11 celebs you had no idea auditioned for reality tv shows

Shortly before High School Musical made him a household name, Zac Efron appeared in an episode of MTV’s Room Raiders in 2005, a dating-style show where contestants choose a date based on their bedrooms. A 17-year-old Zac showcased his awkward teen charm as he chose between three dates, while stopping to take a swim in one girl’s pool and play her guitar in an enthusiastically unpolished way. Thank goodness he honed his musical skills before playing Troy Bolton.

Long before global superstardom and even Destiny’s Child, a 12-year-old Beyoncé competed on the talent show Star Search in 1993 with her former girl group Girl’s Tyme. While the group was awarded three stars from the judges – the highest score – they were defeated by the rock group Skeleton Crew. The three stars in Beyoncé’s hit “***Flawless”, from her fifth studio album, is a reference to the three stars Girl’s Tyme were awarded, and she included a sound bite from the show at the beginning of the song.

Another powerhouse vocalist not typically associated with reality TV is Nicole Scherzinger, who appeared on Popstars USA in 2001. Nicole was sorted into a band, Eden’s Crush, who released an album and toured with ‘NSync and Jessica Simpson, but later disbanded in 2002 after their record label shut down. Nicole then auditioned for The Pussycat Dolls the following year.

In 1996, Jon Hamm appeared on an episode of The Big Date, a dating reality show, where he was one of three eligible dates being questioned by a bachelorette. While Jon certainly lacked the suave Don Draper charm he’s now known for, he told Entertainment Tonight in 2018 the casting director, his ex-girlfriend, told him he’d get $250 to “make an idiot out of himself”, to which Jon said, “That sounds like a good idea”.

As just 10-years-old, and a year before Beyoncé also appeared on the show, Britney Spears appeared on Star Search in 1992, where she sang covers of Eva Tanguay’s “I Don’t Care” and The Judds’ “Love Can Build A Bridge”. Unfortunately, Britney lost to 12-year-old Marty Thomas, but went on to begin her entertainment career in The All-New Mickey Mouse Club the following year.

The Pretty Little Liars alum appeared on American Juniors in 2003, the short-lived spinoff of American Idol aimed at 6–15-year-olds. Instead of crowning one winner, the goal was to form a pop group made up of five kids, with Lucy winning one of the coveted spots. While the group disbanded in 2005, Lucy signed a record deal with Hollywood Records as a solo artist in 2012 and has since released a number of songs, while also continuing her acting career.

Before starring as Brittany in Glee, Heather Morris showcased her extensive dance training on So You Think You Can Dance in 2006, after moving to Los Angeles to pursue a dance career. Although she was eliminated before the final 20 were announced, Brittany would go on to be one of Beyoncé’s backup dancers on The Beyoncé Experience world tour the following year, and worked repeatedly with her before transitioning into more acting-focused roles.

The Breaking Bad star appeared on The Price Is Right in 2000, where contestants competed to guess the price of retail items. An incredibly enthusiastic contestant – he later told Jay Leno he’d had six cans of Red Bull before filming – the show ended when Paul narrowly missed winning a car in one of the final rounds.

Prior to joining The Saturdays, Mollie King auditioned solo for The X Factor in 2005, and again with her former girl group Fallen Angelz in 2007. In her solo audition, she came under fire when judge Sharon Osbourne remarked that she was dressed “totally inappropriately.” While Fallen Angelz had a bit more success, advancing to the second round of auditions, they unfortunately did not make it to the live shows. Mollie joined The Saturdays that same year, following Fallen Angelz’s disbandment.

Actress Jamie Chung was a cast member on the fourteenth season of MTV’s long-running reality show The Real World: San Diego in 2004, where a group of diverse strangers live together and document their relationships. Jamie, a hard-working student, was a fan favourite who later appeared on several of its spinoff editions. Her appearances helped launch her acting career, later leading to film roles in Sucker Punch (2011) and Big Hero 6 (2014).

Prior to becoming a Marvel superhero, Jeremy Renner appeared on the short-lived reality show The It Factor, which followed actors as they attempted to forge successful careers in major cities. Jeremy was featured in the show’s 2002 Los Angeles edition, offering a glimpse at his early hustle. During the show, Jeremy was already starring in the film Dahmer (2002), and by the conclusion of the show, he’d been cast in the thriller film S.W.A.T (2003).