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7 Famous People Who Hit Bottom — and Turned it Around
Ever have one of those days The bank won t cash your check The doctor has bad news Ok maybe not But like us celebs find ways to turn tragedy into triumph Here are motivating stories of great people who turned their lives around
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Silver Lining: Little did she know, it was also her first successful audition. Talent manager John Crosby, waiting to use an ATM, was captivated by the gorgeous, if high-strung, young woman. “If you’re interested, I’ll represent you,” he told her. As Theron later explained to Oprah, “If I hadn't been in the bank that day, I honestly don't think I'd be here right now.” A few months of acting classes later, she landed her first screen role. Ok, it was in Children of the Corn III, but still. Actor Liam Neeson returns to his New York home March 19, 2009, after his wife Natasha Richardson was pronounced dead after a freakish skiing accident in Canada. Ken Murray/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images Liam Neeson
Black Cloud: At an age when most lead actors are edging into supporting gigs, the Irish thespian seemed to be pulling off something truly unique in 2009: a late-career transformation into an action star. His down-and-dirty revenge flick Taken shocked pundits by earning a quarter of a billion dollars; Neeson was finally muscling onto the box office A-list. Then, tragedy: his wife Natasha Richardson died of a freak head injury skiing the beginner’s slope at a Canadian resort. Paparazzi photos from the time show the face of a broken man. Silver Lining: “Her death was never real [to me]. It still kind of isn't," Neeson told 60 Minutes earlier this year. But he survived—and thrived—by throwing his full energies into his career and raising his two young sons. Now Neeson is at the peak of his bankability. “I’m 61 years of age, man,” he says. “Going around fighting all these guys...I feel a bit embarrassed.” Taken 2, Unknown and Non-stop were worldwide hits, earning Neeson a $20 million payday for Taken 3. And many believe the kick-ass authority he brings to roles displays more than just the gifts of a skilled actor—it’s the work of a man who has known devastating sorrow and channeled it into performances of ferocity and passion. Michael C. Hall on stage during the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles, Jan. 17, 2010. That year the Dexter star was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma one year younger than his father died of prostate cancer. Before starting filming Season 5 on schedule, Hall went into an aggressive regimen of treatment that put his cancer in full remission. Vince Bucci/NBC Universal, Inc./Getty Images Michael C Hall
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Black Cloud: The great Italian composer fell into an abyss in 1840, at 27. His second opera had been a resounding flop, closing on opening night. Far worse: over the past two years, his beloved wife and both infant children had died, victims of cholera. Despondent, Verdi became a recluse, reading trashy Victorian novels and writing not a note. He planned to give up composing altogether. When a producer sent him the text for a proposed new Biblical opera, Nabucco, he threw it on the table in disgust. Silver Lining: Call it divine inspiration or good fortune. But as the composer later recalled, “The roll of paper opened out; and without knowing quite how, I found myself staring at the page in front of me and my eyes fell on this line: ‘Va pensiero sull’ali dorati.’” (Translated: “Fly, thought, on the golden wings.”) The words—the opening of a chorus of exiled Hebrew slaves—gave Verdi a jolt: he saw the number as a metaphor for his nation’s patriots, struggling to free themselves from Austrian rule. He started writing obsessively. Nabucco proved to be a smash, and Verdi went on to become Italy’s most celebrated composer, writing works like Aida and Rigoletto. “Va, pensiero,” meanwhile, is a melody everybody in Italy knows by heart; in 2008, an Italian senator proposed making it the national anthem. Verdi is a classic example of the people who would turn their lives around no matter what happened. Walt Disney works at the desk in Mickey Mouse Studios just outside of Los Angeles in 1933. After a disastrous early career in Kansas City, Disney headed out to Hollywood where he built an empire around a mouse, perhaps modeled on the tame mouse who shared the office where he was forced to sleep back in Kansas City. Bettmann/Getty Images Walt Disney
Black Cloud: Early on in his career, Disney proved to be a sputtering, crashing business dud. In 1923, at age 20, Disney started the Laugh-o-Grams company—an animation studio supplying shorts to Kansas City movie theaters. Always the visionary, he embarked on groundbreaking and vastly expensive projects like a combo live action and cartoon flick called Alice’s Wonderland. (Spoiler: It was no wonderland.) Big Walt lacked the financial acumen to back up his high-octane creativity. He soon found himself virtually homeless, sleeping in his office (where he befriended a tame mouse) and taking showers at the train station. Just a year after opening his doors, he was forced to declare bankruptcy. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS