Famous People Who've Been Homeless

Times are tough right now and they may wind up even tougher. In fact, any one of us at any point in our lives may only be one humiliating step away from homelessness. For most of us, all it might take is a job loss, a serious illness, or any other number of everyday occurrences of life backfiring. Conversely, some of the rich and famous have their own tales of woe from past history. Some have even experienced and survived the physical and psychological depths of homelessness.

Halle Berry

At age 21, Oscar winning actor Halle Berry wound up living in a homeless shelter after asking her single mother to send her money and instead getting an ultimatum: either learn to be self-sufficient without a stipend, or move back home. Berry chose to live in shelters and didn't talk to her mother for over a year. After this time, she forgave her mother, realizing that homelessness had taught her a valuable life lesson.

Jim Carrey

As a youngster, comedy star Jim Carrey lived in a van with his family.

Don Imus

After he was discharged from the Marine Corps, radio shock jock Don Imus was homeless, finding shelter in Laundromats.

Hilary Swank

Another Oscar winning actor, Hilary Swank, arrived in California with her mother as a teenager. They lived in their car for a period of time.

William Shatner

Strangely enough, after the TV series Star Trek was cancelled in 1970, star William Shatner wound up living in his pickup truck while playing in regional summer stock plays across the country.

Kelly Clarkson

Before winning the "American Idol" competition, pop music star Kelly Clarkson wound up living in her car after her Los Angeles apartment burned to the ground. She showered daily at a health club where she had a membership.

Jewel Kilcher

When she was a struggling performer in San Diego coffeehouses, singer songwriter Jewel Kilcher lived in her van in coffeehouse parking lots.

John Woo

When he was five years old, acclaimed film director John Woo lived on the streets of Hong Kong with his family as Christian refugees from post-Revolution mainland China.

Cary Grant

Legendary movie star Cary Grant was a teenage runaway who lived on the streets of London before joining a traveling circus troop.

Other one-time homeless celebrities include James Bond actor Daniel Craig, rock star Kurt Cobain, rap star Tupac Shakur, and country singer Shania Twain.