Yes, we know that Kanye West isn't technically a movie star, but this is Kanye West we're talking about. He's a man who describes himself as being the biggest rock star on the planet, despite the fact he's never released a rock song in his life. If you don't think he's a movie star, you go and tell him. We'll stand back and watch. You never know quite what you're going to get with West, whether it's turning up to the White House to talk music with the President, or getting into a seemingly endless spat with Taylor Swift.
Not only would we not tell Kayne that he isn't a rock star, but we also wouldn't bring up his height to him. We suspect that at 5 foot 8, he's probably quite sensitive about it. That might explain why he married Kim Kardashian, who's barely over five feet tall. Alternatively, that might have been more to do with the fact that she's one of the richest and most beautiful women in showbusiness. He might be short, but he's winning at life!
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.