10 Has-Been Actors With The Biggest Egos (And 10 Humble Millionaires)
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Plenty of people grow up striving to achieve celebrity status. They see the glitz and the glamor, stars being revered like gods and goddesses, and want to experience that for themselves. They want a piece of the action. Nowadays, someone can become a celebrity for doing pretty much anything. But it’s fair to say that those in the acting profession are revered the most. They’re the people the cameras are drawn to, the individuals the paparazzi lay in wait for. We see them on the big screen and they just seem like larger than life characters. When these celebs grew up aspiring to be stars, many probably vowed not to let fame and fortune change them. But it’s hard not to get sucked into that whole lifestyle.
For some, after getting a taste of the high life, there’s no going back. They succumb to the draws of the lifestyle – earning celebrity status changes them. They become egotistical maniacs, and some become arrogant beyond belief. Even when their time at the top is over, their careers begin to dwindle, they can’t stamp out that rather unflattering attitude. On the other hand, there are those celebrities that remain grounded. Despite having millions in the bank, all their successes haven’t changed them. They’re known as humble millionaires who act like the average person. People love them because of it. They’re a rare breed in today’s celebrity world. Without further ado, here are 10 has-been actors, those whose time in the limelight is fading but who haven’t managed to ditch the ego, and 10 humble millionaires who’ve remained happy and humble despite achieving a great deal of success and fortune.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: TOM HANKS
One way you know if someone’s got a massive ego is if they’re shouting about themselves from the rooftops. People with almighty egos love to put themselves out there. Tom Hanks certainly doesn’t fall into that category. He’s an incredibly private person, preferring to keep his professional and private lives separate. According to The Daily Mail, Tom has been described as the nicest man in Hollywood. He’s one of the nicest men the world knows nothing about. That’s just the way he likes it. We do know some things about his childhood though. He didn’t have a happy time of it and had to grow up very quickly. So now, even after acquiring millionaire status, he has those tough times in his head and remains grounded. Tom also says he knows he’s not so good that he can’t be replaced. He’s distanced himself from the towering egos of Tinseltown. Tom’s humility is refreshing and is part of the reason why nobody in the industry has a bad word to say about him.
HAS-BEEN: WESLEY SNIPES
It’s fair to assume that most people who know anything about Hollywood movies know about Wesley Snipes. You may not necessarily be into his genre of work, but still, his is a name that the majority of people have heard of. That doesn’t mean he’s a big star now, because he’s not. It’s because of his reputation, the movies he’s done in the past. He’s living off those successes. But the 55-year-old has long since been a has-been actor. But his self-riotous attitude hasn’t diminished. According to Rebel Circus, he’s been known for having a big ego, known for being arrogant right throughout his career. A leopard can’t change his spots. One of his co-stars, Patton Oswalt, has been very vocal about Wesley’s arrogant attitude. According to Indie Wire, he’s dished the dirt saying that Wesley would think he was too good to hang out with anyone else on set. He also thought he was above the director and attempted to get him fired.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: DWAYNE JOHNSON
At the moment there’s no one bigger in Hollywood than Dwayne Johnson. After making the transition from wrestling to movies, Dwayne’s taken tinsel town by storm. He’s eager to become bigger, better – in more ways than one – but has kept his feet firmly on the ground. He remembers his past struggles, everything he had to go through to reach this point. Getting a taste of the high life isn’t easy. That’s why Dwayne’s intent on making it last. He’s also intent on enjoying his time at the top. That doesn’t mean he has an inflated ego.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Dwayne is one of the most humble guys in the industry. The way he interacts with his fans endears him to one and all.
When he was officially named the world’s highest paid actor, he remained humble, started reminiscing about all he’s gone through. Now he’s all about staying hungry and chasing even greater levels of fame.
HAS-BEEN: 50 CENT
50 Cent is primarily a rapper. But he’s also acquired quite a filmography over the years. That’s not to say that those movies and shows he’s starred in have been decent. Pretty much all of them have tanked. His career as an actor seems to have tanked too. He’s got a few small projects on the horizon. But 50 Cent is now more into the business side of things, is focusing more and more on his music.
We know that 50 Cent has a massive ego. Just type his name into a search engine, and tons of pictures will come up of him holding stacks of money, posing and acting like he’s a huge star.
