Real to reel: Reality stars who became actors

The beloved Antoni Porowski, who became an international sensation as a member of the Fab Five in the reality series 'Queer Eye,' proved he can do so much more than look hot while making guacamole. Porowski has had a few minor acting roles in the past, but landed a major part in the 2022 movie 'Spoiler Alert.' It's an adaptation of Michael Ausiello's best-selling 2017 memoir which tells the story of his romance with a man who is dying of cancer. Jim Parson stars as Auseillo.

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Jon Hamm - Believe it or not, Jon Hamm participated on dating show 'The Big Date' back in 1996. He didn't get lucky then, but went on to lead a successful career.

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Jon Hamm - As well as 'Mad Men,' Hamm has given brilliant performances in 'The Town,' 'Baby Driver,' and 'Bridesmaids.'

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Emma Stone - Did you know Emma Stone got her break on a reality competition show? Stone started off on 'In Search of the Partridge Family,' for which she won the part of Laurie in 'The New Partridge Family.'

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Emma Stone - Since then, Stone has become a household name. She's lit up the screen in 'Birdman,' 'La La Land,' and this year's 'The Favourite,' just to name a few.

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Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson got started on 'American Idol.' She made it to the final, but didn't come out on top.

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Jennifer Hudson - Hudson has starred in films like 'Sex and the City,' 'Chi-Raq,' and 'Dreamgirls.' For the latter, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

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Beyoncé - Sure, Beyoncé isn't best known for her acting skills, but surely she qualifies as an actress. Originally, the singer tried to get her start on 'Star Search,' a singing competition.

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Beyoncé - Like Hudson, Beyoncé has starred in 'Dreamgirls.' She also had a major role in 'Austin Powers in Goldmember.' Now she will voice Nala in the new 'Lion King' movie.

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Justin Timberlake - JT also got his long career started with 'Star Search,' as well as appearing in 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'

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Justin Timberlake - As well as making it as a pop star, Timberlake has starred in many hit films, such as 'The Social Network,' 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' and 'Friends With Benefits.'

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Nicole Richie - Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton became reality show favorites on 'The Simple Life.' But Richie has since turned to acting, most notably appearing as a series regular in 'Great News.'

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Katharine McPhee -

McPhee was the runner-up on the fifth season of 'American Idol.' After that, she lit up the big screen in 'The House Bunny' and appeared on the TV show 'Smash,' just to name a few projects.

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Lucy Hale -

Lucy Hale got her break on 'American Juniors,' a spin-off of 'American Idol'. Since then she's become most famous for appearing on hit show 'Pretty Little Liars.'

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Janel Parrish - Janel Parrish auditioned for 'Star Search,' but wasn't too popular with the judges. But she too went on to appear in 'Pretty Little Liars' and other projects.

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Matt Lanter - Matt Lanter got viewers' attention on reality show 'Manhunt.' After that, he appeared in films like 'Sorority Row,' 'Vampires Suck,' and 'Pitch Perfect 3.'

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Laverne Cox - Originally, Laverne Cox appeared on reality show 'I Want to Work for Diddy.' She then came to fame on 'Orange Is the New Black,' and has appeared on other shows like 'The Mindy Project.'

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Taryn Manning - Taryn Manning also auditioned on 'Popstars,' but didn't make it far. Instead, like Cox, she went on to appear in 'Orange Is the New Black' and other projects. You might also remember her from the Britney Spears film 'Crossroads.'

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Jamie Chung -

Jamie Chung first came to viewers' attention on 'The Real World: San Diego.' She's gone on to star in hit movies like 'Premium Rush,' 'Big Hero 6,' and 'The Hangover Part II.'

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Usher - Before finding fame, the singer tried out on 'Star Search,' and went on to appear in films like 'Killers,' 'Burden,' and 'Incredibles 2.'

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Julianne Hough -

Originally, Hough was a pro dancer who made it big on 'Dancing with the Stars.' After that, she appeared in musical films like 'Burlesque,' 'Footloose,' and 'Rock of Ages.'

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Heather Morris - Heather Morris is best known for her performance in 'Glee.' She got started on 'So You Think You Can Dance,' but went on to star in films such as 'Spring Breakers' and 'Most Likely to Die.'

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Dean Geyer - Geyer got his start on 'Australian Idol,' but went on to star in movies and TV. He also appeared on 'Glee,' playing Brody Weston.

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Nicole Scherzinger -

Nicole Scherzinger got her start on 'Popstars.' After that, she found success as a Pussycat Doll, and appeared in films like 'Men In Black 3' and did voice work in 'Moana' and 'Ralph Breaks the Internet.'

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Katie Stevens - Katie Stevens has a bold singing voice, and started as a top 10 contestant on 'American Idol.' Since then she's turned to acting, and you can see her on 'The Bold Type.'

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Josh Henderson - Henderson was another celeb who auditioned for 'Popstars.' After it didn't work out, he appeared in projects like 'Step Up' and 'Broken Bridges.'

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Yaya DaCosta - DaCosta finished as a runner-up on 'America's Next Top Model.' She transitioned into acting, and stole the show in movies like 'The Butler,' 'The Nice Guys,' and 'The Kids Are All Right.'

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Analeigh Tipton - She's starred in films like 'Lucy,' 'Warm Bodies,' and 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Before all that, Tipton also appeared on 'America's Next Top Model.'

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David Giuntoli - Early on in his career, David Giuntoli appeared in 'Road Rules: South Pacific.' He went on to star in films like 'Caroline and Jackie,' and '13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.'

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Jacinda Barrett -

This Australian-American actress got her start on 'The Real World: London' in 1995. She went on to star in films like 'Bridget Jones,' 'Poseidon,' and 'The Namesake.'

