Your parents always know what’s best, right? Whether they’re trying to push you towards marriage and family or they’re encouraging you to pursue the life of the mind, it seems like the people who brought you into this world have all the answers when it comes to living your best life. But sometimes, their wishes don’t match up with what you want for yourself—and that can lead to some conflict when it comes to figuring out your own life path.
1) Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith is one of the many celebrities whose parents were against them pursuing fame. His famous parents, Jada and Will Smith, are very strict in their parenting style and have always wanted to shield Jaden from the spotlight. The Smiths have said No matter how old he gets, he’ll always be our little boy. As a result, they’ve been vocal about their disapproval of Jaden’s pursuit in the entertainment industry. They worry that it will lead him down a path that has caused so many other child stars to lose control and go downhill. But there’s one thing the Smiths don’t know: Jaden doesn’t need their approval to pursue his dreams because he already knows what he wants for himself.
2) Beyoncé
Beyoncé is one of the most famous celebrities in the world, but she also has a difficult story. Her parents were against her pursuing fame and even tried to put her into college as a way to dissuade her from making music. She originally planned to pursue a career in law, but by the age of 22 she knew that it was too late to change careers. Beyoncé said, I always knew what I wanted to do! I was on Destiny’s Child and after that I wanted to do my solo career. In 2002 she released the album ‘Dangerously in Love,’ which had a more aggressive sound than her previous work with Destiny’s Child.
3) Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez’s parents didn’t approve of her pursuit of fame. They wanted her to pursue a more stable profession, like law or medicine. She was too determined to give up on her dream and by age 20, she had already signed with a record label. After dropping out of college, Jennifer Lopez became the first Latina actress to earn $1 million for one movie role and later went on to star in the iconic film Selena. Her hard work and dedication paid off as today she is worth an estimated net worth of $250 million.
4) Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga’s father left when she was five years old. Her mother raised her and her four siblings by herself, with little money. At the age of eighteen, Lady Gaga was performing at open mic nights in New York City. Her mother didn’t approve and told her that if she wanted to continue to pursue music then she could not come back home again. Lady Gaga moved out and went on to become one of the most successful artists in recent history with a net worth of $275 million. She attributes this to always following her heart, saying follow your heart as long as you know what you’re doing.
5) Leonardo DiCaprio
When Leonardo DiCaprio was just a teenager, he began pursuing an acting career in Hollywood. It seemed, however, that his parents were dead-set against the idea. In the end, they reluctantly allowed him to stay in Los Angeles for three months if he agreed to take regular correspondence courses from home. He finished his high school degree by doing this and then went on to pursue a very successful career in film and television. Along with being one of the most handsome men alive, Leonardo is also worth over $200 million.
6) Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is one celebrity whose parents were 100% against him pursuing fame. His father, Bill, was a former college football player and a successful businessman who never wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. However, Brad couldn’t stay away from the spotlight for long. He began acting classes at age 17 and signed with an agent shortly after graduating from high school. And though he didn’t pursue fame on purpose, it eventually found him when he starred in Thelma and Louise. To this day, his father still doesn’t approve of his acting career and will occasionally joke that he wishes Brad would get a real job.
7) Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie’s parents were not happy about their daughter’s pursuit of fame. They tried to talk her out of it, telling her that she should go to college instead. When Angelina was 17 and told them she was going to be an actress, they cut off contact with her for six years. Her father even threatened to kill himself when he found out Angelina had won the Golden Globe award in 1999 for best supporting actress. After winning the Academy Award in 2000 for Best Supporting Actress for Girl Interrupted, she was finally able to convince them she wasn’t going anywhere.
8) Justin Bieber
Bieber’s parents were not supportive of his pursuit of fame. Bieber has said that he had a really tough time when he was growing up and that his dad didn’t want him to pursue music. He went on to say, My dad was always like, ‘What are you doing? And then my mom would be like, ‘You should just be happy being a kid.’ It is no wonder that Justin tried out for the American Idol show three times before finally making it onto the show in 2007.
Justin ended up going home in seventh place, but not after impressing judges with performances of The Lazy Song, Gotta Be Somebody, and Stand By Me. Bieber continued working hard at his craft during the years following American Idol and finally released an EP called Journals in 2013 which sold over 600 thousand copies within its first week of release. His debut album followed shortly after in November 2015 selling over 200 thousand copies on iTunes alone within 24 hours of its release!
