Wiig wasn’t hired by SNL until she was in her 30s. Until then, she worked odd jobs, including selling peaches, babysitting, and selling hot dogs at the mall.
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Walt Disney ate dog food.
Walt Disney was not always wildly successful in the process of building the Disney empire we know today. Disney dissolved his first cartoon company in the early 1920s and was so broke, he lived off of dog food.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Jewel lived in her car.
After college, Jewel made money answering phones in a computer warehouse. When she got fired for refusing to sleep with her boss, she was broke and lived in her car until a radio station played one of her songs and a record label caught wind of it.
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Lucille Ball didn't have a hit until 40.
Lucille Ball made so many B movies at the beginning of her career that her agent told her to try a new career. She was 40 when I Love Lucy became a television hit.
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Sylvester Stalone sold his dog for $25.
Before Rocky became a big hit, Sylvester Stalone was so poor that he resorted to selling his dog for $50 to get by. He immediately bought the dog back once the film was picked up.
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