60 Stars Who Got Their Start on Reality TV Shows
What are you doing here, Meghan Markle?
We've all gotta start somewhere. And if you're looking to make it as a TV, film, or music star in the modern age, "somewhere" might be reality TV. If you don't believe me, just ask Beyoncé. Or Cardi B. Or, I don't know, Bella and Gigi Hadid??You get my point. Plenty of stars have gotten their start thanks to reality TV. Some came up through competition shows, like The Bachelor or Dancing With the Stars, while others got their start on lesser-known shows, like I Want to Work for Diddy (yes, it's real, and yes, it helped launch Laverne Cox's career). Of course, we can't forget about some of our favorite Bravolebrities, who took that Real Housewives exposure and used it to their advantage, as they should! Then you've got some truly random reality appearances, like Emma Stone on In Search of The Partridge Family. Or Jon Hamm on something called The Big Date.
So, here are 60 celebrities who got their start on reality TV shows. If you can make it on a very 2000s VH1 or MTV reality show, you can make it anywhere.
Julianne Hough
Before she was a mega-famous singer/actress, Julianne Hough was a professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars. She and speed skater Apolo Ohno won the fourth season of the show, making her the youngest dancer to ever do so. About a year before that, Julianne was one of the "Million Dollar Dancers" on the ABC game show Show Me the Money.
Laverne Cox
Bet you didn't know that actress Laverne Cox was on a VH1 reality show in 2008! She appeared as a contestant on I Want to Work for Diddy, where a group of applicants compete for a job working for the rapper. She later confessed that she didn't really want to work as his assistant, but saw it as an opportunity to launch her television career.
Heather Morris
Before she was on Glee, Heather Morris appeared on season two of So You Think You Can Dance. The following year, she was a backup dancer on Beyoncé's tour—and the rest, as they say, is history.
Lio Tipton
You might recognize Lio Tipton from Crazy, Stupid, Love, A Friend of the Family, or Vengeance. But before hitting the big screen, Lio competed on cycle 11 of America's Next Top Model (as Annaleigh Tipton) in 2008.
Stephen Colbert
Long before he was making you laugh on The Colbert Report or The Tonight Show, Stephen Colbert was on the first season of Whose Line is It Anyway? in 1998.
Stephen Colletti
One Tree Hill fans no doubt recognize Stephen for his role as Chase Adams in seasons four through nine of the series. But before he was a Tree Hill heartthrob, he appeared as himself on seasons one and two of Laguna Beach.
Karamo Brown
Long before he was one of the Fab Five on Netflix's Queer Eye, Karamo appeared on The Real World: Philadelphia in 2004. He was one of the first out gay Black men to appear on reality television at the time.
Kristen Wiig
Did you know Kristen Wiig was on a reality show in 2003? The premise of The Joe Schmo Show was that one real contestant believes they're competing on a reality show, but all the other "contestants" are improv actors who are in on the bit. Kristen played a fake marriage counselor named "Dr. Pat."
Mike White
If you've heard Mike White's name a lot the last couple of years, it's because he created the show we're all obsessed with: HBO's The White Lotus. His accommodations were much less luxe when he competed on Survivor in 2018.
Amelia Gray Hamlin
Before she was making headlines as a famous model (who also dated Scott Disick), fans of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills got to know Amelia Gray Hamlin as the daughter of Lisa Rinna. Adorable!
Cardi B
Anyone else watch Love & Hip Hop New York? Cool, then you're well aware that Cardi B was the best part of that show. Cardi joined the cast in 2015—just two years before "Bodak Yellow" came out.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck
You know Elisabeth Hasselbeck? From The View? And Fox & Friends? Yeah, well, she started her career on Survivor wearing this cool tube top.
Meghan Markle
Life lesson: Going on Deal or No Deal could lead you down a life path that'll end with a prince, a tiara, and a bunch of family drama.
Bella Hadid
Before she was a supermodel, Bella Hadid was a regular on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills due to her mom, Yolanda Hadid, being on the show. Thanks to RHBH, we saw the beginnings of Bella's modeling career, plus her move to NYC!
Adam Lambert
Like many singers, Adam Lambert got his start on American Idol. Since then, he's been nominated for a Grammy and gone on tour with Queen.
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello got her start on The X Factor, where she ended up joining girl group Fifth Harmony. Flash forward to today and she's breaking records and making out with her (ex? boyfriend) Shawn Mendes at Coachella.
Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano got his start on Project Runway (he won, duh), and has gone on to dress major celebrities, including Michelle Obama. No big deal!
Emma Stone
Incredible things Emma Stone has done in her career: 1) Won an Oscar, and 2) Competed on In Search of The Partridge Family in 2003. I'm truly inspired! Maybe there is hope for me after all.
Gigi Hadid
Much like Bella, Gigi was featured on Real Housewives thanks to her mom. And we got to see a *lot* of the beginnings of her modeling career. As someone who watched this in real time, I'm shook.
Jennifer Hudson
Thanks, in part, to getting her start on American Idol, Jennifer Hudson is a casual Grammy and Oscar winner who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Get! It!
Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm, She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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