Before making it big, stars like Chris Pratt, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Eva Longoria, and Jim Carrey worked grueling minimum-wage jobs just to get by—serving shrimp, dressing as a chicken, scooping ice cream, and cleaning factory floors. While their stories seem inspiring now, the harsh reality is that minimum wage has barely budged since their early days, even as the cost of living skyrockets. Millions today still fight to survive on low wages, with far fewer Hollywood endings. It’s time to advocate for a living wage because no one should have to sacrifice their future just to make ends meet.