According to The Guardian, he admitted when he was going through financial trouble, and that this was just part of an image he was trying to portray. Well, that angered a lot of people including the courts. He just had to play up to his ego.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: OPRAH WINFREY
Oprah Winfrey is one of the most influential people on the planet. What she’s done over the decades, the impact she’s had has been remarkable. She’s in her mid-60s and is still going strong. The Oprah effect has spread far and wide, including tinsel town. Due to her still being active, Oprah continues to rake in the cash. Although this is a list of humble millionaires, Oprah’s net worth is actually in the billions. With that sort of cash, even the best of people would sway a bit. Oprah hasn’t done that at all. According to N'Digo, she’s remained the same person, the same individual people have loved watching all these years. That’s the beauty of her success; Oprah is Oprah and she hasn’t changed one iota. She’s said as much. She said that being herself is what keeps her humble. After all, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. She has the formula to success. Oprah sums it up beautifully: “I still have my feet on the ground, I just wear better shoes.”
HAS-BEEN: HEATHER LOCKLEAR
One’s got to feel for Heather Locklear. She was once one of the biggest stars around, known for her TV roles. But along the path to success things went wrong, things that influenced her personal and professional life. She’s now a has-been. She makes the odd appearance here and there, but is mainly just attempting to get her personal life back on track. According to Fame10, it was only last month when she was arrested for violent behavior. Things are still unraveling in Heather’s personal life. She’s still very much in that downwards spiral. When she was at the bottom of this spiral, suffering from various issues, she’s acknowledged that she was a pretty horrible person. Her ego had gotten so big, that she just couldn’t understand why she was no longer being cast and why things weren’t going her way. This led her to go further and further down the path of self-destruction.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: DREW BARRYMORE
Drew Barrymore is someone who makes an effort to be humble. She doesn’t try to hide her insecurities, makes no bones about not being perfect. She’s said she’ll “fight to be happy.” That’s all she wants to be, and her humility is something that’s made plenty of other people happy too.
Starting out as a child actress, it would’ve been very easy for Drew to have gone off the rails. She tasted a tremendous amount of success at a young age, and with that came fame and fortune.
According to The Guardian, she’s acknowledged that she was a wild child. Drew had a rather wild and wacky period in her life. But having made a conscious effort to be humble, she’s simmered down on that front and is now all about ensuring she’s happy. She does want others to be happy too, and recognizes that if she can help with that, it’s all worthwhile. “I want people to be happy, but I know happiness has to be fought for. It’s a warrior trophy.”
HAS BEEN: STEVEN SEAGAL
Steven Seagal is a has-been actor and has had that status for a pretty long time. You either love him or hate him. Action fans tend to love him. But after a while it’s fair to assume that even they get sick of his movies. He belongs to one genre and one genre only. He’s always portraying the cop or undercover agent on a mission to save to world or rescue someone in peril. Even those movies can get a bit tedious for action movie fans – it’s just another Steven Seagal movie recycled. He’s been making the same movies, and hasn’t evolved or grown as an actor.
One thing that has grown though over the years – aside from his belly – is his ego. According to The Guardian, there are numerous stories demonstrating what Steven thinks of himself, how highly he rates himself. Well, the guy has called himself God. That just about says it all. But many of his co-stars over the years have had the displeasure of experiencing Steven’s ego. For example, he refused to let his character get written off on the sets of Executive Decision. Apparently, Steven Seagal can’t ever pass away. According to The A.V. Club, his co-star John Leguizamo has revealed what Steven said one day on set: “I’m in command, what I say is law, anyone not agree?” There are plenty of readers who don’t.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: TORI SPELLING
Tori Spelling hasn’t had an easy time in the limelight. It hasn’t all been sunshine and roses for Tori. With famous parents already in the industry, she grew up having a privileged lifestyle.
She had no money worries and was already pretty wealthy. That caused some resentment, some jealously between her co-stars. But when it was time for Tori to stand on her own two feet, she ended up making some bad decisions.
According to The Daily Mail, she was at one point financially destitute, but has since bounced back and once again has her millionaire status. Despite being raised by wealthy parents, Tori’s never had an inflated ego. The trials and tribulations she’s faced over the years, such as the passing of her dad, have kept her from soaring too high. If you follow her on social media, you’ll know that Tori gives herself plenty of self-love. But that’s not narcissism. It’s just her trying to prop herself up after a difficult time. Her words of love and motivation also help others who are going through similar struggles.
