Celeb Photos You've Never SeenThink you've scoured every tabloid, gossip site, and imgur dump for rare celebrity pics? Well, don't shut down your device just yet.
Updated January 2, 2019 86.0K votes 22.2K voters 2.1M views
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It's easy to view celebrities as if they're royalty, born into a lavish lifestyle and idolized by all from day one. That elegant image betrays the hard work that so many now famous individuals put in to gain their well-earned money and fame. If you look at rich celebrities then and now, you'll find that they may have even had it harder than most.
Seeing broke celebs before they were rich can be a shocking thing, as money and fame come with many perks, including professional styling. But these wealthy people are more than just pretty faces - many of them have inspiring stories to share, too. Check out what rich people looked like when they were broke and try to stave off your jealousy of the wonder of being a millionaire.
Onika Minaj was born in Trinidad and Tobago before moving to Queens. Her childhood was traumatic: Her drug-addicted father attempted to set the family's home on fire to harm her mother. After a failed attempt to start an acting career, Nicki Minaj found herself bouncing from job to job.
Now Nicki Minaj is a world-renowned hip-hop star worth about $70 million.
Bullied mercilessly in school, Stefani Germanotta eventually left her home and rented the cheapest apartment she could find in New York City. After being dropped by Def Jam records, she wound up doing cocaine and dancing in burlesque shows downtown.
Now, thanks to a long string of pop hits, Lady Gaga is worth nearly $300 million.
During his early life, Dwayne Johnson bounced from home to home, between New Zealand and the US. His family was evicted from their house, and Johnson began robbing tourists and local stores. Football offered him a way out, but he didn't make the NFL.
Ultimately, Johnson made his name through professional wrestling, and then through acting. Now, he is worth around $65 million.
Believe it or not, there was a time when Oprah Winfrey wore potato sacks for clothes. She survived a difficult childhood marked by frequent moves and physical and sexual abuse. Winfrey's life changed once she went to live with her father and discovered her passion for media.
She parlayed a career in newscasting into daytime television, and now she is worth around $3 billion.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in Barbados as the daughter of a warehouse supervisor and an accountant. Her early life wasn't easy; her father struggled with a drinking problem and addiction to crack cocaine, and her parents ultimately divorced.
Now she is a pop sensation worth upwards of $75 million.
After losing her mother, experiencing a miscarriage, and going through a divorce, J. K. Rowling found herself broke and raising her daughter as a single mother while in a cramped apartment.
Now the Harry Potter author is worth around $1 billion.