They may have moved on to jaw-dropping mansions and palatial penthouses, but these famous faces didn't always live the life of luxury. We've taken a look inside the childhood homes of some of the world's biggest names, from Kurt Cobain to Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Gwyneth Paltrow. Discover the surprising places that Hollywood's best-known stars once called home...

Known as The Whitney House, this chic mid-century modern home was the childhood residence of Academy Award-winning actor, Angelina Jolie. Located just 25 minutes from central Manhattan in Palisades, New York, the characterful property is just as stylish as the woman herself...

Originally born in Los Angeles, the Maleficent actor lived in the home with her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, throughout the 1980s. Jolie is said to have attended elementary school nearby and would have returned each night to this characterful cabin-like property. With soaring 30-foot ceilings, extensive brickwork and elegant timber panelling, the house has plenty of personality.

Nestled on two acres of land, the mid-century home has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a huge open-plan living area at its centre. Spanning over 4,000 square feet, there's an imposing Great Room with glass gables, an elegant broken-plan kitchen with stainless steel appliances and exposed timber beams, and a lofted second floor with plenty of cosy nooks – perfect for playing hide-and-seek.

Built in 1958, the spacious residence also comes with a designated office area that overlooks the lounge downstairs, as well as a balcony that affords idyllic views across the garden. Key design features including sleek stone floors, marble accents and concrete fireplaces, while swathes of windows flood each room with an abundance of natural light.

In 2014, the property was purchased by house-flipper Eugene Kohn for just over $1.2 million (£911k). He restored the interior back to its original glory, retaining its mid-century character and modernising its bathrooms. In 2017, the house was back on the market and eventually sold for $1.8 million (£1.4m). Now that's what we call star quality!

In June 2016, James Taylor's architectural childhood home landed on the real estate market, granting fans access inside the singer's formative life. The 3,172-square-foot dwelling was auctioned off for a touch under $1.7 million (£1.3m) and once you see inside, you'll totally understand why...

The property can be found in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where Taylor's family moved when he was just five years old. They bought a 24-acre plot in the heart of town and commissioned architects to build them a modernist home that would be easy to maintain. 

Inspired by the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, the residence was designed to be spacious enough to accommodate a family, as well as lavish parties. Bright, stylish and open-plan, the interior worked so well that they stayed there for 20 years. Many of James Taylor's songs were inspired by his childhood home, including 'Carolina In My Mind', which he penned in 1968.

The perfect place to grow up, the property also offers a children’s playhouse, where Taylor no doubt spent a lot of time. The mid-century modern design takes full advantage of the surrounding scenery and boasts walls of glass and plenty of subtle nods to nature, including stunning timber floors, wood-panelled walls and granite-lined fireplaces. 

In the garden, you'll also find a small guesthouse, which is said to have been a favourite hangout spot for the 'How Sweet It Is' singer and his friends. In fact, Taylor's initials can be found carved into the cabin's outside deck.

Comedian and Late Night host Jimmy Fallon spent his childhood in this two-storey, single-family home. Located in Saugerties, a town in Ulster County, New York, the home went on the market back in 2012 for $210,000 (£159k) and has since sold.

Offering three bedrooms, the house where Jimmy honed his comedic skills is nearly 1,780 square feet in size and looks like a quintessentially American family home. Inside, original features abound – an arched doorway in the living room leads through to a second reception room with wood-panelled walls, which would have been the height of fashion when the comedian was a small boy. 

With plaid walls and wooden cupboards, this retro kitchen doesn't look like it's changed much since the star-to-be was in residence. The back door leads out to the spacious garden, which would have been perfect for little Jimmy to run around in. 

Steeped in history, the charming small-town house dates back to 1915. The home has one-and-a-half bathrooms, including this pared-back space. With a traditional radiator and a small sink unit, it's perfect for a small family. 

Sitting in the garden is an additional building which would make the perfect studio or guesthouse. With a blue clapboard exterior, the picture-perfect cottage would have been a great teenage hangout. 

While these days the 'Material Girl' singer has some incredible luxury properties in London and Hollywood, Madonna started her life in much more humble surroundings. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to this cute detached house in the suburbs of Detroit for some of her formative adolescent years.

The house was sold in 2017 for $411,000 (£311k) and it’s no wonder why: with five bedrooms, three bathrooms and 1.2 acres of surrounding grounds, this could be a perfect family home. The house has had an eventful history over the years – it was put on eBay in 2001 and changed hands twice after that. In 2008 it was damaged by fire but has now been beautifully restored.

