Celebrities have no idea what it's like to live the American dream. When it comes to our everyday lives, they've been strolling down the red carpet, swiping credit cards, and chowing down on avocado toast for years without us realizing it. It's true for some celebrities. Celebrity seemed to be an inevitable outcome of their privileged family trees. On the other hand, for those who were raised in poverty, the spotlight was never an option. These Hollywood A-listers never dreamed they'd be rich while living out of their cars and dropping out of school. People who have gone from poor to rich include these superstars.

It's impossible not to be envious of celebrities' lavish lifestyles. They're famous, they're beautiful, and they're rich. With no looming rent or bills to worry about, they can focus on other things. A yacht party in an exotic area is more like what they do when they don't fly on private planes.

Many of the world's wealthiest people grew up in poverty, despite their wealth now. Their rags-to-riches journeys demonstrate that everything is possible with dedication, perseverance, talent, and good fortune.

Oprah Winfrey

Media magnate Robert Iger had a more difficult start than most. Growing up, she dealt with sexual abuse and teen pregnancies while living in boarding houses and remote fields because her family couldn't afford clothes.

After fleeing from those appalling conditions, she moved to Tennessee and became a model student and a popular member of her high school community. The rest of it is history.

In a clip from "MAKERS," she declares, "I know what it means to be poor." "I understand what it's like to be left behind. I've experienced what it's like to be unwelcome. If you've ever felt unloved, you know what it's like to want for something better inside of you."

Despite a bumpy start, her aspirations and goals came true. She's now one of the world's wealthiest persons, and she possesses everything a human being could ever desire. There have been rumors that she could run for president in 2016.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Oscar-winning films have likely helped him earn some of his estimated net worth, but before he started dishing out large amounts for yachts and celebrity-filled trips, he was trying to make sure his parents had enough money to live on.'

His mother worked as a secretary, and his father sold comic books illegally in East Hollywood, so neither of their incomes was particularly impressive.

In an interview with Telegraph magazine in 2016, he admitted, "Money was always on my mind when I was growing up." "As a result, I was often concerned about how we would pay for certain items. There was a sense that acting was a way out of the situation."

"Titanic" was the highest-grossing film at the time, and DiCaprio was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in "The Revenant" in 2016.

Demi Moore

After discovering how she got her start, her estimated worth becomes even more significant. The so-called "trailer park kid" lived in various trailer parks with her alcoholic parents throughout her childhood. When she was sixteen, she dropped out of school and fled her terrible parents.

As a debt collector and model, she put her career on hold to pursue her dream part in 1981's Choices.

It wasn't that we were living in poverty, but we didn't have a lot of money," she said in an interview with The Guardian in 2007. "I had no prior training or experience in acting when I started this job. My financial situation was so dire that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking the risk."

Hilary Swank

She also appeared in the films "Million Dollar Baby" and "Freedom Writers," which undoubtedly contributed to her climb to fame and fortune. However, like Moore, she lived in a trailer park before becoming famous. After her mother lost her job, they relocated to California and began living out of their car.

Two-time Oscar-winning actress has been honest about her childhood and accused of romanticizing poverty. Her second acceptance speech for an Academy Award may have contributed to the negative perceptions of her.

"In this life, I don't know what I did to deserve this. The only thing distinguishing me from the rest of the pack is that I grew up in a trailer park. "In 2001, she said this on stage. In my wildest dreams, I didn't expect this to happen."

Nicki Minaj

The projected net worth of the rapper and performer represents a significant improvement over her previous standard of living. When her father was hooked on drugs, he would sell their possessions for money and burn down their house while her mother was still inside.

A Rolling Stone interview from 2010 quotes her saying, "When I arrived to America, I would kneel at the foot of my bed and hope that god would make me rich so that I could take care of my mother."

Because she worked hard and stayed out of trouble, she has the money and authority to do so today.

Another quote from the interview: "At one point you had to sell a few kilograms to be called a respectable rapper," she remarked. When Drake and I were younger, we didn't see ourselves as actors, but now we see ourselves as people who went to school, love acting, and love theatre. This is great for the black community because it shows them it is acceptable to pursue their passions.

In addition, Minaj has given back to the community. After years of providing money and infrastructure to an Indian town, she announced in 2017 that she had been doing so for years.

Justin Bieber

"One Time" was the breakout smash for the 23-year-old, whose net worth is more than he could have ever dreamed of at the time. Bieber was living in Canada with his single mother when the album was released, and she wasn't exactly making the money he's used to now.

