NOT rich, but famous! These stars were once worth MILLIONS but blew their fortune

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NOT rich, but famous!
It's easy to think that once a star has made it in Hollywood that they are set for life. These stars managed to command top dollar for their movies, music and various TV and advertising deals but were far too keen to flash the cash. Take a look through to see which stars raked it in before frittering it all away.
2/11
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan was one of the biggest stars of the early 2000s and could reportedly command a $7 million dollar salary for a single film. By 2005, she was thought to be worth a whopping $30million thanks to her roles movies such as 'Freaky Friday' and 'Mean Girls' but after a few years, she had stepped back from the limelight after a tumultuous time with fame and her fortune dwindled down to a mere $10,000. One particular incident saw 'The Parent Trap' star banned from the swanky Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles because she had racked up a bill of $46,000 and refused to pay. In 2019, Lindsay returned to acting in 'Among the Shadows' and is set to star in upcoming holiday movie 'Falling For Christmas' in 2022. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her earnings have clawed back up to $1.5million. (©BANG Showbiz)
3/11
Pamela Anderson
The glamour model - who was most recently seen starring in 'Chicago' on Broadway - is worth $20 million today and reportedly earned $6.6 million per season of 'Baywatch' but after leaving the show in 1997, Pamela took a few years out of the spotlight and her earnings were said to dwindle down to nothing over her "expensive tastes." An insider said: "Her taste for all things expensive – first-class travel, sprawling properties decked with gold, lavish cars – have emptied out the bank balance as the flood of mega-money roles slowed to a trickle."
4/11
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick shot to fame as a pop star in the 1960s and scored memorable hits with 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' and 'Walk on By' but in her later years reportedly owed $10 million in back taxes and was said to be worth as little as $1000 at the time. Although she eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2013, the following year legal documents noted that the star - whose debts dated back to 1991 - was excused from paying anything at all. Dionne's lawyer later claimed that the star had been a "innocent victim of terrible mismanagement" during her career. These days, Dionne is estimated to have a net worth of $500,000 after returning to the recording studio in 2019 for a Christmas album and most recently launched a residency in Las Vegas in early 2022.
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Lady Gaga
The globally renowned pop star shot to fame back in 2008 with the release of 'Just Dance' and followed the hit single up with tracks such as 'Poker Face' and 'Paparazzi'. But during her second world tour in 2010, the Grammy Award winning star was shocked to learn that she was bankrupt. She recalled: "And it was funny because I didn’t know! And I remember I called everybody and said, ‘Why is every­one saying I have no money? This is ridiculous, I have five No. 1 singles.’ And they said, ‘Well, you’re $3 million in debt." However, just a few years after her bankruptcy Gaga was said to have raked in $50 million in just a few months but has been keen to stress that money "means nothing" to her. (©BANG Showbiz)
6/11
Johnny Depp
The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star recently won a defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard and was awarded $10million in damages, but was financially broke in 2016 after spending million to buy three islands in the Bahamas as well as a reported $300,000 a month on staff and $30,000 per month on wine. The actor - who was once thought to be worth $150 million - had been with agent Tracey Jacobs for several years and she later claimed he had asked the agency for $20 million while he was broke. She said: "[He said] 'I want you to give me $20 million.' It was not discussed — the question was not asked as a loan. He felt that he had made a lot of money for us and that we should just do it because of how much money he had made over the duration of his being at UTA."
7/11
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York married into the British Royal Family back in 1986 when she tied the knot with Queen Elizabeth's second son Prince Andrew. The couple went on to have daughters Beatrice and Eugenie but split in 1992 and divorced four years later. Although she received a reported £3million from as part of the divorce settlement, by 2010 Fergie was said to be doing "everything she can" to avoid bankruptcy. At the time, the Queen was said to be "deeply concerned" about her former daughter-in-law. In recent years, Sarah has made a number of media appearances and in 2021 released her debut novel 'Her Heart for a Compass' but explained that she has always had "little concept" of money because of her time with the Royal Family.
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Meat Loaf
Late music legend Meat Loaf - who died aged 74 in January 2022 as a result of complications brought on by COVID-19 - was worth a reported $40 million when he passed away but back in the early 1980s was declared bankrupt after poor money management as well as 45 lawsuits which racked up $80 million in legal costs. At the time, he said: "It's shameful. I ended up bankrupt. I lost my house and everything — even the publishing rights to my songs, which the Bankruptcy Court took away." (© BANG Showbiz)
9/11
Mel B
Mel B was part of the iconic 1990s group The Spice Girls and during the band's heyday she and bandmates Geri Halliwell, Melanie C, Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham were said to be earning $75 million a year thanks to hit record sales and several lucrative endorsement deals. But in 2018, Scary Spice was said to be down to her last £900 following her messy divorce from Stephen Belafonte in 2017. When ordered to pay Stephen - with whom she has daughter Madison - a hefty $500,00, Mel told the judge: "I will effectively be insolvent and will in all likelihood have to file for bankruptcy. I simply do not have the ability to pay such an exorbitant sum." However, by 2021, Mel had joined the Spice Girls once again for a reunion tour and appeared on TV show 'The Masked Singer', with her company Moneyspider Productions now showing a healthier balance of £649,313 ($800,000.)
10/11
Nicolas Cage
The Hollywood star had managed to rack up a reported net worth of $150million thanks to his roles in hit films such as 'National Treasure' and 'Leaving Las Vegas' but by 2009 owed the Internal Revenue Service a mega $6.3 million. The actor is said to have squandered his fortune on extravagant purchases like 67-million-year-old Tarbosaurus dinosaur skull, more than 50 antique cars and had 15 mansions at the time. Nicolas later took his "incompetent business manager" to court and sued him for $20million, claiming that the accountant had led him "down a path toward financial ruin." The case was dismissed but by 2021, Nicolas claimed he had "finished paying off all his debts" after signing up to star in 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.'
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Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was the King of Pop who earned a reported $500 million with hits such as 'Billie Jean' and 'Smooth Criminal', but by the early 2000s was spending $20-30 million more per year than he earned and was in debt by as much as $285 million. The tragic pop star died at the age of 50 from an accidental overdose in 2009 and was in a terrible financial state when he passed. Despite this, he continues to be one of the highest earning dead celebrities, with the Jackson estate pulling in $825 million in 2016. (©BANG Showbiz)

It's easy to think that once a star has made it in Hollywood that they are set for life. These stars managed to command top dollar for their movies, music and various TV and advertising deals but were far too keen to flash the cash. Take a look through to see which stars raked it in before frittering it all away.