From struggle to stardom

He became a millionaire at 65! 10 famous people who overcame the odds

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Success might look like a straight climb to the top, but for most people, it's a journey full of challenges. Even the most talented and hardworking individuals have faced tough obstacles along the way. Today, we bring the stories of 10 famous stars who pushed through hard times and came out successfully. Their experiences are sure to inspire you!

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Although he's the undisputed King to all of us, Elvis didn't always wear the crown. When he was very young, his family struggled through the Great Depression, and that was just the beginning of the hardships. As he grew older and set his sights on a music career, his unique style and revolutionary dance moves often got him turned down. After one of his early performances at the Grand Ole Opry, someone even told him he didn't have a future in music! Can you believe it? But Elvis never gave up, and the recording of That's All Right shot him to fame.

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Even our nation's Founding Fathers faced tough struggles to accomplish their goals. And Benjamin Franklin was no exception. As a child, his parents couldn't afford to send him to school. In fact, he only got a formal education for two years. He gained all his knowledge and wisdom through self-teaching and hands-on experimentation. Some of the fruits of his study and hard work include the lightning rod, bifocals, and much more, not to mention his many political and diplomatic contributions that helped the United States grow.

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When the renowned Jim Carrey was about 15, he had to drop out of school and work as a janitor alongside his brother to help support their family. Even after living in a van, the actor never gave up and kept pushing forward to make it in the entertainment industry. Despite facing early rejection as a stand-up comedian, his breakthrough eventually came with unforgettable roles in Ace Ventura, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber, and The Truman Show.

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Success can show up when you least expect it; just ask Colonel Harland Sanders. Before founding the famous KFC, he faced many hardships, including losing his father while still young, and taking on various jobs to support his younger siblings.

It wasn’t until his 40s that he opened his first restaurant, but the venture failed and nearly bankrupted him. When he later tried to sell his now-famous 11-spice recipe, he was rejected more than a thousand times before finally hearing a yes. Finally, at the age of 65, he launched one of the most iconic fast-food brands in the world.

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Although he’s one of the most recognized stars in the world today, the road to fame wasn’t easy for Sylvester Stallone. His first major challenge came at birth, when a complication caused partial facial paralysis. Later, when he pursued his dream of acting, he struggled to land any roles, which led to financial problems and even a period of homelessness. But he never stopped believing. During this time, he wrote the screenplay for the iconic Rocky and insisted on playing the lead role himself.

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Oprah faced poverty at a very young age, but it didn't stop her from reaching success. She worked hard in school and earned a scholarship to college. Early in her career, Oprah faced discrimination and setbacks in the media industry. At one of her first jobs as a TV reporter, a boss criticized her for "getting too emotionally involved with stories." However, it was exactly that sensitivity that helped make her the superstar she is today!

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Life can get hard for everyone, even geniuses! Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, is a perfect example. After overcoming many challenges to launch Apple, he was actually pushed out of his own company in 1985! But, as life often does, it rewarded him: Apple called him back in 1997 during a financial crisis. Jobs returned with bold ideas that led to revolutionary products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad—innovations that revived Apple and reshaped modern technology.

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Stephen King sent one of his earliest novels to 30 different publishers and got rejected by every single one. Want to know which novel it was? It was Carrie! Frustrated, he threw the manuscript in the trash, but his wife, Tabitha, retrieved it and reminded him that talent and perseverance go hand in hand. And that's exactly what happened! Today, he's one of the most famous writers in the world, with his books translated into dozens of languages and adapted into numerous films and TV series.

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Before becoming one of the greatest basketball players ever, Michael Jordan faced a tough time early in his career. As a teenager, he was cut from his high school’s varsity team. But instead of letting this rejection hold him back, it became a source of motivation! From that moment on, Michael poured all his energy into improving and proving himself. Coaches and critics doubted him too, questioning his size and skills. But, as everyone knows, his talent and determination ultimately won!

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We'll always remember Harrison Ford for his iconic role in Star Wars and for other major roles like Indiana Jones. But before becoming the star we know today, he had to face several hardships. When he moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s to pursue acting, he struggled to find work. So, to support his family, he taught himself carpentry. But fate had something special in store for him. One of his carpentry clients was none other than George Lucas himself! From there, the rest is history.

