9 Stars Whose Careers ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Revived (PHOTOS)
Mario Lopez
Believe it or not, there was a time when Lopez wasn’t all over TV. Before competing in DWTS’ third season — ending up in second place — he was still best known for his Saved by the Bell role 13 years prior. Afterward, however, he became the host of Extra, America’s Next Best Dance Crew, The X Factor, and multiple Miss America pageants.
Nicole Scherzinger
The year after the girl group Pussycat Dolls disbanded, Scherzinger starred in and won the tenth season of DWTS. In the years since, she has released two solo albums, judged The Sing-Off and The X Factor, appeared in Men in Black 3 and Dirty Dancing, and even earned an Olivier Award nomination for her performance in the West End revival of Cats.
Ian Ziering
Similarly, Ziering was still just that guy from Beverly Hills, 90210 when he danced his way through DWTS’ fourth season. Since then, he has achieved cult status with his starring roles in all six Sharknado movies.
Leah Remini
Even before her book Troublemaker and her Emmy-winning docu-series Scientology and the Aftermath, Remini was critiquing and distancing herself from Scientology on DWTS’ 17th season. Her career resurgence continued when she reunited with her King of Queens co-star Kevin James on the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait.
Joey Lawrence
Lawrence — known for his long-running roles in ‘80s and ‘90’s sitcoms — came in third place in Season 3. Afterward, he starred in the movie My Fake Fiancé and the sitcom Melissa & Joey, both of which co-starred fellow DWTS alum Melissa Joan Hart and landed solid ratings for ABC Family.
Gilles Marini
Before his first run on DWTS — during which he placed as the runner-up in the eighth season — Marini was mostly known as the naked guy in the Sex and the City movie. Afterward, however, he appeared in lengthy arcs on the TV shows Brothers and Sisters, Switched at Birth, and Devious Maids.
Erin Andrews
Andrews made a name for herself as an ESPN sportscaster by the time she replaced Brooke Burke-Charvet as DWTS’ co-host in 2014, but the ABC show introduced her to an even larger audience. Later that year, she became an NFL sideline reporter on FOX.
Lisa Rinna
TV fans know her for her long-running roles on Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place, but Rinna reached a whole new audience when she competed in DWTS’ second season. Since then, she has acted in the TV shows Entourage, Community, and C.S.I. and appeared in two seasons of Celebrity Apprentice. More significantly, she has starred in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills since 2014.
Alfonso Ribeiro
Ribeiro took his signature dance move “The Carlton” from the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to the parquet dance floor of DWTS, eventually winning the show’s 19th season. His popularity on the show led to his ongoing job hosting ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos, after DWTS host Tom Bergeron vacated the position.
Sometimes the word “stars” in Dancing With the Stars seems like a stretch — it’s not like producers of the ABC hit are getting Meryl Streep or Tom Cruise to do the cha-cha-cha on live TV.
But the reality competition — which is heading into its 27th season — has turned out to be a smart career move for many contestants. In the gallery above, check out 9 celebs who got professional boosts from their time on the show.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 27 Premiere, Monday, September 24, 8/7c, ABC
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