As this is one of the more recent pictures on hour list, we suspect many people will be familiar with the sad tale of Heath Ledger. He passed away just as his career appeared to be approaching its prime. He'd given us a breathtaking and heartbreaking performance in 'Brokeback Mountain,' and then provided what will probably always be considered the definitive version of 'Batman' villain the Joker in 'The Dark Knight.' Before he could even enjoy the success of the latter film, he'd died of an apparently accidental drug overdose.
At the time of his death in January 2008, Ledger was working on a movie entitled 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus', from the set of which this picture was taken the day before Ledger's death. The movie went on to be completed without him; Ledger's acting friends agreed to share the part with him, making his role an ensemble one. The fantasy nature of the film allowed for that possibility, and so Ledger's final recorded work was released to the public in 2009.
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.