When you think of celebrities, you think of the jet-set lifestyle, the fast cars and the red-carpet events. It’s almost hard to imagine them without all of that in their lives. Not all celebrities were born into rich families. Here are the rags-to-riches stories of celebrities who grew up poor…

One of the world’s greatest comics has previously revealed that he had a difficult childhood growing up in Canada. His family were so poor, that he was forced to work in a factory to bring money into the home. They even had to live in a van for a while!

With everything that Oprah has achieved in her lifetime, it’s hard to imagine her ever going without. Growing up in Mississippi, her family were so poor that she had to wear potato sacks because they couldn’t afford clothes.

Dolly Parton is known for her down-to-Earth and humble personality. The thing is, she is truly grateful for what she has now. Brought up in a family of 12, she grew up “dirt poor” as she says. Her family were also illiterate, and the only book they had was the Bible.

Hilary Swank has previously revealed that she suffered from classicism, even as a child. Not from her classmates, but from their parents! She and her mother lived in the car and vacant houses put up for sale when they first reached LA to let Hilary pursue her love of acting!

Born into a poor family, Nicki Minaj faced many challenges growing up in Queens, New York City. Her father had issues with drugs and alcohol and lived in fear of him. She used to pray for more money, so she could free her mother from her father’s tyranny.

World-famous actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s parents divorced when he was just a toddler and he grew up near “a major prostitution ring”! Though he faced criticism for taking on his role in The Wolf of Wall Street, he argued it allowed him to see “the other side of the spectrum”.

“Jenny from the block” never forgets where she came up. She grew up in a poor family in the Bronx, where she had to share a bedroom with her sister. Her parents worked tirelessly to provide for their family, and this is where Jennifer got her work ethic from.

Shania Twain is one of the biggest country singers in the world, but life hasn’t always been so pleasant. Her family were extremely poor and she and her siblings often went to school hungry. They also had problems at home, which only magnified their poverty.

Justin Bieber grew up in a poor home and was often mocked by other kids. He remembers going into restaurants with his mother and being forced to order water inside of a soda. When he got his first paycheck, he used it to look after his mother!

The ultimate diva, Mariah Carey, wasn’t brought up in a rich home. She was brought up in an all-white neighbourhood in a small, rundown house that was described as a “shack”. Her home was troubled too, her brother was “violent” and her sister “extremely traumatised”.

Sarah Jessica Parker grew up in a family of eight, and only her stepfather was bringing money into the household. They knew a situation of poverty and turned to state aid and welfare. Parker has previously used the word “Dickensian” to describe her childhood.

Playing Blair Waldorf in Gossip Girl was a far cry from the life Leighton knew. You may have heard she was born in prison! She spent the first months of her life in a halfway house before being placed in her grandmother’s custody while they waited for her mother’s release.

Kelly Clarkson often sings about her troubled childhood. She grew up poor in a broken home, saying they lived “pre-paycheck to pre-paycheck” and she decided that whatever she was going to do with her life, she didn’t want to have to worry about money.

Mila Kunis is determined to ensure that her children with Ashton Kutcher will not be spoilt. The actress has always credited growing up poor as her key to success. She is the daughter of poor immigrants who moved to the US from Ukraine. Ashton also comes from a poor family.

Tyler Perry was born and raised in New Orleans, and his childhood was surrounded by poverty and abuse. He would write letters to himself as part of a soul-searching journey during some very turbulent teenage years. His one source of happiness was his mother’s Church.

Eminem, or Marshall Mathers, had a difficult childhood marked by poverty and accusations of abuse. At just the tender age of 14, he started rapping in clubs, embarking on his journey to fame and fortune. It was around this time that he quit school, after numerous unexplained absences.

Jay-Z was born into an impoverished neighbourhood surrounded by drugs and violence. He turned to rap music to cope with his environment. After his parents' divorce, he started to deal crack. Today, he is one-half of one of the biggest entertainment couples in the world - he turned his life around!

A little-known fact is that Tom Cruise grew up poor. He even had to go to work at 8 years old! The family barely had enough to eat, and his father struggled to get work while his mother worked three shifts at a time to bring income into the home.

50 Cent was brought up by his grandmother, who he loved, but as she had 9 other children in her charge, he often ended up in the streets. By the age of 12, he was dealing crack and fended for himself because he didn’t want to burden his grandmother.