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Stephen Baldwin - The actor filed for bankruptcy in 2009 as he owed money on taxes and a couple of mortgages.

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Nicolas Cage - Despite being one of Hollywood's biggest stars at the time, Cage managed to spend all his fortune. He had to pay US$6 million in back taxes, causing him to have to sell many of his belongings, including a treasured comic book.

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Toni Braxton - The 'Un-Break My Heart' singer had to file for bankruptcy twice, in 1998 and 2010. The first time she claimed it was related to low royalties from her record label, and the second was after she had to cancel her Vegas show due to an illness.

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Larry King - In 1978, the late talk show host's debt reached US$353,000, which caused him to declare bankruptcy just months before he landed the radio show that led to his 25-year gig on CNN.

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Kevin Spacey -

In the case of disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, years of lawsuits and legal defense costs have plunged him into debt. The 64-year-old recently gave a tell-all interview with controversial TV personality Piers Morgan in which he disclosed his current financial ruin. Spacey was accused of many cases of assault and misconduct during the Me Too Movement which led to him being fired from the successful show 'House of Cards.' Although he was found not guilty in his civil case against actor Anthony Rapp in the US and his nine criminal charges at his UK trial, he says he now owes millions in legal fees that he doesn't know how to pay. 

Morgan asked Spacey where he was currently living, to which the actor responded, "It’s funny you ask that question because this week, where I have been living in Baltimore is being foreclosed on. My house is being sold at auction, so I have to go back to Baltimore and put my things in storage." He continued, "So the answer to that question is, I’m not sure where I am going to live now." Spacey was in tears as he was asked if he was facing bankruptcy. “There’s been a couple of times when I thought I was going to file but we’ve managed to dodge it, at least as of today.”  Regardless, Spacey is millions of dollars in debt, without a home, and claims to have no money. 

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Armie Hammer -

Armie Hammer, whose career was devastated by serious allegations of abuse and cannibalistic desires, is selling his beloved truck due to financial difficulties. The actor, who has always denied these claims, has been ostracized from Hollywood and has lost numerous roles since the allegations surfaced. Having not been in a film since 'Death on the Nile' (2022), Hammer revealed his recent struggles in a video posted on Instagram. "(...) I’m selling my truck. Since being back in L.A., I have put about 4 or 500 dollars worth of gas in it, and I can’t afford it. I can’t afford the gas anymore,” he lamented.

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Lindsay Lohan - From owing more than US$80,000 in rent, to owing US$234,000 in back taxes, the former child star has faced a number of financial struggles.

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Tom Petty - The rocker declared bankruptcy in 1979 after his record label was acquired by another company which forced the label to void his contract.

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Bob Odenkirk -

In a 2022 interview with Howard Stern, 'Better Call Saul' star Bob Odenkirk revealed that he nearly went bankrupt in the early 2000s. The actor had a successful career up to that point but a couple of failed directorial ventures had left him in a "financial hole." He directed the movies 'Let's Go to Prison' (2006) and 'The Brothers Solomon' (2007), both of which were box office flops. He was in a bad position financially when his agent called him and told him he'd been offered a part on the series 'Breaking Bad.' The show wasn't a big deal at the time, but his agent told him couldn't say no. Odenkirk says he responded "dude, I haven't said 'no' in a year and a half, but maybe you didn't notice that!" Naturally, 'Breaking Bad' became one of the most critically-acclaimed shows in history, and Odenkirk got his own spin-off in 'Better Call Saul.'

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Christy Carlson Romano -

Christy Carlson Romano and Shia LaBeouf co-starred on the hit Disney show 'Even Stevens' when they were teenagers. Shia LaBeouf went on to become a major star, but the world sort of lost track of Carlson Romano. She went on to voice the lead character in the animated series 'Kim Possible,' and ended up going to university. She was earning a great deal of money at the time but didn't invest any of it or buy a house. She cut ties with her family after college because she didn't like how they managed her finances and went on a spending spree in an effort to make herself feel better. Carlson Romano admitted she never really learned how to manage her money and now wants her own daughters to be educated about their finances. She ended up making and losing millions in those early years, and is sharing her story as a cautionary tale. 

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Michael Jackson - The King of Pop was supposedly US$400 million in debt at the time of his tragic death. He was also reportedly close to foreclosure on his famous Neverland home.

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50 Cent - The rapper filed for bankruptcy in 2015 after he was ordered to pay US$5 million to a woman who said he posted her intimate tape online without her permission.

