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Marilyn Monroe had an exceptional career and a major impact on the world, but her personal life was troubled. Her mother, Gladys Pearl Baker, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was unable to care for her daughter.

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It's reported that Monroe was given to her first foster family when she was only two weeks old. Her mother was an inconsistent figure in her life and she was fostered by various family friends until she was old enough to strike out on her own, initially working as a model.

▲Cher grew up as the daughter of a struggling actress. Her mother couldn't always earn enough to provide for herself and her daughter, so she would hand Cher over to the foster care system until she could make ends meet.

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Cher's mother also struggled with illness, which made it an even greater challenge to support her family. As a result, Cher spent much of her childhood in and out of foster care. She was eventually able to live with her mother again, with the support of her grandmother.

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Actor Pierce Brosnan is best known for playing the sophisticated spy, James Bond, but Brosnan came from rather humble beginnings in Ireland. His father left his mother when he was young, and he was left in foster care when his mother left the country to train as a nurse.

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His mother left when he was four years old and initially, he stayed with his grandparents. They sadly died when he was six, and he bounced around being fostered by various family and friends until he was 10 years old.

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John Lennon grew up in the UK during a scary time. It was World War II and his father was away at sea for almost two years. When his father returned, he divorced Lennon's mother, leaving them alone.

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Lennon had some behavioral issues, which got worse when his mother started dating someone new. She struggled to cope with the situation, and gave him up to be fostered by his aunt and uncle. He was raised by them and went on to become one of the leading members of The Beatles.

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Simone Biles is an exceptionally talented athlete who broke the mould for Olympian gymnasts. She holds multiple world titles for the most gold medals, but she didn't have the luckiest start in life.

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Biles' mother struggled with drug addiction and was unable to care for her four children. Biles and her siblings lived in and out of foster care for six years, until they were finally adopted by their grandparents. Biles now advocates for greater investment in the foster care system.

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Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx was born to two very young parents in a small town in Texas. They felt unable to carry the responsibility of a child and gave him up shortly after he was born.

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Foxx was fostered by his grandparents, who officially adopted him when he was just seven months old. He was raised in an extremely strict Christian household where non-religious music was not permitted, but his grandmother still encouraged his talents and supported him to success.

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Eddie Murphy's parents got divorced when he was three years old, and his father passed away when he was eight. Around that time his mother also became seriously ill and had to spend time in hospital.

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With no alternative, Murphy and his brothers spent a year in foster care while their mother recovered. He said that it was a difficult time, but was also one of the experiences that helped him to develop his sense of humor. Luckily, he was able to return to live with his mother when he was nine years old.

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Coco Chanel suffered a great deal of tragedy in her early life. Her mother died when she was 12 years old. It was the late 19th century and her father sent her and her sister to live at an orphanage. It was run by a Catholic organization that cared for the poor and displaced.

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Chanel was never adopted so she spent years living within the care system. One positive that came out of her time at the orphanage was that the nuns taught her to sew.

▲Comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish described her foster care experience in her memoir, 'The Last Black Unicorn.' Haddish and her siblings were raised by their mother until she was 12 years old. Sadly her mother was injured in a serious car accident which altered her behavior, making her violent and abusive.

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Haddish and her siblings were removed from her care and distributed among various foster families. She described the fear and uncertainty of being dropped at a strangers house, not knowing if they would be kind or cruel.

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Steve Jobs' mother was an unmarried student and his father was a Syrian immigrant. His mother's parents threatened to disown her if she kept the baby, so she gave him up for adoption as soon as he was born.

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Jobs was entered into the foster care system and quickly joined the family of Paul and Clara Jobs. They adopted him and introduced him to electronics, encouraging his passion and paying for his education.

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'Goodfellas' (1990) star Ray Liotta was given up by his parents almost immediately after he was born. They were struggling for money and couldn't financially support a child.

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Liotta was entered into the foster care system and eventually adopted by an Italian family who gave him his beautiful last name. They also adopted another child, Linda, who would become his sister.

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Actress and former host of 'The View' Rosie Perez was a ward of the state for almost 10 years as a child. Her mother struggled with mental illness and was unable to care for her, so she was handed over to a Catholic children's home when she was only three years old.

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Perez was moved around to different places through the foster care system for years. She wrote about the tough experience in her memoir 'Handbook for an Unpredictable Life.' Perez is now a passionate advocate for children's rights.

▲Famous Olympian Greg Louganis was reportedly placed into the foster care system at birth. He spent nine months with a foster family until he was adopted.

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Louganis went on to become an Olympic diver winning five gold medals. He has since used his platform to promote fostering and raise awareness for the assistance the system desperately needs.

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Colin Kaepernick is a famous civil rights activist and former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. His father left his mother before he was born, and she decided to give him up. He was handed over to the system and adopted by two loving parents.

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British singer-songwriter Seal was given to the foster care system by his parents when he was born. He remained there for four years. He eventually returned to his biological parents, although his father was physically abusive.

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When he was 17, Seal chose to move out and became homeless rather than live at home with his family. He overcame his difficult circumstances and went on to sell 20 million records worldwide with songs like 'Kiss From A Rose' and 'Crazy.'

Sources: (Reader's Digest) (Brightside) (Capstone Foster Care) (Time Out Fostering)

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It can be seriously challenging and painful to deal with instability when growing up. Children usually fare best when they have consistent love and support, and a stable routine. Being separated from your parents and changing homes is far from the ideal scenario, but it can occasionally also be the best thing for everyone involved. Entering the foster care system certainly doesn't mean that a child won't go on to do great things. This list of celebrities proves just that.

In some cases, fostering and adoption really did bring these future stars the love and stability they needed. In other cases, the adversity they faced pushed them to develop their talents and fight for a better life. Click through the gallery to see which stars spent time in the foster care system growing up.