Drawn to acting from an early age, Philip Seymour Hoffman began his acting career shortly after graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the early 1990s. Over the years, Hoffman became well-known for his strength as a supporting actor in many movies from the 1990s and early 2000s.
More recently, you'll find Hoffman's face amongst the star-studded cast of the popular "Hunger Games" series of movies. Not content to focus on only the big screen, Hoffman's talents also drew him to the live stage as an accomplished theatre director and actor. Sadly, the drug addictions that haunted him as a young adult resurfaced in his later years. Relapsing in 2013 after many years of sobriety, Hoffman was found passed away in his Manhattan apartment on February 2, 2014. His legacy is that of a life well lived and dedicated to the mastery of his craft. Fellow actors in both film and theatre regard him as one of the most amazing acting talents of his generation.
Not all celebrities have fame and fortune, some are just famous – and in a ton of debt. They came from rags to riches, then went back to rags. Whether they’ve filed bankruptcy, ended up in court, or just can’t stop spending, celebrities mismanage their money just like everyone else. They just hide it well.
50 Cent coined the term “wanksta,” then “partied like it was his birthday” until he filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015. The rapper was said to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million in debt. In 2016, a federal bankruptcy court judge in Connecticut approved a plan for the founder of G-Unit to pay his debts back. He was able to get his bankruptcy discharged in February of the following year.
Following a 45-year-long career in Hollywood, acting in more than 70 films, actor Gary Busey found himself in more debt than he was worth. In 2012, it was reported that Busey owed between $500,000 and $1 million worth of debt, but only had $50,000 to his name. The 74-year-old actor owed money to hospitals, banks, the L.A. Waterworks District, and even a storage company. He filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy that same year. Despite his longstanding career in Hollywood, Busey's net worth is now only $500,000.
Burt Reynolds is still worth five million dollars, but his battles with debt date back more than 20 years. Between bad investments and a pricey divorce from actress Loni Anderson, the 1970s superstar had to deal with over $10 million in debt and decided to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996. While testifying in a 1994 custody hearing, the South Florida native said he spent $40 million getting through his divorce.
The former Hollywood bad boy, Charlie Sheen owes the IRS nearly $5 million. But that's not all. In 2016, his net worth was reportedly still as high as $150 million, but he was nonetheless $12 million in debt at the time – including mortgages, legal fees, and taxes. That same year, Debt.com reported Sheen owed nearly $300,000 on an American Express card alone.