20/20 looks at the people willing to sacrifice almost anything in the pursuit of fame and fortune.
Hadyn Jones follows five aspiring actors - one of whom strikes it big while the others live on in hope.
The chances of fame actually happening are slight, but it does happen and plenty of people are willing to sacrifice their tired old day jobs in pursuit of fame and fortune.
Many children dream of being famous when they grow up, but some never stopped dreaming. Chris McDonald is 18-years-old, just out of school and burning to be someone. Ben Mitchell quit university three years ago, jumped in his car and left Hamilton for brighter lights.
Richard Knowles, Sara Standring and Marama Emery are more dedicated than desperate and have put their faith and money in the New Zealand drama school Toi Whakare.
McDonald is determined that everyone will know him. "I'm going to be one of the best in my generation and one of the best ever."
In January he left Ashburton on a one way ticket to the big city, set on "making a lot of money, having a bit of fun, entertaining people".
Standring says she took a risk because an acting degree demands total commitment and she had to give up what she had. "I was a bloody awesome model - I gave it so much attitude."
Standring was an international model with a golden life, making a lot of money, travelling the world. "I had the most amazing lifestyle."
She now spends her nights telling hopeful models her secrets.
Knowles was once a professional sportsman playing water polo. "I played sort of internationally and semi professionally for about 10 years."
Emery was studying her culture before giving it away for drama school. She says she had never done any acting before but thought she would really like it.
Knowles, Standring and Emery have paid $15,000 for a degree which offers no promise of a job at the end.
Knowles says he knows most of them won't make it but "you forget about that when you are actually doing it - it's the love of it".
Miranda Harcourt is head of acting at Toi Whakare and believes if people have the talent and the desire "anybody can do it". She believes the worldwide Idol phenomenon and New Zealanders making it big offshore shows performing arts can be a viable career.
Ben Mitchell is auditioning for the part of a new doctor on Shortland Street - something he's been working toward for three years.
"I really want to be on the street. It seems to be everyone takes you seriously on there."
McDonald has also earned his big break and an audition on Shortland Street beckons.
In four weeks Knowles, Standring and Emery will graduate after spending three years learning how to become someone else. Soon they will be out there relying on their talent and although they know it won't be easy the pay off could be huge and they look to people such as New Zealand born Russell Crowe as inspiration.
McDonald knows the odds but he's a believer and he plans to win six Oscars. But while he believes in the dream, he is not quite living it yet - working at Starbucks and living at the YMCA.
And Mitchell was also feeling the heat as he prepared for a role on Shortland Street - studying the character. After a few takes, he nailed it and the part was his.
"There will be a few people who go I know that guy, my gosh he's on Shortland Street, I didn't know he was doing this...last time I saw him he was punching bags in his garage trying to be the champ of the world.
For every Ben Mitchell there are hundreds and thousands of others dealing with rejection. Chris McDonald is one of those people but he hasn't given up.
"I know that I'm going to get rejected on the way, I'm just going to keep learning and change what I've done wrong, don't do that again and move on. That's how it goes."