Her kindergarten portrait is the only one of her early years that has survived; it is a somber picture of a girl who, even at that young age, knew what it meant to have less than others.

She is now not just a well-known actress but also a voice for people who have gone through similar struggles as her.

She experienced adversity and deprivation as a child. The family of eight depended on food stamps, which frequently ran out before the month was up, as her parents struggled to make ends meet with stable employment and factory work. Her only consistent source of food was school lunches, and hunger was a frequent companion.

The hard winters, frozen plumbing, and nighttime swarms of rats tormented their home. She refused to let her surroundings dictate her future in spite of these circumstances. Rather, she cultivated an aspiration to liberate herself, utilizing knowledge and imagination to propel her path to a more promising future.