Look: Some people have so much money that they just can't possibly live normal lives or even behave like regular human people. These are their stories.

Lifestyles of the Very Wealthy

Famous Families

During the Gilded Age, the mass accumulation of money by families like the Vanderbilts changed the economic,&nbsp;social, and physical&nbsp;landscape&nbsp;of the United States. The <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/members-of-the-vanderbilt-family/reference" target="_blank">Vanderbilt family&#39;s</a>&nbsp;wealth grew out of the shipping and railroad industries, both of which were largely monopolized by the the family patriarch, Cornelius &quot;Commodore&quot; Vanderbilt, in the late 19th century. His hard work set the foundation for his sons and&nbsp;grandsons to continue making money, but their&nbsp;descendants became less&nbsp;inclined to earn and more likely to spend.

As it goes in&nbsp;many wealthy families&mdash;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/dark-rockefeller-family-facts/harrison-tenpas" target="_blank">such as the Rockefellers</a>,&nbsp;for instance&mdash;the Vanderbilts were prone to excess. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/over-the-top-homes/erin-cody" target="_blank">The houses</a>, the luxury, and the spectacle that defined&nbsp;the Vanderbilt family eventually brought about their decline from atop the&nbsp;financial and social ladders they once dominated.

How The Vanderbilts Blew Their Fortune And Went From American Royalty To Flat-Out Broke

General

Melissa Sartore

Trending on Ranker

<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/joaquin-phoenix-movies-and-films-and-filmography/ranker-film" target="_blank">Joaquin Phoenix</a> is a wildly controversial actor. He&#39;s been simultaneously praised as a master of his craft&mdash;winning both a Grammy and a Golden Globe for his work on Walk the Line&mdash;and slammed for faking a mental illness in a two-year ruse put on for a fake documentary. However,&nbsp;Joaquin&#39;s <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-joaquin-phoenix-facts/anncasano">controversial nature</a>&nbsp;comes as no surprise, considering his shocking family history. From narrowly escaping the Family International Cult (formerly known as the Children of God), to the untimely&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/river-phoenix-sad-life-facts/katia-kleyman">death of River Phoenix</a> outside the Viper Room in 1993, the Phoenix family is plagued with misfortune.

Joaquin is the middle child in a family of five. His mother Arlyn, a Manhattan divorcee, moved to California in 1968 where she met Joaquin&#39;s father, John Lee Bottom, while hitchhiking. After having River, Joaquin&#39;s eldest brother, the Phoenix family <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-were-raised-in-cults/celebrity-lists" target="_blank">joined the infamous Children of God&nbsp;cult</a>. 

The Phoenix clan&nbsp;escaped the cult and eventually moved to Hollywood, where they&nbsp;launched the careers of all five of their children: Joaquin, Rain, Summer, Liberty, and River, who was the first to find mega-stardom after his role in Stand By Me.

Joaquin&#39;s family may have been destined for Hollywood fame, but trouble, heartbreak, and addiction also run deep&nbsp;in their veins.

14 Heartbreaking Stories From Joaquin Phoenix's Tragic Family

Heartbreaking Stories That Prove Joaquin Phoenix Has The Most Tragic Family In Hollywood History

Mariel Loveland

After Home Alone became the highest-grossing comedy of the &#39;90s, its young star was heralded as&nbsp;one of the most popular and financially successful child actors of all time. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-happened-to-macaulay-culkin/zack-howe" target="_blank">Macaulay Culkin</a>&#39;s&nbsp;celebrity status and natural acting chops catapulted his financial portfolio into the <a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/1068042/inside-kieran-and-macaulay-culkin-s-uneasy-relationship-with-fame" target="_blank">$50 million</a>&nbsp;range.&nbsp;However, behind the scenes, his father was trying to manage every aspect of his life.

