40 Celebrities We Forgot Started On Reality TV Shows
There are many celebrities today who got their start in the industry in unconventional ways. For some, a stint on a reality TV show gave them the exposure they needed to launch their careers.
Some of the celebrities here participated in talent competitions, while others spent weeks having a camera crew follow them around. Either way, take a look at these stars whose road to fame started because of reality TV.
Meghan Markle
Before she married Prince Harry and became the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle's career began on the game show Deal or No Deal. Markle was one of the show's "suitcase girls" who would reveal how much their case was worth when their number was selected. Markle recalls being relieved when her number was called because then she got to go sit down. Now, she is focused on her charity work and her own lifestyle brand called As Ever.
Jeremy Renner
Actor Jeremy Renner is best known for his roles in the Avengers film franchise and the critically acclaimed film The Hurt Locker. The actor revealed that he was on a reality competition show called The It Factor. According to Renner, clips of the show are hard to come by now, so we'll probably never get to see it.
Kelly Clarkson
Who could forget that Kelly Clarkson was the original winner of American Idol? Well, the truth is that she's been around so long in the entertainment business that Gen Z doesn't know her origin story. They just know her as a hugely successful pop star and talk show host.
Julianne Hough
Julianne Hough got her start in the business as a dancer on Dancing With the Stars. When she left the popular competition show behind, she pursued a career as an actress. Hough has starred in films like Safe Haven and Rock of Ages.
Tom Hardy
It's hard to believe that critically acclaimed actor Tom Hardy was once on a reality show called Find Me A Supermodel and won! Nowadays, the actor is best known for his collaborations with director Christopher Nolan and his role on Peaky Blinders.
Laverne Cox
Back in the 2000s, VH1 had a reality show called I Want To Work For Diddy, where contestants competed to become P. Diddy's personal assistant. In hindsight, the show is very cringe, but at the time it was popular. One of the contestants was Laverne Cox, who would go on to find fame as an actress in Orange Is the New Black.
Stephen Colbert
We all know Stephen Colbert from The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and The Late Show. When he was breaking into the business, Colbert also appeared in a few episodes of Who's Line Is It Anyways? Seems like a fitting choice for the then-budding comedian.
Emma Stone
Emma Stone is considered one of the best actresses of all time, winning two Oscars before she turned 40 years old. When she was just a teenager, Emma (then known as Emily) went on the reality show/reboot called The New Partridge Family. The show was shot as a reality show but was an update of the classic sitcom. Beyond the pilot, the show never produced more episodes.
Kristen Wiig
Before generating major laughs on SNL and in Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig appeared on The Joe Schmo Show. The show pranked unsuspecting people by throwing them into stereotypical reality show situations with trained improv actors (like Wiig) to film their reactions.
Jessie Buckley
Today, Jessie Buckley is an Oscar-winning actress who swept the 2026 awards season with her performance in Hamnet. Before that, though, she appeared on a British reality show called I'd Do Anything, where performers competed for the role of Nancy in the stage production of Oliver! Buckley didn't win, but clearly her career didn't suffer for it.
Heather Morris
Heather Morris' breakout role was on the hit show Glee in the 2000s and 2010s. However, some viewers realized that they had seen her on TV before. That's because Morris auditioned for the reality dance show So You Think You Can Dance? The actress and singer was eliminated during the show's Vegas week.
Mike White
When HBO's The White Lotus premiered, fans were shocked to learn that its creator and writer was a memorable contestant on Survivor. Mike White actually ended up finishing second in his season. He also returned for Survivor 50. Besides The White Lotus, White also wrote and acted in the Jack Black comedy School of Rock.
Karamo Brown
Karamo Brown is probably best known these days for being one of the main cast members on Netflix's Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. Before that, though, Brown was a cast member of The Real World: Philadelphia, where he was the show's first openly gay contestant. The show would go on to win a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program.
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson is another star who got her start on American Idol. Hudson finished in seventh place during her season, but she didn't let that stop her career. After she was cast in the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, she went on to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Since then, Hudson has also won multiple Grammy Awards and hosts a popular talk show.
