Would you like to know a little more about Gabrielle Union? Well, as the title of one of her most famous movies says, 'Bring it on!' Union was born on Omaha in Nebraska to Catholic parents, one of whom was a sergeant in the United States military. While that might sound like a conservative background, she says her mother always reminded her to take on a 'world perspective,' and when she was eight, she was taken to a gay pride parade to learn tolerance and respect for others. By that point, they'd left Nebraska behind and moved to California.
When she graduated her degree was in sociology, but she'd already decided she was going to pursue acting before trying to get a 'regular' 9 to 5. 'Bring It On' made her name in the year 2000, but she'd already appeared in several films by then including 'She's All That,' and '10 Things I Hate About You.' In her book 'We're Going to Need More Wine,' released in 2017, she talks about her experience as a sexual assault survivor. That ties into her activism for causes which seek to prevent violence against women.
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.