After one year at Michigan University, Madonna moved to New York to pursue her dreams of becoming a star. But in her earlier years, she was a student at Rochester Adams High School from 1972 to 1976 and lived in Rochester Hills, in Michigan's Oakland County. While Detroit is known for its edgy music scene, this sleepy Midwest suburb was about as far from cool Manhattan as you could get. 

Madonna said in an interview with Howard Stern: "I just didn't fit in. I just felt like I was with rich people, and I wasn't and I felt out of place. And I felt like they were members of country clubs and they had manicures and they wore nice clothes and I didn't fit in." While the teenage icon-to-be may have struggled to settle into the affluent area, she was not far from earning a fortune in her own right.

Before she was an Oscar-winning actress, Gwyneth Paltrow spent her childhood years in this incredible New York City townhouse, which has just come onto the market for $15.5 million (£11.3 m). Considering the home’s enviable location in Manhattan’s famous Upper East Side and its Renaissance-Revival-style, it’s easy to see why the extravagant multi-storey property comes with such a jaw-dropping price tag.

Owned by Gwyneth’s director-producer father Bruce Paltrow and her mother, actress Blythe Danner from 1984 until 1992, the home is five stories high and totals 7,205 square feet. Built in 1891 by the architect Walter Reid Jr., the East 92nd Street property has retained many of its original features, such as the ornate woodwork, parquet flooring and unusually large windows for a Manhattan property, meaning light streams through all hours of the day.

The house is a gorgeous family home where Gwyneth spent her teenage years alongside her younger brother Jake who is also a part of the family’s Hollywood dynasty – he works as a director and screenwriter for the silver screen. During their stay here, the family had full reign over the butler’s pantry, a wood-panelled library with wet bar and the property’s six wood-burning fireplaces.

Although the six-bedroom-six-bathroom home is just a stone’s throw from the greenery of Central Park, it has New York City rarity: a private garden. It’s an ethereal, spacious oasis: the patioed courtyard is surrounded by climbing vines and has its own mosaiced fountain and fruit-bearing orange tree. It’s a quiet respite at the heart of the city that never sleeps.

In October 2015, this cute chocolate-box house hit the real estate market for just under $1.8 million (£1.4m). Once the childhood home of Nashville star Hayden Panettiere, the quaint property lies in Palisades, Rockland County, in the heart of New York state.

Panettiere was born and raised in Palisades, living in the house for much of her youth. She was even home-schooled here, working her education around her fledgling acting career.

Built in the charming storybook style, the house features plenty of architectural focal points, including mosaic tiling, hand-carved wooden fireplaces and an attractive gabled roof. The grand property covers 4,700 square feet and offers four large bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, making it ideal for a family.

The lot offers an acre of land and is surrounded by the hiking trails of Tallman Mountain State Park. The Hudson River is also just 10 minutes away, making the home ideal for lovers of the great outdoors. Located in the celebrity property hotspot of Snedens Landing, the house is around the corner from Angelina Jolie’s childhood home and the area boasts Bill Murray and Al Pacino as some of its famous former residents.

With high ceilings, natural hardwood floors and swathes of windows, Hayden Panettiere's unique storybook pad is giving us warmth, charm and bags of character.​

This picture-perfect house lies in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and is the birthplace and former home of Hollywood silver screen star, Judy Garland.

The Wizard of Oz sensation was born here on 10 June in 1922 and spent much of her formative years enjoying the idyllic landscapes of Minnesota. The house was constructed from white clapboard and is surrounded by well-preserved memorial gardens, which now honour the actress.

Garland's parents purchased the home in 1919 and the family lived here for the next seven years until October 1926. The house dates back to 1892 and – thanks to salvaged photographs – it was carefully restored to reflect its appearance back in 1925 when Garland lived here as an infant.

Now a museum dedicated to the life of Judy Garland, the house is one of America's first celebrity birthplace attractions, opening its doors to the public back in 1975.

The famous time-capsule home also holds the world’s largest collection of Garland's personal effects as well as Wizard of Oz memorabilia, making it the perfect destination for movie buffs.

Long before he was a world-famous actor and director, Harrison Ford grew up in this attractive storybook Tudor-style home close to Chicago, Illinois.

The Star Wars actor lived in the house during the 1950s and had Hillary Clinton as a neighbour. In June 2020, the property hit the housing market with a price tag of $639,900 (£485k) but sold in September 2020 for the reduced price of $600,000 (£455k).

Built in 1922, the house, pictured here in 2018, looks to be in need of a little attention and hasn't received a makeover for some time. Vintage fans will love the property's nostalgic kitchen, which is the ultimate interior throwback. 

The quaint three-bedroom house comes with 8,000 square feet of land and an 850-square-foot basement. Outside, there's a pleasant veranda overlooking the surrounding gardens, a view that Han Solo himself would have enjoyed as a boy!