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Antoni Porowski -

Getty Images

1 / 31 Fotos

Jon Hamm - Believe it or not, Jon Hamm participated on dating show 'The Big Date' back in 1996. He didn't get lucky then, but went on to lead a successful career.

2 / 31 Fotos

Jon Hamm - As well as 'Mad Men,' Hamm has given brilliant performances in 'The Town,' 'Baby Driver,' and 'Bridesmaids.'

3 / 31 Fotos

4 / 31 Fotos

Emma Stone - Since then, Stone has become a household name. She's lit up the screen in 'Birdman,' 'La La Land,' and this year's 'The Favourite,' just to name a few.

5 / 31 Fotos

Jennifer Hudson - Jennifer Hudson got started on 'American Idol.' She made it to the final, but didn't come out on top.

6 / 31 Fotos

Jennifer Hudson - Hudson has starred in films like 'Sex and the City,' 'Chi-Raq,' and 'Dreamgirls.' For the latter, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

7 / 31 Fotos

Beyoncé - Sure, Beyoncé isn't best known for her acting skills, but surely she qualifies as an actress. Originally, the singer tried to get her start on 'Star Search,' a singing competition.

8 / 31 Fotos

Beyoncé - Like Hudson, Beyoncé has starred in 'Dreamgirls.' She also had a major role in 'Austin Powers in Goldmember.' Now she will voice Nala in the new 'Lion King' movie.

9 / 31 Fotos

Justin Timberlake - JT also got his long career started with 'Star Search,' as well as appearing in 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'

10 / 31 Fotos

Justin Timberlake - As well as making it as a pop star, Timberlake has starred in many hit films, such as 'The Social Network,' 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' and 'Friends With Benefits.'

11 / 31 Fotos

Nicole Richie - Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton became reality show favorites on 'The Simple Life.' But Richie has since turned to acting, most notably appearing as a series regular in 'Great News.'

12 / 31 Fotos

Katharine McPhee -

McPhee was the runner-up on the fifth season of 'American Idol.' After that, she lit up the big screen in 'The House Bunny' and appeared on the TV show 'Smash,' just to name a few projects.

Getty Images

13 / 31 Fotos

Lucy Hale -

Lucy Hale got her break on 'American Juniors,' a spin-off of 'American Idol'. Since then she's become most famous for appearing on hit show 'Pretty Little Liars.'

14 / 31 Fotos

Janel Parrish - Janel Parrish auditioned for 'Star Search,' but wasn't too popular with the judges. But she too went on to appear in 'Pretty Little Liars' and other projects.

15 / 31 Fotos

Matt Lanter - Matt Lanter got viewers' attention on reality show 'Manhunt.' After that, he appeared in films like 'Sorority Row,' 'Vampires Suck,' and 'Pitch Perfect 3.'

16 / 31 Fotos

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Jamie Chung -

Jamie Chung first came to viewers' attention on 'The Real World: San Diego.' She's gone on to star in hit movies like 'Premium Rush,' 'Big Hero 6,' and 'The Hangover Part II.'

19 / 31 Fotos

Usher - Before finding fame, the singer tried out on 'Star Search,' and went on to appear in films like 'Killers,' 'Burden,' and 'Incredibles 2.'

20 / 31 Fotos

Julianne Hough -

Originally, Hough was a pro dancer who made it big on 'Dancing with the Stars.' After that, she appeared in musical films like 'Burlesque,' 'Footloose,' and 'Rock of Ages.'

21 / 31 Fotos

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Dean Geyer - Geyer got his start on 'Australian Idol,' but went on to star in movies and TV. He also appeared on 'Glee,' playing Brody Weston.

23 / 31 Fotos

Nicole Scherzinger -

Getty Images

24 / 31 Fotos

Katie Stevens - Katie Stevens has a bold singing voice, and started as a top 10 contestant on 'American Idol.' Since then she's turned to acting, and you can see her on 'The Bold Type.'

25 / 31 Fotos

Josh Henderson - Henderson was another celeb who auditioned for 'Popstars.' After it didn't work out, he appeared in projects like 'Step Up' and 'Broken Bridges.'

26 / 31 Fotos

27 / 31 Fotos

Analeigh Tipton - She's starred in films like 'Lucy,' 'Warm Bodies,' and 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' Before all that, Tipton also appeared on 'America's Next Top Model.'

28 / 31 Fotos

29 / 31 Fotos

Jacinda Barrett -

This Australian-American actress got her start on 'The Real World: London' in 1995. She went on to star in films like 'Bridget Jones,' 'Poseidon,' and 'The Namesake.'

30 / 31 Fotos

Real to reel: Reality stars who became actors

Kim Kardashian to star in season 12 of 'American Horror Story'

11/04/23 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Reality stars

If you want to be an actor, reality TV isn't the worst place to start. In fact, appearing in game shows and singing competitions in particular can lead to great things. For instance, Oscar winners like Emma Stone and Jennifer Hudson had career beginnings on reality shows.

Ryan Murphy's anthology series 'American Horror Story' famously brought Lady Gaga to the big screen for one of her first major acting roles back in 2015. Now, the series is welcoming Kim Kardashian into its creepy folds. Season 12, entitled 'Delicate,' will feature the reality TV icon in a starring role that was reportedly tailor-made for her. Murphy says that showrunner Halley Feiffer has "written a fun, stylish and ultimately terrifying role especially for Kim," adding that "this season is ambitious and unlike anything we have ever done." While Kardashian is no stranger to the camera, she has only had a few minor acting roles outside of her reality empire. She has appeared in TV series like 'CSI: NY' and 'Drop Dead Diva,' and in 2021 lent her voice to 'PAW Patrol: The Movie.' Season 12 of 'American Horror Story' is expected to premiere this summer and will also see Emma Roberts return as a star.

Click on to meet other reality stars who became known for their acting.