25 celebrities you had no idea got their start on reality TV

Reality television can sometimes be a career launching pad.

Talent competitions like "American Idol" provide a space for people to showcase their abilities. Documentary series like "The Real World" allow participants to win audiences over. Stars like Emma Stone, Laverne Cox, and Jon Hamm have all used some type of reality show as a stepping stone to their Hollywood dreams. 

Here are 25 celebrities who got their start on reality TV. 

Back in 2004, Jamie Chung was on "The Real World: San Diego." Now, she's a star on the "X-Men" series "The Gifted."

Chung joined the cast of "The Real World" when she was a sophomore in college. She then appeared on the show show's spin-off, "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II."

"It's a great experience I wouldn't change for the world," Chung told AOL's "Build" in 2017. But you're giving up a lot of your privacy."

Soon there after, Chung transitioned into acting. Some of her earliest roles included a couple of episodes of "Days of Our Lives" and a part alongside Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato in Disney's "Princess Protection Program." She voiced GoGo in Disney's Academy Award-winning animated movie "Big Hero 6," played Mulan on "Once Upon A Time," and is now part of the "X-Men" universe thanks to her role on "The Gifted."

Lucy Hale competed on "American Juniors" before jumping into acting.

Hale was only 13 when she auditioned for "American Juniors," a short-lived spin-off of "American Idol" for kids. With a Southern accent and some strong vocals, Hale made it to the top five. They were formed into a group named after the show but only released one album.

During the auditions, her mom said, "Ten years from now, I think everybody will know Lucy's name." 

Well, she was right. Hale started acting in 2005 and rose to fame as one of the leads on "Pretty Little Liars." She released a country album in 2014 and will next star on The CW's "Life Sentence." 

Before Kesha became the artist she is today, she was on an episode of "The Simple Life."

OK, so Kesha didn't rocket to stardom on reality TV, but before she became a superstar and Grammy-nominated artist, she appeared on "The Simple Life." Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie try to set Kesha's mom up on a date during a 2005 episode. She released her first album in 2010.

After a tense and emotional legal battle with her former producer, Dr. Luke, who she sued for alleged sexual assault and emotional abuse, Kesha released a new album in 2017. She performed a powerful rendition of "Praying" during the 2018 Grammy Awards.