Back when she was known only for her sweet television alter ego Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus lived in this luxe mansion in California. Bought in 2007, the singer's parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, paid a whopping $5.8 million (£4.4m) for the property when Miley was just 14 years old.

In 2015, the palatial villa was back on the market for $6 million (£4.5m), with its value barely increasing despite its famous former occupants.

The luxurious pad is in the Toluca Lake neighbourhood of LA and covers 8,700 square feet of interior space. While the décor is rustic and traditional, the dark wooden kitchen won't be to everybody's tastes!

Built for privacy, the Tuscan-style mansion is enclosed by a boundary wall and a secure gate for maximum security. With six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, the house has no shortage of celebrity neighbours in the posh surrounding enclave.

The property is the perfect place for big kids, with skate ramps, a cinema room and an alcove dedicated to guitars – fitting given the family's musical background

Outside sits an enviable swimming pool, a three-car garage and a Juliet balcony, while a tree-lined driveway leads up to the prestigious property. Now that's what we call a celebrity entrance!​

Long before The Godfather and On the Waterfront made him a timeless icon, Marlon Brando had a much more modest life in this quaint property in Omaha, Nebraska. Born here in 1924, the former Hollywood star spent many of his formative years in this weatherboard house.

Built in 1900, the amazing historic home last sold for a modest $230,000 (£174k) in 2017 and features a simple yet homely interior, no doubt much changed since Brando's day.

Inside, the five-bedroom house covers four floors and has four bathrooms. There is plenty of period detailing throughout too, including stone fireplaces, original French doors and a ceiling height of almost 10 feet.

With over 4,000 square feet of internal space, the timber-frame house is ripe for modernisation, with a spacious open-plan kitchen-diner, natural woodwork and a grand staircase in the main entrance hall.

The top floor has been cleverly converted into a master bedroom, complete with sitting area, dressing room and bathroom. Outside the property you'll also find a large swimming pool and an attractive garden.

Back in 2016, the former childhood residence of iconic Beatles star John Lennon hit the market for $428,000 (£325k). Located just around the corner from the singer's other famous home, Mendips, which is now protected by the National Trust, Lennon spent many a night in this quaint cottage as an infant. 

From the outside, the property looks smart but the inside is in need of a little TLC. Located in Woolton, Liverpool in the UK, the two-bedroom semi-detached property is positioned in the heart of a gorgeous conservation area.

Fans of mid-century homes will love the exposed brickwork, sandstone walls, sloped ceilings, multi-level living spaces and extensive timber cladding. The charming cottage is just begging to be lovingly renovated.

Known as the Dairy Cottage, the historic home is Grade II-listed and highly characterful thanks to its array of lovely period features – just look at those authentic flagstone floors!

Outside, the house also boasts an attractive enclosed garden, as well as a garage and off-street parking, making this rock 'n' roll home a real estate gem.

Situated in Freehold, New Jersey, this attractive timber clapboard property was once home to The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen.

The American singer-songwriter lived here from 1955 to 1962, between the ages of six and 19. It was in this very house that he first saw Elvis singing on television, inspiring the musical journey that would change the course of his life.

The property even featured in the sleeve artwork for Springsteen's iconic album 'Born in the USA' back in 1984, as well as his 1985 single 'My Hometown'. Keen music fans will also recognise the house from the pages of the singer's autobiography, Born to Run.

Fairly small in size, Springspeen's formative home, which occupies the left half of the building, covers just 828 square feet and features two bedrooms. Although compact and in need of a complete interior overhaul, the pad has plenty of potential.

Around 100 years old, this small piece of rock 'n' roll history was sold back in 2018 for the reasonable sum of $255,000 (£194k).

Before Renée Zellweger became famous for movies like Jerry Maguire and for her pitch-perfect depiction of clueless singleton Bridget Jones, she enjoyed a simpler life in her hometown of Katy, Texas.

In September 2020, the actor's characterful former home, where she spent much of her formative years, was snapped up for the sum of $687,000 (£520k) and we can certainly see why.

A far cry from her famous fictional home in London's Borough Market in the Bridget Jones films, the house sits on almost half an acre of land and boasts 2,897 square feet of interior space, which has been recently transformed in the years since the star resided here. 

With four bedrooms and two bathrooms, the property would make a fantastic family home and is located in a leafy neighbourhood in the south of Katy. This airy, open-plan kitchen-diner features a quirky pitched ceiling and no end of natural light.

