10 Celebrities Who Got Their Start on Reality Television

Getting to stardom and achieving celebrity status is a dream come true for many of us. The thrill and lavish lifestyle experienced by celebrities create admiration and envy in equal measures. The attraction to flashy lights, cameras at every angle seeking that perfect shot of a celebrity is what people crave.

All in all, with great publicity, comes great benefits. There is also monetary value through advertising and endorsements. Most celebrities got their rise to stardom through very unexpected avenues that shocked even some of them. Some go through tough auditions and others get to celebrity status by sheer luck.

A notable breakthrough for most celebrities has been through reality television. Nothing attracts an audience like watching acts that are real and unedited for the most part. This form of entertainment provides suspense and drama for those in love with reality. Since its breakthrough to mainstream media, a number of celebrities have been born.

Here is a list of 10 famous celebrities you know that ascended from reality television.

1. Kylie Jenner

Little is known about Kylie’s rise to celebrity status. It is associated with her part in her half-sister’s famous reality television show Keeping up with the Kardashians. The show, which mainly focuses on her sister Kim Kardashian, but showcases the day to day activities of her and her family.

Life is all about seizing your opportunities when presented. Kylie did just that and now she can claim to be one of the youngest self-made millionaires. The show’s popularity and her innovative ideas attracted endorsements from major brands and propelled her to stardom.

Through her cosmetic business and endorsements, Kylie Jenner is estimated to be worth $800 million.

2. Jennifer Hudson

This soft-spoken singer and actor auditioned for a chance to become a contestant on American Idol. The singing reality show was supposed to be her breakthrough, but luck was not in her favor. Jennifer Hudson passed various stages only to be eliminated and finish seventh. A good try though.

A chance to pursue acting opened up and Hudson got a breakthrough in a lead role as a singer in the movie Dreamgirls. the role helped her win awards and is partly responsible for her current fame. This goes to show how reality TV provides opportunities.

3. Justin Timberlake

At the tender age of 11 years, Justin decided to try out singing in a reality how named Star Search. Rocking cowboy boots and a hat, Young Justin Randal, as he was called at the time, amused the audience.

The reality show aired back in 1992 and even though Justin didn’t win it, he is now a well-recognized musician. With hit songs like Sexy Back, My Love, and What Goes Around Comes Around, very few can claim to be more famous. He is also a well-accomplished actor.

4. Beyonce

The Queen Bee as she is popularly known as nowadays, Beyoncé is a good example of what reality shows can bring from a person. Currently a mother of three children and married to business hip hop mogul Jay Z.

Beyoncé has it all in terms of celebrity status. Her journey began when she participated in the singing show star search as part of a group called Girl’s Tyme. Beyonce has really worked her way up to stardom. She is a living symbol of hard work and is a role model for many across the globe.

5. Chris Hemsworth

Chris is well known for his role as the main character in the hit movie Thor and in The Avengers. He also played a leading role in the military-themed movie 12 strong. He plays a team captain of soldiers who go to Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. If you support the men of service in this country, you can get military challenge coins to show your sense of pride.

Hemsworth’s rise to stardom started in his homeland of Australia. He participated in a dancing competition called Dancing with the stars. This shows that any path can lead to greatness. His latest gig is the movie Men in black.

6. Britney Spears

This well-known singer has been through it all. Britney’s rise to the limelight started when she participated in the singing reality television show Star Search. The show saw the rise of many celebrities including one of her ex-boyfriends Justin Timberlake.

She has gone to claim many awards from her singing career through the years. However, her fame brought with it some harmful behavior that tainted her image. Big celebrities feel the pressure of being at the top which sometimes gets to them.

There’s no denying, however, that Britney took her chance at stardom and got it.

7. Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson began her journey to fame back when she participated in American Idol in the year 2002. she went on to become the very first winner of the reality TV singing competition.

She simply set the standards for future American Idol winners. She proceeded to win multiple awards throughout her career, with her song “A moment like this” playing a big role to her success.

8. Emma Stone

This Oscar winner was not famous back at the start of her career. Emma stone was selected for a reality show the New Partridge family to take the role of Laurie Partridge. Thereafter, she has made a name for herself in movies like La La Land, Drive and The Amazing Spider-Man.

9. Katherine Mcphee

The accomplished actress started out as a singer auditioning in the fifth season of American Idol. McPhee emerged as the runner up in a very tightly contested competition. Holding five albums under her name, McPhee changed focus and started acting. She currently has a leading role in the series Scorpion.

10. Christina Aguilera

This Vocal musician started in a reality television show named ‘The all-new Mickey Mouse Club’. The exposure she got from the show, and her unique vocals would prove helpful when she decided to pursue a career in music. Her songs include hits like a great big world and beautiful. 

Reality Television Continues to Produce Stars in the Industry

The television production industry has many categories to choose from. Reality television as one of them has come a long way from the early 2000s and is becoming bigger and better. As it has in the past, it continues to produce stars every so often.

Other stars such as Lucy Hale who we all know for her role in Pretty Little Liars and Nicole Scherzinger also used their reality television platforms to launch themselves to greater heights. For more celebrity insights and much more, feel free to check out our page.