Cardi B
Few fans remember that Cardi B was on the reality show Love & Hip Hop New York. The show focused on the lives of women who were working in the male-dominated hip hop music industry. When Cardi B was on the show, she was a rising star who quickly became a fan favorite. Her single, "Bodak Yellow", was released shortly after she starred in two seasons of the show.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
Back in 2000, Elisabeth Hasselbeck was a contestant on Survivor: The Australian Outback. From there, she launched a successful hosting career. She is most famous for her work on The View but has anchored and hosted numerous other television shows, as well.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga made not one, but two appearances on reality TV shows before the world knew who she was. The first was when she was still going by her legal name, Stefani Germanotta. She appeared on the MTV prank show Boiling Points, where people were placed in uncomfortable situations, and their reactions were filmed.
Later, when she was a budding pop star, she was on an episode of The Hills, where Lauren Conrad had to scramble to fix a zipper on her costume.
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood is another singer who has been in the industry so long that we almost forgot she was the winner of American Idol's fourth season. Since then, she has become the most successful American Idol winner, with millions of records sold and seven Grammy Awards to her name. She recently returned to American Idol as one of the show's judges.
Bella and Gigi Hadid
If you watched The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, you'll remember that Gigi and Bella Hadid often made appearances since their mom was a main cast member. Since then, the two sisters have become highly successful models, working for the top fashion brands in the world.
Christian Siriano
As an up-and-coming fashion designer, Christian Siriano decided to compete on Project Runway. During his season, Siriano won the most challenges out of the cast and was later crowned the season's overall winner. Today, Christian Siriano is one of the top fashion designers in the world, with many celebrities sporting his luxurious designs on the red carpet.
Camila Cabello And Normani
Camila Cabello and Normani are respected solo artists these days, but if you think back to the 2010s, you might remember that both singers competed on The X Factor. They were placed in the girl group Fifth Harmony along with Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, and Lauren Jauregui. The group did not win the reality competition, but enjoyed mainstream success afterward.
Harry Styles
Harry Styles was just a teenager when he auditioned for The X Factor UK. Simon Cowell placed him in the boy band One Direction, along with Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan. Overall, the group finished in third place.
After the show, One Direction became a massively successful pop group until they disbanded. Out of all the members, Styles is considered the breakout star with a global fan base and multiple Grammy awards for his solo work.
Kesha
Kesha dominated the charts during the 2010s with hits like "TiK Tok" and "Timber". Before that, though, Kesha actually made an appearance on The Simple Life starring Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. In the episode, Hilton and Ritchie helped Kesha set her mom up on a date. It's a bit random, but it goes to show that some of these stars were hiding in plain sight.
Adam Lambert
Like a few other celebrities on this list, Adam Lambert didn't win his season of American Idol, but he left a lasting impression that turned into a major music career. Lambert was the runner-up of American Idol's eighth season and quickly gained a fanbase for his haunting rock covers. After the show ended, he found success with a solo career before becoming the new lead singer for the legendary rock band Queen.
Maddie Ziegler
As a young child, Maddy Ziegler was one of the breakout stars of the reality program Dance Moms, which documented the intense lives of girls training at Abby Lee Dance Company. While she was still a teenager, Ziegler was cast in two of Sia's music videos and also accompanied her for live performances. Since then, Ziegler has become an actress with roles in Spielberg's West Side Story and the upcoming Pretty Lethal.
Alanis Morissette
Jagged Little Pill is the album that put Alanis Morissette on the map, but a lot of fans don't realize that the leading lady of '90s rock started her career as a pop star. In 1990, she went on Star Search, performing a cover of a Debbie Gibson song. Later, her first single, "Too Hot", a fairly generic pop song, was released. The track was accompanied by a music video that had Morissette doing choreographed dance moves.
After her break-up with Dave Coulier, Morissette switched musical lanes, wrote "You Oughta Know," and the rest is history.
