This Girl Is One of 8 Siblings in a Family That Grew Up in Poverty, Sometimes Had No Electricity, and Stood in Line for Free Lunch Tickets

Once reliant on welfare and deeply ashamed of her challenging upbringing, the former child star overcame a childhood marked by poverty. Despite those early struggles, she eventually rose to prominence, becoming one of Hollywood’s most celebrated and influential figures.

The celebrity grew up as one of eight siblings in a family that often struggled to make ends meet, sometimes living without electricity and relying on free lunch tickets. Her life changed dramatically after finding fame as an actress.

The star’s strong work ethic can be traced back to her modest upbringing in the coal-mining town of Nelsonville, Ohio. Born to Stephen, an aspiring writer, and Barbara, a nursery school teacher, her early years were shaped by the realities of a working-class life.

After her parents’ divorce when she was a toddler, her mother later married Paul, a truck driver. The blended family grew to include eight children, making frugality a necessity as they navigated the challenges of providing for a large household.

Growing up in a household where money was always tight, the future star became acutely aware of their financial limitations from a young age. “We were on welfare,” she explained in an interview, recalling a particularly uncomfortable experience from her childhood.

In the third grade at the Clifton School in Cincinnati, her teacher would call out her name each day, signaling her to walk to the front of the line to receive a free lunch ticket provided by the state.

“I knew I was different from the kids who pay for lunch or bring their lunch from home,” the celebrity recalled. “It was a stigma thing. I was not the only person receiving a free lunch, but you are aware.” That awareness weighed heavily on her, marking her early years with a sense of otherness that lingered long after those school lunches.

Looking back, she described her childhood as “Dickensian,” a term often associated with hardship and scarcity. “I remember being poor. There was no great way to hide it,” she said. In a separate interview, the actress shared that their home, which didn’t have a TV, was often cluttered and “not pretty.”

The family often went without basic necessities and there were times when they had no electricity, missed out on Christmases and birthdays, and dealt with bill collectors. There were even occasions when the phone company would call to warn that their service was being shut off due to unpaid bills.

These moments of financial distress were impossible to ignore, especially since the children were old enough to witness the toll it took on their parents. “And we were all old enough to either get the calls, or watch my mother’s reactions or watch my parents shuffling the money around,” the star noted.

While some stories suggest their electricity was frequently shut off, the actress clarified, “That’s definitely exaggerated, although there were some Christmases where we went without presents. But my parents gave us so much love.”

The family’s financial challenges also affected clothing, with the mother buying each of her daughters two pairs of shoes a year and 99-cent dresses from a corporate outlet. “It was not unusual to get them there or at rummage sales,” said the actress’s mother in a joint interview.

Though they “didn’t have everything” they wanted, the star recalled, “we had everything we needed.” Her mother, described as a “master juggler,” managed the demands of raising eight children while juggling work and household responsibilities.

“If you ask her she’ll say she was a wreck. There’s plenty of screaming that went on in the house but I think it was necessary just to be heard. There were eight children!” the movie star explained. Growing up in a lively, often chaotic household, she developed a quiet yet commanding presence, able to communicate with just a whisper.

When asked if she ever imagined the life she now leads, the actress admitted, “No. I would never have imagined this life. From a young age I imagined becoming an actor. And that’s probably as much as I would have ever dreamt of.”

Watching her parents’ quiet determination to make ends meet left a lasting impression, shaping the drive and motivation that would later propel her toward success.

Acting quickly became an outlet for her, and Sarah Jessica began performing professionally at just eight years old, joining several family members who shared her love for the craft. Two of her brothers, Pippin Parker, a writer, and Timothy Britten Parker, an actor, also pursued careers in the industry.

Her big break came in 1979 when she was 14 and cast as the lead in the Broadway production of “Annie.” “It was away from all the chaos of the house,” she said. “It was this really structured environment. And the theater seemed really nice and disciplined. And they paid me, and I didn’t have any money.”

Experiencing financial hardships early in life fueled her drive to succeed. “I wanted to be a professional, not just for satisfaction, which was not paramount. I wanted to not worry about money,” Sarah explained in another interview.

After landing the Broadway role, her family packed up and moved to New York City, driven by her father’s business ambitions and the hope that one of the children might find success in show business.

Despite her rising career, she felt like an outsider at school. She and her best friend often spent weekends alone, rarely receiving party invitations. “It was hard to integrate,” the veteran star admitted.

The isolation she experienced during her school years didn’t hold her back. Instead, she remained focused on her goals, eventually rising to become one of Hollywood’s A-list stars—and even marrying one.

In May 1997, she tied the knot with actor Matthew Broderick, who came from a family of three siblings. The couple has been married for 27 years and shares three children: son James and twin daughters, Tabitha and Marion Broderick.

While her professional life flourished, family remained a priority. In a 2010 interview, Sarah opened up about her journey to expand their family, sharing how she had “tried and tried and tried and tried and tried to get pregnant, but it just was not to be, the conventional way.”

The mother of three expressed her deep love for motherhood, “I would give birth as often as I could, if I could. I cherished all the milestones, the good and the bad.”

Having grown up in a large family and with her husband being one of three, Sarah appreciated the importance of siblings. With her mother already a grandmother to ten, the actress hoped to give her son the joy of having siblings.

However, her motivation was deeper than his childhood happiness; she and Matthew were older parents, and she “didn’t want him to have to shoulder the burden” of caring for them later in life by himself, said the celebrity. After considering both adoption and surrogacy, the surrogacy path ultimately worked out first, bringing their twin daughters into the world.

Despite her fame and success, Sarah has always maintained a grounded perspective, prioritizing a sense of normalcy in her family life. She once described herself simply as a working actor, wife, and mom.

In a 2010 interview, the star shared her family’s hands-on approach to everyday tasks, noting that their patio furniture was painted by hand and their children’s food was prepared at home. High chairs were put together independently, groceries were purchased personally, and the laundry was managed without outside help.

Family has always been a cornerstone of Sarah’s life, a value that was deeply tested in September 2022 when her stepfather, Paul, passed away. His death came just one day after the actress missed the New York City Ballet’s annual fall fashion gala due to a family emergency.

Paul, who married Parker’s mother, Barbara, in 1969, died at age 76 after an “unexpected and rapid illness,” according to a statement released by the family. In his final moments, he was “surrounded with the love and gratitude of his adored wife Barbara of 54 years, and children, including Sarah Jessica Parker.”

Sarah Jessica Parker’s journey from a modest upbringing to Hollywood success reflects her deep-rooted values of family, hard work, and humility. Despite fame and fortune, she remains grounded in the simple, meaningful moments that have always defined her life.