Can you guess which iconic actor went from living in a rundown New York “flophouse” for just $150 a month to owning a peaceful farm with his family? This actor’s humble beginnings are a stark contrast to his current life surrounded by farm animals and home-grown vegetables. From a young age, he was drawn to acting, often dressing up as movie characters after trips to the theater and using a box of old clothes saved by his mom to fuel his imagination.
In 1976, after moving from Philadelphia to New York City to pursue his dream, he spent months crashing on his sister’s couch before finding a cheap “artist’s residence” through an ad in the Village Voice. The space was far from glamorous, and he even had to share it with a classical pianist for four years. Despite the modest living conditions, the actor fondly recalls the calming sound of piano music late at night and his passion for the arts, which he viewed as a form of divine expression, much more important than the business world.
