From “The Real World” to “American Idol,” reality TV is famous (and infamous!) for featuring some of today’s biggest stars. Although many reality show contestants are satisfied with 15 minutes of fame, many have moved on to pursue careers in scripted entertainment. Everyone knows Jennifer Hudson got her start on “American Idol,” but do you know who else has appeared on reality TV?
Jon Hamm
Now an Emmy winner for his portrayal of the ever-confident Don Draper on AMC’s “Mad Men,” Hamm was once a very awkward 25-year-old that was rejected on USA’s dating show “The Big Date.” Big mistake, Mary. Big mistake.
Emma Stone
Remember the VH1 show “In Search of the Partridge Family”? Most people probably don’t. However, the show gave birth to the career of one very memorable actor. In 2004, Stone won the role of Laurie Partridge on the reality show, which chronicled the casting process for the remake of “The Partridge Family.” Although the series was never actually produced, Stone has had a successful career in films such as “Easy A,” “The Help,” and “Birdman.”
David Giuntoli
In 2003, Giuntoli made his television debut as a cast member on the 12th season of MTV’s “Road Rules.” He did not make the jump to acting until 2007, but is now known for his role as Det. Nick Burkhardt on The CW’s “Grimm.”
Lucy Hale
At just 14 years old, Hale was one of the winners of Fox’s singing competition show “American Juniors.” Although she did not release an album until 2014, Hale has made quite a name for herself as Aria Montgomery on ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars.”
Laverne Cox
Having only one acting credit under her belt, a then-unknown Cox was a contestant on season one of the VH1 series “I Want to Work for Diddy.” Although she was not chosen to be a part of Diddy’s team, Cox later made her own success as Sophia on “Orange Is the New Black.”
Heather Morris
Known for her role as Brittany on Fox’s “Glee,” Morris was once a contestant on the network’s reality competition show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Although she was eliminated before the live shows, Morris was able to show off her dance moves for six years as a member of the McKinley High School glee club.
Jamie Chung
Have you ever thought that “Once Upon a Time” actor Chung looked familiar? Before she made her move to scripted television, Chung was a cast member on MTV’s “The Real World: San Diego.” She can now be seen as Olivia on the Hulu series “Resident Advisors.”
Josh Henderson
Star of “Desperate Housewives” and “Dallas,” Henderson got his start as a singer on the reality competition series “Popstars” in 2001. He was one of the six members of the show that were placed into a pop group called Scene 23. Although the group was not a success, thankfully, the same cannot be said of his career as an actor.
Aaron Paul
Before he was winning Emmys for his role on “Breaking Bad,” Paul was a contestant on “The Price Is Right”—and he was very excited about it. The young actor can be seen jumping, screaming, and throwing himself on the floor as he competes for prizes on the game show.