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Pamela Anderson - The former 'Baywatch' star was forced to sell her Malibu home for more than US$7 million to pay what she owed in overdue taxes to the IRS.

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Floyd Mayweather - Despite being nicknamed "Money," the boxer owed a whopping US$22 million to the IRS in 2017, and a further US$6.7 in 2024. 

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Ulysses S. Grant - After leaving the White House, the 18th US president became a partner in the financial firm Grant and Ward. His partner embezzled investors' money, which left both the firm and Grant bankrupt in 1884.

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Gary Coleman - The 'Diff’rent Strokes' actor said his parents spent most of his money when he was a child actor. He recovered some money following a lawsuit, but he filed for bankruptcy in 1999. Coleman passed away in 2010.

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Mark Twain - One of America's most renowned authors went bankrupt in 1894, following the failings of his publishing house. Twain regained financial stability through his writing, but then lost a US$30,000 investment in a protein powder.

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MC Hammer - The 'U Can't Touch This' rapper went on a spending spree and had to declare bankruptcy in 1996 as he was US$13 million in debt.

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Burt Reynolds -

The 'Boogie Nights' actor filed for bankruptcy in 1996 when he was US$10 million in debt.

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Cyndi Lauper - The 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' singer filed for bankruptcy in the early 1980s before she became the pop sensation she still is today.

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Dennis Rodman - In 2012, the eccentric former basketball player owed more than US$800,000 in child support for his two kids, but claimed he could barely afford his basic expenses.

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Kim Basinger - The 'L.A. Confidential' Oscar-winning actress bought a 1,691-acre town for US$20 million in the late 1980s with the intention of transforming it into a tourist attraction, like a theme park. Her plan failed, however, and she had to sell the property for a loss to get back on her feet.

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Marvin Gaye - The soul singer's spending habits caused him to file for bankruptcy and fall behind on alimony payments to his first wife. A judge later ordered him to pay his ex-wife US$600,000 from royalties of his upcoming album, 'Here, My Dear.'

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Mick Fleetwood - The Fleetwood Mac drummer declared bankruptcy in 1984.

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Mike Tyson - Mayweather isn't the only boxer to make the list. Heavyweight champion Mike Tyson had a US$23 million debt in 2003, which caused him to declare bankruptcy. It took returning to jail and going through rehab before he regained financial stability.

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Janice Dickinson - The former supermodel filed for bankruptcy in 2013 after falling about US$800,000 in debt due to unpaid taxes and plastic surgery bills.

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Lena Headey - Even after scoring a role in 'Game of Thrones,' the actress, who plays Queen Cersei, said that at one point she had US$5 in her bank account and had to sell her Hollywood home at a loss to get back on her feet.

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Willie Nelson -

The popular country singer filed for bankruptcy in 1990 as he owed more than US$16 million to the IRS. Shortly after he released the album 'The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories,' whose proceeds went straight to the government.

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Lauryn Hill - The award-winning rapper spent three months in jail in 2013 for failing to pay taxes on more than US$1.8 million earned between 2005 and 2007.

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Meat Loaf -

The 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' actor and musician was hit with a series of lawsuits brought forth by a former collaborator and his ex-manager. He had to declare a chapter 11 bankruptcy to keep them from continuing to file new suits.

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Wayne Newton - Despite being the highest-earning performer in 1983, Newton was bankrupt and US$20 million in debt by 1992. His financial troubles continued, and in 2005, the IRS sued him for failing to pay US$1.8 million on the sale of a house.

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Michael Vick - The former Falcons quarterback filed for bankruptcy in 2008 after spending 21 months in prison for operating a dog-fighting ring.

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Gary Busey -

The 'Lethal Weapon' actor filed for bankruptcy in 2012 with debts between US$500,000 and US$1 million.

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Jack Veal -

Jack Veal, a 17-year-old actor known for his role as kid Loki in Marvel’s 'Loki' series (starring Tom Hiddleston), urgently called for help from the system, saying he has no home just three weeks before Christmas. "I can't stay with my grandparents since my grandfather is seriously ill. I have no other place to go and I urgently need help," Veal explained. He mentioned that he’s been staying in an unsafe trailer with broken windows and that social services haven't provided assistance. Feeling desperate, he begged his followers to spread the word about his situation. Fortunately, it seems social services finally got involved.

See also: Celebrities who own private islands

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