Celebs with a sad past part 2

I previously wrote about celebs with a sad past, but that is just a very small part of the celebs who didn't have it easy in the past. Therefore, I thought it was high time for a sequel, featuring other A-listers who led a very different life back then.

1. Joaquin Phoenix
I find his history particularly fascinating: he was one of five children of his parents and grew up in a cult. His parents were members of the Children of God. He traveled the world with his parents and lived in Puerto Rico and Venezuela — in great poverty. Eventually, his parents managed to escape with their children, but the misery was not over yet.

Joaquin and his brother River started an acting career, with enormous success. Unfortunately, things went less well for his brother River: he became addicted and ultimately died in Joaquin's arms after overdosing in the Viper Room, a club in Los Angeles co-owned by Johnny Depp. By the way, Joaquin's 911 call is still available online: heartbreaking.

2. Shia LaBeouf
This actor doesn't always make positive headlines, but he has come a long way. His parents and he lived in great poverty and sold hot dogs on the street to make ends meet. Additionally, he accompanied his father to AA meetings while he was already dreaming of a big acting career. He was busy with this at the age of ten when he started doing stand-up comedy shows. Eventually, his big break came, but it didn't come easy.

3. Demi Moore
When she was just fourteen years old, Demi Moore had already moved about 30 times, resulting in few to no real friendships. Her mother and stepfather, with whom she lived, were both heavy alcoholics. Once she became an adult, she lost her stepfather to suicide and barely spoke to her mother due to her drinking problems. Not easy to experience when you're still so young.

4. Jay-Z
It was definitely a hard knock life for Jay-Z before he became a famous rapper. He lived alone with his mother in a shelter after they were abandoned by his father. In that shelter, there was little education or upbringing: Jay-Z wandered the streets, dealt drugs, and came into contact with crime. At a young age, he had already been shot multiple times. Fortunately, things turned out more than well for him in the end.

5. Woody Harrelson
I was quite surprised by the youth of this actor; it is quite bizarre. He grew up with only his mother and in great poverty because his father was in prison; he was a hitman who shot a judge in 1979. Life with his mother was not exactly a bed of roses, and Woody struggled with a lot of anger issues himself.

6. Hilary Swank
This story is a bit different because she made it difficult for herself due to her acting dream. Her mother supported her 100% and moved with Hilary to Los Angeles when Hilary was still a teenager. Hilary dropped out of high school because she wanted to fully dedicate herself to acting, but that didn't come easily in LA. Therefore, she and her mother were homeless for quite some time and lived in their car before she really made it as an actress.