Kit Culkin acted as his son&rsquo;s manager, and reportedly physically and verbally abused the Home Alone star. He became known as a bully around Hollywood, even attempting to take&nbsp;creative control of his son&rsquo;s films away from studio executives and producers.&nbsp;

At the age of 14, Macaulay decided to give up acting. Allegedly, his <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-culkin-family-facts/mallory-weiler" target="_blank">turbulent relationship</a> with his father was a prime factor.

The Turbulent Relationship Between Macaulay And His Father, Kit Culkin

Macaulay Culkin & His Dad's Turbulent Relationship, Explained

Ann Casano

Entertainment

Jamie Lee Curtis and her legendary mom, the late Janet Leigh, both made their names in Hollywood with roles as <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/worst-things-on-scream-queens/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">Scream Queens</a>, in 1978&#39;s Halloween and 1960&#39;s&nbsp;Psycho, respectively. Some might assume their common interests in acting, similar career paths, and shared genes would result in a picture-perfect relationship between mother and daughter. Although&nbsp;their relationship wasn&#39;t quite as fraught as the one&nbsp;between Curtis and her father, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tony-curtis-movies-and-films-and-filmography/reference" target="_blank">Tony Curtis</a>, it certainly had its less-than-stellar moments.&nbsp;

Through years of turmoil, happiness, and calm, Curtis and her mother shared moments together that shaped both of their lives forever, leaving lasting marks on the people they became personally and professionally.

The Ups And Downs Of Jamie Lee Curtis's Relationship With Her Mother, Janet Leigh

Jamie Lee Curtis & Her Mom's Relationship: All She's Revealed

Jodi Smith

Lists about the brilliant and fascinating men who led the American Revolution and created the documents that established these United States of America.

Our Founding Fathers

Historical Figures

Most people know the story of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. He was a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and a slave-owning Southern farmer. She was his property. Their relationship allegedly&nbsp;began in 1787, when Hemings was just 14&nbsp;years old. Over the next three decades, Jefferson had as many as six children with her.There are many <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/founding-fathers-horrifying-facts/isadora-teich" target="_blank">horrifying stories about the Founding Fathers</a>, but perhaps one of the most unscrupulous among them was Jefferson. Jefferson, who did other&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/reasons-thomas-jefferson-was-awful/stephanroget" target="_blank">pretty awful things</a>, also broke his promise to the mother of his children: he swore to free her and their progeny, but it didn't happen until he passed away.&nbsp;Jefferson and Hemings's Black descendants&nbsp;have faced discrimination within the Jefferson family. Jefferson's white descendants showed their prejudice when they stated they didn't believe Jefferson&nbsp;would &quot;rear a race of half breeds.&quot;&nbsp;Even when DNA evidence finally proved Jefferson was the father of Hemings's children, some white descendants continued&nbsp;to deny it.

Meet The Family That Descended From Thomas Jefferson And Sally Hemings - His Slave

Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings' Children: Meet His Black Family

Genevieve Carlton

History

What do Tilda Swinton, Christopher Plummer, and King Princess have in common? They&#39;re all celebrities with famous ancestors.

All of the celebs on this list aren&#39;t distantly <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/related-historical-figures/daveesons" target="_blank">related to notable historical figures</a> - these individuals can actually claim direct descent from at least one historically significant ancestor. Celebrity ancestors include royals, politicians, and artists -&nbsp;in other words, accomplished people who are known outside&nbsp;the context of their famous descendant.&nbsp;

Whether they appeared on&nbsp;a genealogy show - like PBS&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-finding-your-roots-revelations/carly-silver" target="_blank">Finding Your Roots</a>,&nbsp;African American Lives, or the BBC&#39;s&nbsp;Who Do You Think You Are?&nbsp;- or grew up hearing about their famous ancestors, these actors, musicians, and personalities are appreciative&nbsp;of their storied backgrounds.

