Everybody we've seen on this list so far has been a singer, an actor, or Kim Kardashian. Here's an entry from a completely different theater of the arts; Frida Kahlo. The Mexican artist was famous for her portraits; both of herself and of others. She was a trailblazer of her time, pushing boundaries for women in the arts, and today she's revered as an icon both of feminists and of the LGBTQ community. A constant theme of her art was the idea of giving a voice to the voiceless. Her skill made her an artist, but her beliefs made her a hero.
What better way is there to pay tribute to a great artist than to commission some art of your own? Fortunately, Kahlo painted so many self-portraits that there were plenty to draw inspiration from. It also makes the work of the tattoo artist easier if they're copying a drawing of a person rather than a photo of the real person; it means they don't have to worry about being photo-realistic with their own work!
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.