The big finale of "American Idol"'s 11th season is finally upon us this week, and we noticed that this year's two finalists look as cut out for the camera as they do for the stage (hello Phillip Phillips!).
It certainly doesn't hurt that so many "Idol" alums before them have successfully launched from the show's giant platform into the world of film.
In fact, there have been a lot of reality stars in general who've made a name in the movie scene. Here are our top 15.
15. Carrie Underwood, 'American Idol'
Credits: "Soul Surfer"
For "Idol" Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, five Grammys, dozens of other accolades, four successful albums, and pretty hair just wasn't enough. She first gave her thespian itch a scratch on the small screen in 2010 with guest stints on "Sesame Street" and "How I Met Your Mother" before going full-blown Hollywood for 2011's "Soul Surfer," in which she portrayed real-life youth minister Sarah Hill. One thing's for sure: She's got the look.
14. Yaya DaCosta, 'America's Next Top Model'
Credits: "The Kids Are All Right," "TRON: Legacy," "In Time"
The Brown University-educated beauty, who finished second in Season 3 of "America's Next Top Model," is steadily earning herself a place in the movie biz. After scoring recurring roles on "All My Children" and "Ugly Betty" and supporting parts in the films "Take the Lead" and "Honeydripper," DaCosta got a big break by appearing as siren hostess Tanya opposite Mark Ruffalo in the Oscar-nominated 2010 flick "The Kids Are All Right."
13. Teck Holmes, 'The Real World: Hawaii'
Credits: "Van Wilder," "First Daughter"
Teck Holmes let it all hang out during his wild time on "The Real World: Hawaii," and it paid off. After a couple of small film roles, he landed a part opposite Ryan Reynolds in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder"; he's since been snagging small film roles while sticking closely to his TV roots as host for the Cartoon Network game show "Hole in the Wall."
12. Kathryn McCormick, 'So You Think You Can Dance'
Credits: "Fame," "Step Up Revolution"
With a face like Kathryn McCormick's (not to mention those leggy moves!), the dancer was bound to take her stint on "So You Think You Can Dance" to the next level. She started with a bit part as a dancer in "Fame" but moved right up to the lead in this summer's "Step Up Revolution."
11. Kenny Wormald, 'Dancelife'
Credits: "Center Stage: Turn It Up," "Footloose"
A dancer since the age of six, Kenny Wormald had moderate success taking his moves to the big screen with bit parts in "You Got Served" and "Clerks II." But after he appeared on MTV's "Dancelife," he moved up to lead material with "Center Stage: Turn It Up" and then reimagined Kevin Bacon's iconic role as Ren in the 2011 "Footloose" remake.
10. Paris Hilton, 'The Simple Life'
Credits: "House of Wax," "The Hottie & the Nottie," "Repo! The Genetic Opera"
Okay, so we probably won't be seeing Paris Hilton accept an Academy Award anytime soon. But the heiress who helped make FFBF (Famous for Being Famous) a legitimate job title with her wildly popular show "The Simple Life" has had more than her fair share of movie screen time as well, most prominently in the 2005 campy horror flick "House of Wax."
9. Katharine McPhee,'American Idol'
Credits: "The House Bunny," "Shark Night 3D," "You May Not Kiss the Bride"
Placing second in "American Idol's" fifth season gave McPhee the early start she needed to muscle into both the music business and the Hollywood scene. After a brief cameo in 2007's "Crazy," McPhee landed a supporting role as hippie sorority sister Harmony in "The House Bunny" and went on to costar in "Shark Night 3D." She's now the star of NBC's TV music series "Smash."
8. Jordin Sparks, 'American Idol'
Credits: "Sparkle"
"American Idol" Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks is at the beginning of a potentially fruitful film career. She leads this August's 1960's Motown flick "Sparkle," which features the late Whitney Houston in her fifth and final film. Sparks has appeared in two short films before, but this movie will present her first real chance to, well, you know.
7. Jacinda Barrett, 'The Real World: London'
Credits: "Ladder 49," "Poseidon," "The Last Kiss"
The Aussie bombshell got her start on "The Real World: London" but has since carved out a nice little film career for herself, beginning with the traditional small film roles and TV guest stints before moving up to leading lady status.
6. Johnny Knoxville, 'Jackass'
Credits: "Lords of Dogtown," "The Dukes of Hazard," "The Ringer"
When Johnny Knoxville and his foolhardy posse (RIP Ryan Dunn) started selling self-inflicted pain schemes as entertainment, American TV viewers bought it big-time. MTV's "Jackass" yielded a successful three-part film series and catapulted Johnny Knoxville into a semi-reputable film career. Before the show, his only movie credit was College Guy in the 2000 flick "Coyote Ugly," but now he's got more than half a dozen projects in the works.
5. Jamie Chung, 'The Real World: San Diego'
Credits: "The Hangover Part II," "Sucker Punch," "Grown Ups"
Even though she was on a particularly wild and entertaining season of "The Real World," Jamie Chung always kept her wits about her and steered clear of the frequently visited "drunk tank." Her good sense has since paid off, because she's effectively nudging her way into the Hollywood spotlight. You'll next see her in "The Man with the Iron Fists," "Premium Rush" and "7500."
4. Dax Shepard, 'Punk'd'
Credits: "Baby Mama," "Idiocracy," "When in Rome"
To be fair, Dax Shepard was acting when he served on the dupe team for the first season of MTV's "Punk'd," but back then his face was unrecognizable enough to pass for an average Joe when pulling off the celebrity schemes. Now he's definitely known within the comedy scene, with nearly a dozen major film roles to his credit (as well as a starring role on NBC's "Parenthood"). Look for him to "Hit and Run" with his fiancée Kristen Bell next.
3. Analeigh Tipton, 'America's Next Top Model'
Credits: "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," "The Green Hornet," "Damsels in Distress"
Since coming in third during "American's Next Top Model's" 11th season, Analeigh Tipton has ditched the runway to establish herself in Hollywood, and she's off to a pretty decent start. You might remember her as the lusty babysitter who tries to seduce Steve Carell in "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," and you'll want to keep an eye out for her in next year's much-anticipated adaptation of the zombie love story "Warm Bodies."
2. Julianne Hough, 'Dancing With the Stars'
Credits: "Rock of Ages," "Footloose," "Burlesque"
Before she became a two-time "Dancing With the Stars" champion, Julianne Hough's only big-screen endeavor was a blink-and-you'd-miss-it moment as a Gryffindor schoolmate in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Now, she's starring in "Rock of Ages" and an as-yet-untitled Diablo Cody flick, and she's potentially setting up to be the next Nicholas Sparks leading lady for "Safe Haven." Not too shabby at all.
1. Jennifer Hudson, 'American Idol'
Credits: "Dreamgirls," "Sex and the City," "The Secret Life of Bees"
Jennifer Hudson might have ended up in seventh place in "American Idol" Season 3, but she's definitely finished first in the way of film accomplishments from the "Idol" cast. Her first feature film, "Dreamgirls," won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her one of a select few actors to ever win an Oscar for their film debut.