HAS-BEEN: JONAH HILL
Jonah Hill’s only 34 years old. It seems as if he’s been around in the industry for an awfully long time. He started out in 2004, had a few roles here and there. But his breakthrough role was undoubtedly when he was Leonardo’s buddy in The Wolf of Wall Street. That movie propelled his career to greater heights. But following that movie he hasn’t really built upon the success he gained. Already, after one big hit, at the age of 34, he can be considered to be a has-been. But he won’t let people forget about his role in that massive 2013 movie. According to She Knows, when he started giving interviews following the movie’s release, people knew that the ego had landed. Suddenly Jonah was talking like he was a different person, like he was the main man. He’s never tired of telling people that “Scorsese thinks I'm awesome.'" He’s also kept banging on about how he feels he’s now one of the top talents in Hollywood. He may have been five years ago, but his career hasn’t progressed.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: SANDRA BULLOCK
We might be discussing people on this list with big egos. But Sandra Bullock doesn’t actually feel that tinsel town is teeming with egotistical actors and actresses. According to E! News, she’s said, “Everyone is so humble and great. There's not an ego anywhere to be found." Read this list and a lot of people might disagree with that. But when she was discussing humble millionaire superstars, because she’s humble she probably wasn’t referring to herself. But she certainly has a deserved place on that list. How has she remained so humble? Sandra has said that keeping her personal and professional lives separate has been a massive part of it. She has an escape when things get too much. Sandra can also be quoted as saying “I want to be comfortable in my own skin for the rest of my life. " That’s her goal, and judging by the way she comes across, she’s certainly achieved that to date.
HAS-BEEN: CHARLIE SHEEN
Charlie Sheen’s career has gone downhill in recent years. His fall from grace was pretty epic. But keeping up with his lifestyle was always going to take its toll. For those of you who aren’t aware of Charlie’s lifestyle, just watch Two and a Half Men, and you’ll have a pretty good idea. Inevitably everything came crashing down. He fell from grace and had an almighty breakdown. That’s when the real Charlie Sheen shone through.
According to The Daily Mail, he said a number of things during that period which made people think all was not well.
It also made people think he thought he had an ego the size of Long Island. Due to Charlie’s rants, many would say he still has a big ego. But he’s certainly been brought down a peg or two. He’s been able to look back and acknowledge his ego-fuelled temper got out of control on one too many occasions.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: JULIA ROBERTS
It’s amazing to think that Julia Roberts is now 50 years old. A large part of her life has been spent in tinsel town. Even now she’s reached her half century, she’s showing no signs of easing up. That’s just as well for her millions of fans, because Julia Roberts is one of the most loves actresses around. She’s loved by fans, but also by those in the industry, people who’ve worked with her over the years. World-famous choreographer Longinus Fernandes recalls a meeting they had in India. According to The Daily Mail, she couldn’t stop complimenting his work.
He’s said, “I have worked with many stars but I have never met a more graceful, down to earth person." This humble nature of hers is part of the reason why when people see her name on a cast list, their faces light up, and they flock to the movie theatres in droves.
It’s why Julia’s maintained her star appeal for so long.
HAS-BEEN: RUSSELL CROWE
Russell Crowe is an example of how a couple of hit movies and longevity in the industry can really make a career. You can live off the success, the reputation earnt from those hit movies for the rest of your days. That’s what Russell Crowe’s been doing. Judging by the success – or lack of it – of his movies at the box office, Russell’s only really had a couple of successes; American Gangster and Gladiator. It’s fair to say that he’s a has-been actor.
Russell hasn’t had much success in his personal life either. According to The Daily Mail, he’s known for having a wandering eye and this has ruined many of his relationships. Russell has also acknowledged that his king-sized ego and temper are the reasons his marriage failed. He’s got a large ego that is fragile at the same time. This has resulted in Russell having an unstable personal life. His relationships and life as a whole have suffered because of it.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: JLO
J-Lo started off life in the limelight as a dancer. This led onto singing, and thus the star, J-Lo was born. But J-Lo always wanted to achieve more, always had a goal in her mind which was to become an actress. She went about making that happen and has gone on to rule the roost in that profession too. Today, J-Lo is one of the most influential women in the world. It therefore wouldn’t come as a surprise if her ego was to become a tad inflated. Many think it has.
According to TMZ, people can take this the wrong way, perceive it to be arrogance. But J-Lo’s incredibly humble.
She doesn’t live a humble lifestyle, but personality wise, she is humble. J-Lo is still Jenny From The Block – she remembers those days, and those memories keep her grounded.
