THEN & NOW: The original 'American Idol' cast and contestants 14 years later

"American Idol" has been a reality-TV staple for 14 long years now, but it's finally coming to an end.

January 6 marks the beginning of the show's 15th and final season on Fox.

When it first debuted in 2002, the show was a massive hit. It drew more than 30 million viewers per episode and was the No. 1 show for eight years, but it's declined in viewership over time and only drew about 9 million people last year.

And it's undergone enormous changes. Of the three original judges — Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson — Abdul was the first to leave. Since then, others have come and gone, including Ellen DeGeneres, Steven Tyler, Mariah Carey, and Nicki Minaj. The current trio of Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. has been together since season 13.

While some winners have all but seemingly disappeared from the public eye, the show has been a launching pad for stars like Carrie Underwood and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. It even made Ryan Seacrest a household name. Who remembers that Seacrest wasn't even the only host the first season?

In honor of this final season, here's a look at what the original hosts, judges, and some former contestants have been up to since their time on the show.

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Then: Simon Cowell — known for his blunt, sometimes brutal comments — served as one of the original judges on the show. He left after nine seasons.

Now: Cowell has since continued to be a judge on a number of shows, including "The X Factor," which he created, and "Britain's Got Talent." His most recent TV show launch was Univision's "La Banda," a search for the next Latino boy band that aired this year.

Then: Paula Abdul joined the show as an original judge, and even though she almost left during the earlier seasons because of Cowell's meanness, she stayed on for eight.