11 Celebrities Whose Ancestors Made History

Person

Setareh Janda

Students learn a&nbsp;ton&nbsp;about historical figures throughout school, but classes usually focus on the major cornerstone moments of these people&#39;s lives and their contributions to history. What about the smaller details, such as what happened to the children of historical figures? Many well-known&nbsp;historical people actually have <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-figures-with-living-family/alby-thompson" target="_blank">family living today</a>. Others had children who went on to contribute to history in their own, perhaps less noteworthy (but no less interesting), ways.&nbsp;

From the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Aaron Burr&#39;s daughter to the princess who dedicated her life to being by Queen Victoria&#39;s side, the figures featured here were crucial parts of their parents&#39; lives. However, their stories are likely nowhere to be found in history textbooks. Vote up the figures whose stories deserve to be told.

What Actually Happened To Historical Figures' Kids

What Happened To Children Of Historical Figures

Garri Chaverst

Details&nbsp;about the lives of historical figures can be pretty well known. Al Capone, for example, grew up in New York. As one of the prominent crime bosses&nbsp;of the 20th century, Capone spent time at Alcatraz. Cleopatra, on the other hand, was the ruler of Egypt who took two notable lovers, Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony.&nbsp;

Have you ever wondered about the siblings of historical figures? What about Al Capone&#39;s brothers? Or Cleopatra&#39;s sister? And did you even know that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had a sister?&nbsp;

Siblings of&nbsp;historical figures often get overlooked. Many of them were successful in ways that, arguably, outshine&nbsp;their more famous siblings. Others, like Oscar Wilde&#39;s sisters, experienced such tragedy that it&#39;s hard to believe we don&#39;t know more about them. Through it all, the siblings of historical figures may have made their brothers and sisters proud, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/embarrassing-presidential-siblings/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">brought them shame</a>, or even helped them achieve their notoriety. Vote up the siblings of historical figures whose stories surprise you.

Stories About Siblings Of Historical Figures

Old Hollywood

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher&#39;s relationship is a story so Hollywood, it&#39;s no wonder it became the basis for a <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2016/12/postcards-from-the-edge-carrie-fisher-debbie-reynolds.html" target="_blank">starry,&nbsp;Oscar-nominated film</a>. Reynolds was one of the most acclaimed actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, while her daughter&nbsp;Fisher&nbsp;created one of the most iconic&nbsp;female heroines in cinematic history. Their relationship was tumultuous and complicated, but&nbsp;their love for each other never waned.

Reynolds was the darling of Hollywood in the 1950s, with the classic musical&nbsp;Singin&#39; in the Rain&nbsp;becoming not only her defining role but one of the defining films of the era. Though she continued to be a working actress up until her passing at the age of 84, the leading lady roles rapidly declined once she hit 40.

Her daughter&nbsp;Fisher&nbsp;grew up in her shadow - and the difficulties didn&#39;t end there. When she was just two years old, her father&nbsp;Eddie Fisher&nbsp;notoriously left her mother for Elizabeth Taylor. Fisher&nbsp;later became dependent on&nbsp;illicit substances&nbsp;and alcohol at a young age and, in her 20s, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The two strong-willed women often did not get along. However, they eventually put aside their differences. Fisher passed two days after Christmas in 2016. Then, like a Hollywood movie with an unbelievable ending, Reynolds passed the next day. Here&#39;s a look inside their relationship.

Inside Debbie Reynolds And Carrie Fisher’s Rocky But Loving Mother-Daughter Relationship

Inside Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher’s Relationship As Mother & Daughter

From the outside looking in, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-born-into-wealthy-families/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">being born into a wealthy family</a> can seem like winning the lottery. Literally! Instead of struggling to get a job that pays enough so a person can pay their rent and buy food, an heir to a fortune often lives a life of luxury - they live in mansions, go to the most exclusive schools, and travel&nbsp;all over the world.

Unfortunately,&nbsp;just because someone is born into or inherits millions&nbsp;doesn&#39;t mean they&#39;ll spend&nbsp;that money wisely. The list below contains&nbsp;just a few examples of some of the bizarre ways in which heirs to wealthy companies have spent their fortunes. Which of the examples below do you think are the strangest ways in which a wealthy heir to a big company spent their inheritance?

