Foster to Famous

Imagine being 14 and not knowing where you'll sleep at night. That was Hollywood star Gianna Simone's reality. Growing up in foster care, she faced challenges familiar to many young people with experience in the system. But instead of giving up, she turned her struggles into strength and pursued her dreams. Today, she's an actress, model and producer, inspiring countless...

Barry Keoghan, born on October 17, 1992, is one of Hollywood’s hottest talents but his upbringing in Dublin, Ireland wasn’t glamorous. Barry has spoken about his life growing up without a father, his mother's death when he was a child, and his years spent in the foster care system. “I remember it, it wasn’t nice,” said Barry. “It’s not ever...

Entering foster care at the age of five, Jamerika experienced a wide spectrum of foster experiences: foster care, kinship care, respite, foster-to-adopt and group homes. “When I was 18, I was a senior in high school. Twelve hours after walking the stage at my high school graduation, I was on a Greyhound bus back to my hometown. I had practically...

Part of the DC Comic universe, Shazam!’s main character, Billy Batson, is a foster kid. What this movie gets right is a nuanced portrayal of all the ins and outs of the complicated foster experience, couched in an entertaining movie that reveals the journey of a soon-to-be superhero. And Shazam! is also a great reminder that you don’t have to...

FosterClub had the privilege to chat with Cordelia Cranshaw, a former foster youth, and the reigning Miss District of Columbia, USA, 2019. Cordelia was in and out of foster care for most of her childhood, aging out of care at 21 years old. "Growing up, I was always told that I would end up pregnant, that I would never be...

Cassidy spent her early years in the Texas foster care system (over 2,000 days in care!). At age 6, she was adopted by Jenn McKown. She started doing Musical Theater at a young age but after meeting Ryan Gosling, she decided she was interested in being a film and television actress. She enrolled in a one week acting camp, and...