Although he's very much a celebrated actor today, Miami Vice star Don Johnson says he lived in poverty for 15 years in Hollywood. That show ended up being the big break he needed and changed his life.
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In a new interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Miami Vice star said he spent years struggling with poverty. "It leaves a mark. For years I feared losing everything. I managed it with meditation," Johnson told the outlet.
He also opened up about his childhood in Flat Creek, Missouri as well. He said his father was a failed farmer and moved the family to Kansas. His father began working for Boeing and his mother as a beautician. The family lived in a small house with a single bathroom.
"I had a lot of challenges when I was young - not physically, but emotionally and psychologically. I'm not going to get into a psychology session (laughs), but I only later discovered that's what lights the fire in creativity and that those challenges are what is the fuel," he said.
Fast forward to 1969, and Johnson is living in Hollywood trying to make a living. He played roles in various movies and TV shows. Despite this, he said lived 15 years in poverty.
'Miami Vice' Changed His Life
"[I] was cast in a lot of forgettable roles, including five unsuccessful TV pilots. For 15 years, I lived below the national poverty level," he explained. That changed when he auditioned for Miami Vice.
"I couldn't believe somebody had seemingly been jotting down my thoughts, feelings and emotions. The part was meant for me," he recalled. "The audition went well, so well that I was convinced it was a sure thing."
However, "Then came the letdown. First, the project was delayed, and then it was pushed forward. Months later, I landed 'Cease Fire,' an independent film in Miami. Just as I finished the movie, Tony Yerkovich, the creator of Miami Vice, called from L.A. to offer me the part. I was annoyed with the process but slipped right into the role."
But Johnson said he stayed focus.
"For the first year and a half, I was like, 'I'm just going to stay focused here.' I'd put in some pretty good struggles. I didn't want it to all of a sudden - poof. It was kind of the end of the second season when I got my nomination for an Emmy, I realized, 'Oh! Maybe there's something to this,'" Johnson said.
"I mean, I'm a farm boy from Missouri. It was a dream."
