What You Never Knew About Tiffany Haddish

Tiffany Haddish has carved an impressive career in Hollywood, becoming a shining beacon of success and breaking down barriers in the industry. Her rise to fame was the result of her perseverance and determination and her incredible story, from being homeless to becoming one of the most loved personalities in Tinseltown, is truly inspiring. She honed her comedic skills at comedy clubs over the years and gradually gained recognition, eventually leading to her breakout role in the hit comedy "Girls Trip," which also featured Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The film catapulted Haddish to fame and earned her critical acclaim that made her one of the biggest names in the genre.

After "Girls Trip," she went on to star in several films including "Like A Boss," "The Kitchen," "Between Two Ferns: The Movie," and "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part." She even won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series after hosting an episode of "Saturday Night Live," as well as picking up a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album, making her only the second Black woman to ever win the award after Whoopi Goldberg in 1985. 

While the charismatic and multi-talented entertainer remains an open book, there are still some lesser-known facts about her life and personality that fans might be intrigued to discover. Beyond the laughter and candid charm, there's a lot more to unpack. 

For comedic icon Tiffany Haddish, life took an unexpected turn at a young age when a devastating event changed her world forever. She was only 9 years old when her mother got into a car accident that left her with traumatic brain injuries that turned her into a completely different person. "She was never the same after that. She wasn't normal anymore," Haddish told People.

As the eldest child, the tragedy forced Haddish to become the main caregiver for her younger siblings despite only being a child herself. "I was basically a 10-year-old mom. I was feeding them and dressing them. I was taking care of everybody," she recalled. She also found herself having to help her mother re-learn basic tasks that come naturally to most people. "Everything my mom had taught me for the first nine years of my life, now I was teaching her," Haddish revealed.

Although it wasn't easy, she never thought their situation could get worse — until it did. When she turned 12, Haddish and her siblings were put into foster care, but she wasn't with any of her siblings. "My sisters were placed together and my brothers were placed together, but I was on my own. The social workers had to stop telling me where they were because I would just get on a bus and go to them. I felt responsible for them," she said.

Ultimatums may not be the most effective or healthy way to navigate relationships and decision-making. However, it certainly worked for Tiffany Haddish when her social worker pushed her to get her act together as a young person.

While the author of "The Last Black Unicorn" enjoys much success today, life hasn't always been so sweet for her. With everything she went through, it's understandable that the actor had some behavioral issues when she was younger. However, the social worker in charge of her was at their wit's end when they told Haddish she must either enroll in psychiatric therapy or try out the Laugh Factory Comedy Camp. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Haddish chose the comedy camp, and it helped her transform her negative energy into something positive. Not only that, but while there, she was able to meet several celebrities including Dane Cook and Richard Pryor.

The two-time Emmy winner told People that the camp boosted her self-esteem and ultimately changed her life. "Going to that comedy camp and having all those men tell me, 'You're beautiful. You're smart. You're talented.' Like, for somebody to tell me that, even if they didn't believe it or mean it, it was enough. It was enough to light a fire," she said.