“Frugal” and “humble” aren’t words you’ll typically find in a sentence alongside “Kim Kardashian” or “Leonardo DiCaprio.” However, celebrity status doesn’t necessarily preclude you from being mindful of your spending.
A few celebrities have developed a reputation for humility, living beneath their means while achieving the rarified “everyman” status.
1. Cillian Murphy
Peaky Blinders fans might know him as Thomas Shelby, while The Dark Knight series fans know him as Scarecrow. On the other hand, residents of Dublin, Ireland, know actor Cillian Murphy as the humble movie and TV star that moved his family back home because their London accents were too “posh.”
While critics noted that he sends his kids to the best schools in Dublin, that’s just good parenting. A movie start living in Dublin is about as humble as it gets and is pleasingly true to the Peaky Blinders brand.
2. Michael Sheen
One of those actors that most casual filmgoers will recognize but cannot name, Michael Sheen brands himself as a “not-for-profit actor.”
The Welsh actor sold his house to fund a Homeless World Cup in 2019. The event pits homeless individuals from nations worldwide against each other in a soccer tournament to end homelessness. That’s Michael Sheen, not to be confused with Charlie Sheen.
3. Jimmy Carter
Takes notes, politicians. President Jimmy Carter lived most of his life in a two-bedroom ranch house he built in 1961. Carter has had to move to hospice care, but the president’s rejection of the consumerist lifestyle is utterly legendary. He spent his lifetime building houses for others through Habitat for Humanity.
4. Kieran Culkin
Perhaps it’s just a case of Macaulay’s shadow forever looming large, but Kieran Culkin of Succession fame lived in a one-bedroom New York City apartment for 19 years, including with his wife and newborn child.
Culkin admits that he could not afford a larger space for most of his acting career, but he was filming the third season of Succession before deciding to upgrade. So he could have finally gotten around to watching Home Alone 2 and got inspiration from Kevin’s digs at The Plaza Hotel.
5. Ed Begley, Jr.
Actor and producer Ed Begley, Jr. is another one of those faces you’ve seen in no less than 15 movies but probably can’t remember which. His film credits include Pineapple Express and Best in Show, but even more notable is the picture of Begley taking the Los Angeles Red Line train to the Oscars in 2018. The avowed environmentalist is really about that life.
6. Rob Gronkowski
“Gronk” earned a reported $70 million in salary across 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) but claims that he has lived exclusively off income from endorsement deals. It proves that you can take the Gronk out of upstate New York, but you can’t take the upstate New York blue-collar frugality out of the Gronk.
7. Chow Yun-Fat
While he’s not exactly a household name in the United States, Chow Yun-Fat is an Asian film star known for his role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and spends a reported $141 per month. He is known for using public transportation and has pledged to donate his nine-figure fortune when he passes away.
8. Keira Knightley
The Pirates of the Caribbean star reportedly pays herself between $20,000 and $50,000 per year in salary, depending on which source you read. She also reportedly has gone entire years without purchasing clothing or makeup. Which, when you’re Keira Knightley, is something you can get away with.
9. Christian Bale
While I haven’t done a full financial audit of Christian Bale, he surely enjoys some of the luxuries of being a megastar. Yet, fans have seen Bale driving a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. Hardly The Batmobile…
10. Jack Johnson
A musician with a cult following and many uber-successful albums, Jack Johnson reportedly still flies coach and spends most of his time in a modest home in Hawaii. Another environmentalist who lives off the earth and lives to surf, Johnson is one of the more down-to-earth musicians you will find.
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
