Patricia Arquette and Thomas Jane came from very different backgrounds

Patricia Arquette was born into show business. In addition to her famous siblings, Rosanna, Richmond, David and Alexis, her father, Lewis, was an actor with an extensive filmography best known for his role as J.D. Pickett on The Waltons. Her grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette, famous for his Charley Weaver role. So when Patricia Arquette nabbed her first big-screen role at the age of seventeen, that certainly did not end a career of her being a starving artist.

Thomas Jane, on the other hand, did not come from a famous family, so his rise to stardom was fraught with a bit more difficulty. To wit: Jane was actually homeless the first few months he lived in Los Angeles. Jane slept on park benches and survived as a street performer until he started winning acting roles. But according to Jane, the experience just made him stronger, “You have to sacrifice everything you have. I was homeless for a couple of months there. I stayed in welfare hotels in downtown L.A. and when I wasn’t doing that I was living off of food stamps.”

Everyone in Hollywood has a story. Whether your father was a Walton, or you played your guitar on Santa Monica Boulevard for dollar bills, it’s the unique experiences that help you get ahead, and hopefully achieve your dreams.

Thomas Jane and Patricia Arquette/Image: Zuma Press