While the property has no doubt changed a lot since Renée called it home, it's a charming residence in its own right and has benefited from a thorough revamp – just look at those characterful wardrobe barn doors. If that wasn't enough, there's even a private baseball field nestled in the dwelling's two-acre plot. Talk about hitting a home run!

Now somewhat of a superfan shrine, this modest timber home is the exact spot where legendary rock 'n' roller Elvis Presley was born. 

Located in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis was born inside this modest home on 8 January 1935. The house features just two rooms and was handbuilt by the singer's father, grandfather and uncle.

Presley's father took out a loan of $180 (£137) in order to buy the building materials needed to construct the timber property. The family lived in the house for several years, before being forced to move out due to financial difficulties.

The house features wood-clad ceilings, a brick chimney breast and homely furnishings. Just around the corner from Presley's birthplace is the Assembly of God Church where he was first introduced to gospel music, which would go on to heavily influence his music career.

When he was just 13 years old, Elvis and his family made the move to Memphis, where his incredible road to stardom would really begin. Now a dedicated heritage site and museum, you can see Elvis' birthplace for yourself and discover where it all started for the King of Rock 'n' Roll.​

In 2013, Taylor Swift’s spectacular childhood home sold for $799,500 (£606k) according to Realtor – a small price tag considering the property's grand size and appearance.

 Located in Reading, Pennsylvania, the extravagant mansion was Swift's home until she was 14 years old when she left for Nashville with her family to pursue her music career – a move that proved pretty successful to say the least and led to her accumulating a stunning property portfolio of her own.

A sweeping staircase greets you as you enter the house. High ceilings and elegant timber flooring offer a traditional New England feel, while ornate plasterwork adds to the home's visual appeal.

The property offers an attractive study with a fireplace where Swift used to practice guitar. Covering a whopping 3,560 square feet, the stately pad has undergone extensive interior and exterior renovations and is now decked out with the latest home technologies, as well as plenty of marble and granite.

The building boasts five large bedrooms, each positioned around the sweeping stairwell on the first floor. Each light-filled room features large windows that frame idyllic views over Berks County. We can't think of anywhere more suited to the pop princess, can you?

Rock legend, Kurt Cobain was born in Aberdeen, Washington on February 20, 1967. He spent his childhood living in this modest house just a short walk away from the Wishkah River, long before his band, Nirvana, was formed. 

Cobain's parents bought the home in 1969 when Kurt was just two years old. He lived there until he was nine when his parents separated, but returned in his teenage years. The modest home was put on the market in 2013 for $500,000 (£379k) and was eventually snapped up in 2018 for $190,000 (£144k) according to Realtor, by a Nirvana devotee. 

Retaining many of its original features, the four-bedroom, one-bathroom home was put on the market by Cobain's mother. Built in 1923, it is said that Cobain played private concerts in the dining room of the 1,522-square-foot home. 

The only bathroom in the house offers retro pink floral wallpaper, a single sink and a freestanding bath. The home's small garage is where Cobain practised with bassist Krist Novoselic in the 1980s, when the beginnings of Nirvana were formed.

Cobain's childhood bedroom, which was upstairs, is a scene of teenage angst. With a hole in the wall and drawings by teenage Cobain scrawled on the room's walls, it's somewhat of a memorial to the late star. 

It will probably come as no surprise to learn that the Queen of Pop grew up in a picture-perfect family home in the heart of Houston, Texas. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on 4 September 1981 and lived in this idyllic brick property until she was five years old. In 2018, the attractive house landed on the real estate market for $500,000 (£380k), giving eager fans a fascinating glimpse inside the place where the 'Single Ladies' singer spent her early years.

Offering three bedrooms, two bathrooms and large airy living spaces, the characterful home was constructed in 1946 and certainly looks like a comfortable place to grow up. While we're sure the pad has changed a lot since Bey's day, it's not hard to imagine the budding singer entertaining family and friends in this elegant sitting room. 

Beyoncé's beautiful former home encompasses 2,938 square feet and boasts a timeless interior with original hardwood floors and oversized sash windows. There's also a spacious dining room, a media room and a large master suite with a raised platform bed. 

The spacious, streamlined kitchen is perhaps the most enticing room in the house. Clean, contemporary and kitted out with high-end stainless steel appliances and white cabinetry, it's ideal for a family. While Beyoncé's property portfolio is now bursting with luxe homes, it all started here.

It was in Houston that the beginnings of the legendary girl group, Destiny's Child, began in 1990 when Knowles was just nine years old. Managed by the star's father, the group was originally known as Girl's Tyme and would go on to release five successful albums before going their separate ways. According to Forbes, Beyoncé now has a staggering net worth of $400 million (£304m), meaning she could buy this house 800 times over!

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