Stars Who Struggled Before Making It Big

Sarah Jessica Parker

Before she was Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker was the fourth of eight children from Ohio. From a young age, she knew she had to provide for her family financially since her mother was a school teacher and her stepfather was often unemployed. She would bring home money from song and dance performances.

At age 11, she got a part on Broadway in New York City, so her family moved there to support her acting career. Parker and her siblings acted in Broadway plays during this time and she also attended the American Ballet Theater and New York Professional Children’s School. At age 16, she moved to Hollywood and became a star with the sitcom Square Pegs in 1982.