In your genes

You inherited what? 12 strange physical traits that run in families

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You may have never met your great-great-grandparents, but their biological legacy lives on in you in ways you might not expect. From tiny quirks in your body to odd preferences and physical features, ancestral survival and lifestyle choices have shaped what you carry today. Here are 12 surprising traits that science has linked to deep genetic inheritance.

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A thumb that bends backward at the top joint is known as a hitchhiker’s thumb. It results from a single gene variant.

This trait is controlled by a variation in the gene responsible for joint flexibility. Some people have it in both thumbs, while others only in one. It's a harmless variation that may have been more common in populations requiring greater dexterity.

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Some babies are born with blue or gray eyes that change color over time. The way this shift unfolds is written in your DNA.

After birth, melanin production in the iris increases over time. Genetic variants in the OCA2 and HERC2 genes regulate melanin levels. These subtle changes can take months or even years to settle into a final eye color.

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The ability to roll your tongue into a tube shape is often thought to be purely genetic, and that’s partially true. While you can learn to do it with a lot of practice, studies show it’s also influenced by genes.

Some populations have a higher percentage of tongue rollers, and the trait may have originally been a byproduct of muscle control needed for speech or food manipulation in early humans.

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Acrophobia, or intense fear of heights, has a genetic link tied to survival instincts from your prehistoric ancestors.

People with heightened depth perception or balance issues may inherit a stronger fight-or-flight response to elevation. This reaction likely helped early humans avoid dangerous cliffs or falling from trees.

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Strange as it sounds, redheads often experience pain differently. Some studies suggest they have a higher threshold for certain types of pain, while others indicate increased sensitivity to specific stimuli like cold or heat.

This is linked to ancient adaptations in the MC1R gene, which influences melanin production and also affects pain modulation through opioid receptors in the brain. Variants of this gene were more common in populations from colder regions, such as prehistoric Europe.

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Freckles are genetic, but they bloom with sun exposure due to the way ancestral DNA interacts with UV light.

In fact, the same MC1R gene involved in red hair also influences how melanin clusters into freckles. This is because freckling was advantageous for fair-skinned populations needing some UV protection without full pigmentation.

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The ability to digest milk into adulthood is a relatively recent mutation in human history. Populations with pastoralist ancestors—such as Northern Europeans and some East Africans—evolved lactase persistence, the continued production of the enzyme lactase that enables them to digest milk throughout adulthood.

Most of the world remains lactose intolerant, but those with this mutation can thank their ancestors for a genetic advantage linked to dairy-based survival.

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Weirdly enough, some people sneeze when exposed to sunlight or even just bright lights. This phenomenon, known as the "photic sneeze reflex," affects 18–35% of people and is linked to genetics.

While this inherited quirk is harmless, it likely results from crossed nerve signals between the optic and trigeminal nerves, the latter of which controls facial sensations and reflexes like sneezing.

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Also called Morton’s toe, this feature was once thought to improve balance or running efficiency. The trait is hereditary and common in certain populations.

Greek statues often depict this toe shape, suggesting it was either idealized or prevalent in ancient Mediterranean groups. Biomechanical studies show mixed results, but some suggest that a longer second toe can affect posture and gait.

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People with ancestry from colder regions often have inherited a better tolerance to cold. Adaptations such as higher basal metabolic rates, subcutaneous fat distribution, and heat-conserving blood vessel responses are linked to genetic clusters in populations like the Inuit or Sámi.

Genes like UCP1, which influence fat burning and thermogenesis, are more active in these populations.

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Some people have a vestigial muscle in the forearm that others lack entirely. Called the palmaris longus, it once helped tree-climbing primates enhance their arm strength.

Today, about 14% of people are born without it in one or both arms. It has little to no effect on grip strength, making it a living fossil of human evolution. Interestingly, when present, it’s often harvested for surgical grafts because its absence doesn’t impair function.

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Clockwise or counterclockwise hair whorls are influenced by genetics, and some studies link their direction to the same genes that affect handedness. However, identical twins can sometimes have opposite whorl patterns, suggesting a mix of genetics and early fetal environment.

This trait has no known survival function but may serve as a visible marker of underlying developmental processes during early embryonic growth.