There was a time when comedian Tiffany Haddish was homeless and living out of her car. She says she was “homeless, hungry, scared, and hurt.” But in a matter of a few years, she has worked her way up to be one of the hardest working actresses in Hollywood.
And regardless of her humble beginnings, Haddish said there is one thing she would not do for success. That is sell her integrity.
The 42-year-old actress revealed to Cosmopolitan magazine recently that she has turned away millions to do social media posts.
According to Haddish, who has an estimated net worth of $6 million, money isn’t everything.
Money isn’t worth selling your soul
“I’ve turned down, s***, I’ve turned down $10 million to do a post because it didn’t represent my brand. I turned down $10 million because my soul is worth more than that to me,” said Haddish, who grew up in South Central Los Angeles. “My spirit, my integrity, how I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror every day… I’d rather be flat broke than getting money to do something that makes me feel like s***.”
Learning her worth
Haddish also discussed how during her journey to the top, she learned her vaule.
“It is a huge struggle. I should have realized probably three years ago that I was, like, popping because people I know would be like, ‘You need to just put me in a movie. Give me the job. You got the power.’ But I didn’t realize I had power. I didn’t understand it, and they knew before I knew,” she shared.
Haddish has appeared in countless televison shows and films, such as the hit 2017 film “Girls Trip” with Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah.
Branching out
Haddish is now making moves off-screen. She founded a production company called She Ready Productions.
But she admits she has faced challenges.
‘Because it’s a battle getting the people that you want, because everybody still looks at you as talent, when they fail to realize I’ve produced things, got nominated for awards, won trophies…I kind of know what I’m doing,” she said. “Give me an opportunity to make you richer, sir. I might not know how to keep a man, but I know how to make some money.”
Learning business 101
After taking a class called “The Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports’” at Harvard University, she said she realized she had been selling herself short for years. Now, she says, she makes sure he is paid her worth.