She’s also said in interviews that she’s humble. Okay, so that might not be the best thing to say and might actually make people think she’s got a bit of an ego. But by and large she is a humble A-lister.
HAS-BEEN: GWYNETH PALTROW
Where do I start with Gwyneth Paltrow? There are numerous incidences that show that she has an almighty ego. We’d have to write another article, or two, in order to get through them all. She’s deemed to be pretentious, arrogant, self-centered, and it’s led to her becoming one of the most hated women in tinsel town. Despite fading from the limelight in recent years, her ego hasn’t deflated. It’s still as big as ever.
A lot of this is down to her general attitude, her self-righteousness. According to Fox News, many deem her to be snobby. She needs to learn how to keep things on the down low. Perhaps then people would have a better opinion of her. Statements such as “I would rather die than let my kid eat a cup-a-soup" haven’t endeared her to many. Many people have also called out Gwyneth for having a massive ego. Her neighbors when she lived in Brentwood have said that she’s a “massive snob.” That just about says it all.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: KEANU REEVES
If you didn’t know who Keanu Reeves was, you wouldn’t have a clue that he’s a multimillionaire actor. There are no airs and graces about Keanu. He just looks and behaves like an ordinary guy – in the nicest possible way. Keanu hasn’t gotten carried away with fame or his standing in the industry. He’s humble and down-to-earth; what you see is what you get and what you see is pretty good.
One way that Keanu has remained humble is that he just doesn’t care about money.
According to The Loop, he’s said, “Money is the last thing I think about.” He’s even given away thousands of dollars of his own cash to those he hears about who are in need of financial help and those who work with him on projects.
He made $114 million for his role in the Matrix trilogy and gave $80 million to the makeup and effect team because he appreciated all their hard work. Keanu is as humble as they come.
HAS-BEEN: DAVID HASSELHOFF
David Hasselhoff once held the world record of being the most watched man on TV. That’s no surprise, because at one point he was on pretty much everything. He was on all the top programs and reruns of his shows would continue throughout the day. At the age of 65, David is still around and still gets the odd bit of work here and there, but by and large he’s a has-been actor. Nowadays he features more on chat shows and ploughs himself into various other ventures.
According to Star Pulse, David has one pretty big ego. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to too many people. Having tasted the success he’s had over the years, it’d be pretty difficult for him to remain with his feet firmly on the ground. He knows he’s got a bit of an ego too, and he’s said as much. He may have an ego, but he doesn’t have a grating personality. That’s why, although he’s not getting much work, he’s still a big name in the industry.
HUMBLE MILLIONAIRE: MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY
Matthew McConaughey is considered to be one of the best actors around. He’s received numerous accolades by his peers, but despite his accomplishments he’s remained grounded, level-headed. It’s remarkable that while working in an industry that tends to struggle with the concept of humility, Matthew’s managed to remain grounded. One reason for this is his humble beginnings. Matthew didn’t have an easy time of things starting out. But he struggled and persevered and eventually got his big break. The second reason as to why he’s remained so humble over the years is that he’s found God. According to Beliefnet, he regularly attends church, looks up to God for guidance, and has even thanked God in his acceptance speeches. He’s gone on to say that he’s grateful for all the opportunities and success, that he knows he’s privileged and isn’t one to take anything for granted. It’s an attitude that’s held him in good stead.
HAS-BEEN: ANNE HATHAWAY
Anne Hathaway is an actress who’s known for her versatility. She’s played a number of different roles over the years and has received a few accolades because of them. There’s no doubting her prowess as an actress. But she’s no longer as popular as she once was. In fact, we’d go as far to say that Anne Hathaway is actually widely disliked.
If Gwyneth Paltrow is the most hated actress in tinsel town, Anne Hathaway is close behind in second place. It’s hard to put a finger on why that’s the case. According to Irish Central, just her attitude and her general demeanor rub a lot of people up the wrong way. Although Anne hasn’t outwardly said that she has a massive ego, she has admitted that she has arrogant tendencies. She’s tried to keep a lid on her arrogance, but occasionally it’s shone through. She’s simmered down a bit now but has admitted that during the early stages of her career, she was “young and arrogant.” She thought she had to be loud and brash in order to stand out and get noticed.
References: rebelcircus.com, indiewire.com, smh.com.au, theguardian.com, ndigo.com, fame10.com, sheknows.com, eonline.com, dailymail.co.uk, tmz.com, foxnews.com, theloop.ca, starpulse.com, beliefnet.com, irishcentral.com
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