JoJo Siwa
JoJo Siwa is another celebrity who got her start on Dance Moms. Even though she was only on the show for one season, her memorable side ponytail and affinity for large hair bows made her an instant fan favorite. After leaving Dance Moms, Siwa signed with Nickelodeon, launching an acting and music career that turned her into a tween idol.
Chris Hemsworth
Believe it or not, but before he was the god of thunder in the Thor and Avengers movies, Chris Hemsworth was a contestant on Australia's version of Dancing With The Stars. At the time, Hemsworth's career was just beginning in Australia, and he hadn't yet found worldwide fame. He ended up finishing in fifth place and used his earnings from the show to fund his move to L.A.
Winnie Harlow
Winnie Harlow made history when she became the first woman with vitiligo, a condition that causes skin to lose its pigment, to compete on America's Next Top Model. Initially, Harlow was eliminated early on in the competition, but returned to the show after winning a challenge for eliminated contestants. Overall, she placed sixth, but her unique beauty and time on the show launched her modeling career.
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child is another musical group that went on Star Search before finding fame. Back then, they were known as Girls Tyme, and the group had six members, including Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Ultimately, they lost the competition, but of course, we all know they found fame in the late '90s and have managed to stay in the public eye since then.
Jamie Chung
Jamie Chung broke into the industry when she was cast on the MTV reality program The Real World: San Diego. Now, she is a celebrated actress with roles in Once Upon A Time, The Hangover series, and Big Hero 6.
Amy Schumer
If it seems like Amy Schumer's rise to fame came out of nowhere, you probably missed her on the reality competition Last Comic Standing. Schumer didn't win her season, but her performance was so impressive that it paved the way for her show on Comedy Central, Inside Amy Schumer. From there, she has gone on to star in multiple films and stand-up specials.
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm's turn as Don Draper on Mad Men catapulted his career into A-list territory. But way back in the '90s, a young Hamm, sporting long hair, went on a reality show called The Big Date. The show was sort of like an updated version of The Dating Game, where eligible bachelors and bachelorettes got to know each other in front of a live audience. It's pretty incredible to think that Hamm went from that to an Emmy win later on in his career.
Lucy Hale
Lucy Hale is best known for her main role on the show Pretty Little Liars. However, the actress and singer was also a cast member on the reality competition show American Juniors.
The show was a spin-off of American Idol, but featured children who were competing to be part of a pop group. Hale was actually one of the five winners who went on to form the musical group known as American Juniors, but it disbanded in 2005.
YaYa DaCosta
YaYa DaCosta was featured on cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model and was that season's runner-up. Afterward, she shifted her focus to acting, landing parts in movies like Take The Lead and The Nice Guys.
Nicole Scherzinger
Before she was the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger competed on the show Popstars and won. She and other winners formed the girls' group Eden's Crush. Their time together was short-lived, but it opened the door for Scherzinger. Today, she is a successful vocalist who won a Tony Award in 2025 for her Broadway performance in Sunset Blvd.
Miranda Lambert
Today, Miranda Lambert is one of the most recognizable names in country music. When she was only 20 years old, Lambert was a contestant on the show Nashville Star, a reality talent competition for country musicians. She ended up finishing in third place, but one of the show's judges managed to help her land a record deal. The singer has had a decades-long career since then and has won three Grammy awards.
Lauren Conrad
Lauren Conrad was just a teenager when she was cast in MTV's reality program Laguna Beach. The show was so popular that a spin-off was created starring Conrad. The Hills followed Conrad as she pursued a career in the fashion industry. Today, Conrad is a successful lifestyle brand creator who sells clothes for the whole family, fashion accessories, and home decor pieces.
Ariana DeBose
In 2022, Ariana DeBose won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in West Side Story. Her road to fame began at a young age, though. DeBose was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance?, making it to the top 20 before being eliminated. She decided to shift her focus to acting, made her Broadway debut, and later transitioned to movie roles.
Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton
Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton became the golden couple from the first season of Netflix's reality show Love Is Blind. The couple met and got married on the show and have since welcomed a son together. As far as their careers go, both left their former jobs behind after the success of the show and have become full-time social media influencers and television hosts.
Emily McWilliams