The Most Bizarre Things That Heirs To Famous Companies Did With Their Money

Bizarre Things Heirs To Famous Companies Did With Their Money

TGWrites

There are some historical figures whose names are immediately recognizable: <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/badass-alexander-hamilton-facts/setareh-janda" target="_blank">Alexander Hamilton</a> and Winston Churchill, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/descendants-of-historical-villains-lives/nicky-benson" target="_blank">historical &quot;villains&quot;</a> like Benito Mussolini, celebrities like Charlie Chaplin.&nbsp;Their lives have been well-documented and studied by countless experts and hobbyists. But less widely known is what happened to their descendants. It&#39;s not uncommon for children and grandchildren of historical figures to etch their own names in the annals of history, but their achievements and stories are often overshadowed by their more famous grandparents - history&#39;s main characters.&nbsp;

Below are some grandchildren who <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-descendants-of-famous-figures/setareh-janda" target="_blank">followed in their famous forebears&#39; footsteps</a>, left their own mark on history, or paved a different path.&nbsp;Vote up the ones whose fates surprise you the most.

What Actually Happened To Historical Figures' Grandchildren

Stars: They're just like us! Havin' babies, pushin' swings, raisin' hellraisers, and givin' advice.

Celebrity Parents

Think you want to have a baby? A toddler? A tween? A teen? An adult child? Think twice.

To Kids or Not to Kids?

Celebrity Facts

These celebrity problem children have taken misbehaving to the next level. The kids of celebrities don't have traditional childhoods. They’re surrounded by power, money, and fame from the time they’re born. Not exactly things to complain about. But the dark side of growing up famous is that there are almost no boundaries. This list of celebrities with problem children proves that money can’t buy everything. Especially good sense. Sometimes troublemaking celebrity kids are exposed to excessive partying, drugs, and alcohol at an early age. Sometimes their famous parents aren't the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/famous-role-models-we_d-like-to-meet-in-person?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best role models</a>. Sometimes they’re just rich spoiled brats. From law-breaking politicians’ kids to hard partying children of movie stars, the troubled young stars on this list have one thing in common: they don’t follow the rules. Who are some of the most notorious problem children? George W. Bush's twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, were charged with underage alcohol offenses in 2001 when they were 20. Luckily, they’ve grown up and come a long way. Barbara works as the President of the non-profit company Global Health Corps and Jenna is a correspondent for NBC.Then there’s Hulk Hogan's son, Nick, who was charged with reckless driving involving serious bodily injury among other things. And the list of other famous people with problem children goes on and on. (Michael Jordan, Bruce Willis, and Jon Bon Jovi, to name a few). Do you think that theses kids acted out because their parents are famous? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Celebrities With Problem Children

Celebrities with Problem Children | Famous Kids in Trouble

Celebrity Lists

Who are those people who lived in the White House, making appearances and speeches and promises and mistakes? To understand them, you must get to know the spouses, children, and even siblings of U.S. Presidents, past and present. 

The First Family

The Roosevelts were the ultimate power couple during the first half of the 20th century.&nbsp;Both left important political legacies: Franklin Roosevelt was the president who led the United States through the Great Depression and WWII, and&nbsp;fascinating <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-eleanor-roosevelt/nicky-benson" target="_blank">facts about Eleanor Roosevelt</a>&#39;s life include how she organized&nbsp;press conferences&nbsp;at the White House exclusively for women journalists.&nbsp;She&nbsp;was a champion for women&#39;s rights and racial equality, and she was appointed as the first female deputy director of the Office of Civilian Defense. Political&nbsp;achievement and support for each other&#39;s ambitions defined both of their lives, but&nbsp;Franklin and Eleanor&#39;s&nbsp;private lives&nbsp;were far less successful than their public personas.