In an interview with Clique TV, he said, "I remember being poor and being teased by other kids... "My mother used to force me to order water instead of soda when we went out to eat. Soda was all I wanted to drink when I was in line at the restaurant. In addition, I recall being overjoyed to be able to use my first substantial paycheck to assist in the care of my ailing mother."

While they've since parted ways, his mother's book about being a mother to a superstar won her a fortune.

Mariah Carey

With hits like "Without You," "We Belong Together," and "Touch My Body," the singer earned her estimated wealth. However, the singer was a waitress before becoming a household name and sported one of the most extravagant engagement rings ever.

"As a teenager, I moved to New York City on my own. Even though I had nothing, it was a thrilling period for me," she said on her show, "Mariah's World." "I was sleeping on the floor on a mattress. I was working two jobs simultaneously: as a waitress and creating songs. My demo tape ended up at Sony, where they signed it over to the company."

In the years that have followed, it's been a Cinderella tale complete with a prince charming (or two), great fortune, and a loving family.

Jennifer Lopez

Everyone knows that she was just Jenny from the block before she became J-Lo and amassed such a great fortune in her name. Growing up in the Bronx, she was known for her unkempt appearance and worn-out footwear.

Her decision to leave college and seek a career as an aspiring singer led her to become homeless at one point. According to Extra, dance studios served as a coach for the former American Idol judge.

'Can I sleep here on the couch after everyone else goes home?'" she said. In retrospect, and considering that I was 18 and that one of my children was 18 at the time, "I would have had a heart attack."

J. K. Rowling

Neither of Rowling's parents had ever attended college, and both of them hailed from low-income families. After graduating from Exeter University, Rowling worked odd jobs and lived off government assistance for several years before writing the first "Harry Potter" book at 32.

In addition to being bestsellers, they spawned movies and spinoffs. Rowling became a millionaire quickly.

Her book sales and movie deals bring in enough money to make her a billionaire, but she supposedly remains off the list because of the money she donates to charity. According to Forbes, she has a net worth of almost $650 million.

Mark Wahlberg

Ted, The Departed, and Entourage contributed to the actor's presumed worth. However, before he became Marky Mark and started starring in Hollywood blockbusters, Wahlberg got into trouble in Boston.

The actor grew up in a dysfunctional household and spent much of his adolescence trafficking drugs, using cocaine, and getting into fights. In one of those bouts, he was charged with attempted murder and sent to prison.

According to an interview he gave to The Daily Mail in which he discussed his criminal career, "It was always a voice in my head telling me I was going to end up in jail." "My three brothers had all served time in prison. Her prison stints were so numerous that I couldn't keep track. Finally, I was in solitary confinement among the type of men I'd always admired. Now that I'd earned my stripes and was on par with them, I realized that this wasn't at all what I'd envisioned for myself. I'd gotten myself into the worst situation imaginable, and there was no way I wanted to go back. The first thing I had to do was learn how to keep my foot on the gas."

Since then, he's made a complete 180-degree turn and is now one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Jay Z

Beyoncé's spouse grew up in Brooklyn's slums, where achieving millions was a pipe dream for most people. He was a drug dealer in high school, like many of his peers at the time.

"My mother was able to combine her many responsibilities when we were living in a difficult situation. We'd pay the electricity bill, the phone bill, and the gas bill at various times "In a lengthy interview with Vanity Fair in 2013, he detailed. "We weren't hungry—we were eating, and everything was OK with us. But you didn't want to be ashamed in front of your peers; you didn't want to wear the same clothing or soiled sneakers to school. Moreover, crack was everywhere; it was impossible to avoid it."

He decided to leave everything behind and focus on his music, which he was doing at the time.

Leighton Meester

When she was cast as the queen bee on "Gossip Girl," Meester had no previous acting experience to draw from. Even if she had a rough start in life, her appraised worth is likely even more precious to her.

While her mother was in prison for drug smuggling, the actress was born in a prison cell. Her grandmother raised Meester in Florida until her mother was released, and the two were reunited.

Meester's family moved to New York when she was ten years old to pursue a career as a model and then relocated to Los Angeles four years later so that she could pursue a career in acting.

"I had no interest in children's stories. In the words of Jimmy: "Jimmy does not like me!" What does it matter? I was concerned that we would run out of gas or food. Those were my anxieties, too "During an interview with Marie Claire in 2012, she stated this.