Before Sarah Jessica Parker was the epitome of New York style as
Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, she was one of eight siblings growing up in relative poverty in Nelsonville, Ohio. Her mother was a teacher and her stepfather, who raised her, was often out of work. She
began singing and dancing at a young age to help support the family. In 1976, she won her first role on Broadway in
The Innocents. Because of her humble beginning, Parker is pragmatic about wealth. “I don’t want my children to feel they have a sense of entitlement. I want them to work hard and be challenged,” the actress
has said. “That’s hard to do when you have everything you need and want, so I am working on those values all the time.”