Their&nbsp;marriage began well, and the admiration they had for one another was undeniable, but infidelities and betrayal forced their relationship to change&nbsp;from romantic adoration to mutual respect for one another&#39;s intellectual and political ambitions. They had romantic relations with other people during the span of their marriage and lived the&nbsp;majority of their personal lives separate&nbsp;from one another, but they remained a unit to solidify their legacies.

What Was Franklin And Eleanor Roosevelt's Relationship Really Like?

13 Fascinating Facts About The Roosevelts' Private Life Together

Whether it&#39;s you and your loved ones loading into the car and going to a theater or popping some popcorn and watching from home, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movies-of-all-time" target="_blank">the movies</a> are often a family affair. Sometimes that&#39;s even true on-screen! Since the very beginning of the film industry, relatives have shared a ton of scenes together. At times it&#39;s parents and their children, like Angelina Jolie and her daughter in&nbsp;Maleficent. In other instances siblings pair up on camera. Robin Williams&#39; brother Robert joins him in the famous &quot;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-mrs-doubtfire-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">drive by fruiting</a>&quot; scene in&nbsp;Mrs. Doubtfire. There are even movies that led to families in the making. In&nbsp;Taxi Driver, Robert De Niro plays opposite his future wife.

Check out this list of movies where actors shared time with their family members, and don&#39;t forget to vote up your favorites.

17 Times Actors Appeared In Movies With Their Own Family Members

17 Times Actors Appeared In Movies With Their Family Members

T.J. Peters

Every elite, out-of-touch, sickeningly rich celebrity was once a tiny helpless baby. It had parents, grandparents, maybe siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, godparents...

Legends&nbsp;of curses have permeated practically every culture throughout history. For example, many curses from Ancient Egypt threaten tragedy and destruction -&nbsp;and on occasion, these threats seem to have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ancient-egyptian-curses-unleashed-by-archaeologists/tamar-altebarmakian" target="_blank">been fulfilled</a>. Within the realms of modern history, many believe curses also affect some of the world&#39;s most prominent families. Judging by these cases, fame&nbsp;and money appear to go hand-in-hand with&nbsp;a high susceptibility to curses.&nbsp;

Certain major families have suffered from countless <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/mysterious-political-deaths/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">mysterious losses</a>, horrifying coincidences, and some of the worst&nbsp;luck ever documented. Is something actually plaguing these families, or are all these instances the result of coincidence? Read through the best-known examples of famous family curses to judge for yourself.

11 Famous Historical Families With Eerie Curses You Can't Deny

Famous Family Curses Throughout History

Chase Christy

A look at major events that happened a long time ago and the people who played the biggest roles in shaping the world as we know it.

Historical Facts & Figures

There are a few <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-descendants-in-the-family-business/stephanroget?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">descendants of historical figures</a> who bear a shocking resemblance&nbsp;to their ancestors. Some children look like their famous parents;&nbsp;occasionally,&nbsp;physical traits pass down through&nbsp;multiple&nbsp;generations.&nbsp;Whether it's a similarity in the eyes, nose, or the whole face, certain&nbsp;people are the spitting image&nbsp;of their historical forefathers.&nbsp;History books are helpful as they track the descendants of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/what-us-presidents-descendants-look-like/nicky-benson" target="_blank">famous people&nbsp;like United States presidents</a>, but there are occasions when finding historical figures' offspring is challenging. Some kings and emperors had&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;children, and their&nbsp;descendants are now all around the globe.&nbsp;Whether they are&nbsp;heroes or <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/descendants-of-historical-villains-lives/nicky-benson" target="_blank">the biggest villains in history</a>,&nbsp;many famous figures have produced familial doppelg&auml;ngers.

Historical Figures Whose Descendants Looked Just Like Them

Historical Figures Whose Children Looked Just Like Them

Laura Allan

Famous Families lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of famous families lists and rankings