Celebrities Who Had Rough Childhoods

When you think “celebrity,” you probably think“posh"  lifestyle  you've assumed they've always had, but  these celebrities “humble” beginnings  were anything but “posh.

According to Answers.com, these celebrities had some shocking and tragic pasts.  Among the list:

Woody Harrelson.  His dad was a contract “hit man” who spent some time in prison for his crimes.  When he was released on parole, he was hired to kill a judge, and that ended him back in prison when he served time until his death.

Dylan McDermott.  His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother dated someone who allegedly had ties to organized crime.  Sadly, she was later found dead.  Investigators believed this man killed her, but he was later found DEAD in a parking lot.

Olivia Newtown-John.  She didn’t have a rough upbringing; however, her father was an interrogator, who interrogated German POW’s during World War II.  His interrogations lead to the capture of several, high profile Nazi leaders.

Charlize Theron.  Her dad was very abusive and an alcoholic.  When she was 15 years old, her father attacked both her and her mother, and threatened to kill them.  Charlize’s mother, in self-defense, shot and killed her father right in front of her.

Shania Twain.  She lost both of her parents in a tragic car crash, leaving her to raise her three younger siblings, and putting her career on hold at the age of 21.

And the most tragic past on this list, at least in my opinion, Kelsey Grammer.  His dad was actually shot  to death right on their front lawn when he was just a kid.  Then, when Kelsey was 20 years old, his sister was brutally murdered by some thieves who were robbing a Red Lobster where she was working.

And, if that’s not enough tragedy for one person, Kelsey’s two half-brothers were killed in a scuba diving incident, one of them was actually EATEN BY SHARKS.  Then years later, a very close friend of Kelsey’s tragically died in the 9/11 attacks.

Somehow these celebrities managed to climb out of their brutal pasts and forge ahead in life successfully.  Ever known anyone who’s life started out brutal, but then later managed to be successful?