If the Real Housewives have taught us anything, it’s that big dreams and Botox are as ubiquitous in Beverly Hills as a lost tourist looking for the Hollywood sign. But not everyone in Tinseltown has lived the luxurious life since birth. In fact, some of our favorite tabloid residents of Malibu and Bel Air came from humble beginnings, calling home to shelters, trailer parks, and even the back of a car. Here are 13 stars who went from rags to rich and famous.

Stieg Larsson didn’t live to see his books published, but even if he had, it’s unlikely he could have predicted the worldwide phenomenon they would become. Films based on Larsson’s Millennium series have already been released by producers in his native Sweden, and on December 21 we get to see the first installment of Hollywood’s version. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo—the original Swedish title is the much less marquee-friendly Men Who Hate Women—begins the tale of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and the incredible Lisbeth Salander, one of the coolest characters ever created. The cast has a lot of big stars; let’s see if you can guess who’s who.