From reality shows to stardom: TV showcased their talent and changed their lives forever

Whether you were glued to the television watching American Idol BY SHIRLEY HENDERSON Survivor, Dancing With the Stars or The Apprentice, it is obvious that ordinary people with extraordinary talent can be transformed into instant celebrities. We remain in awe of our reality-show celebrities, perhaps because they started off a bit like us. How are the winners of reality shows utilizing their fame? There are books, movies and record deals for some. Others have become media darlings, appearing on the glossy pages of celebrity magazines. One thing is certain--even a brush with reality television can turn you into a star, whether you take home the prize or not. Just ask Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson.

Jordin Brianna Sparks, 17

Show: American Idol, Season 6 (2007)

Hometown: Glendale, Ariz.

Occupation: Student

Sparks became an instant fixture in celebrity publications with her megawatt smile and teenage exuberance after becoming the youngest person to win American Idol. When not being mobbed for autographs by her fans, she spends time at home with her family. "Winning American Idol has prepared me for bigger things," she says. "I would love to do some acting. My No. 1 love is singing, but I would love to do some musical theater." Sparks recently completed the "American Idols LIVE! Tour 2007."

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Eva Marcille, 22

Show: America's Next Top Model, Cycle 3 (2004)

Hometown: Los Angeles

Previous occupation: Worked at Dillard's department

store selling men's suits

Formerly known as Eva Pigford, the winner of America's Next Top Model is currently hosting her own show, My Model Looks Better than Your Model, on BET about the world of celebrity stylists. Marcille says she didn't plan to audition for Top Model, but went with a girlfriend and was encouraged to also try out. Since that time, she's garnered a Cover Girl contract and made television appearances in Tyler Perry's House of Payne and Chris Rock's Everybody Hates Chris. She has this advice for those who want to break into entertainment: "Success happens when preparation meets opportunity. Make sure you are prepared for what you want to be. And believe in yourself."

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Earl Cole, 36

Show: Survivor: Fiji (2007)

Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.

Previous occupation: Advertising exec.

Cole says nothing in his pre-Survivor life really prepared him for the show's many obstacles--he battled intense sun, bats and dehydration. He's now ready to enter the challenging world of entrepreneurship. "I've retired from advertising and started my own multi-media company, which will produce television and film projects. I also paid off my mother's mortgage [with part of his $1 million prize money]."

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Randal Pinkett, Ph.D., 35

Show: The Apprentice, Season 4 (2005)

Hometown: East Windsor, N.J.

Previous occupation: Entrepreneur

Becoming Donald Trump's business protege and a consultant for Trump Entertainment Resorts has its advantages, says Pinkett, whose wife encouraged the M.I.T. graduate (he also has degrees from the University of Oxford and Rutgers University) to audition for The Apprentice. The cofounder, president and CEO of BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar management consulting firm in Newark, and his wife Zahara are new parents of a little girl.

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Emmitt Smith, 37

Show: Dancing With the Stars Season 3 (2006)

Hometown: Pensacola, Fla.

Previous occupation: Former NFL star

Smith, who already had enjoyed fame in the NFL, experienced another level of celebrity during Dancing With the Stars. On Dancing, the president of Smith/Cypress Partners, L.P., a real estate company in Dallas, was described as "the king of effortless cool." "For me, winning isn't something that happens suddenly ... when the crowds roar," he says. "[It's] something that builds ... every day that you train and every night that you dream."

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Fantasia Barrino, 22

Show: American Idol, Season 3 (2004)

Hometown: High Point, N.C.

Previous occupation: Student

"Yes, American Idol changed my life completely. It opened the doors to my future, [and] it gave me a platform to showcase my talent and the opportunity for the world to know my name ... The next thing is a new record and 'One Night With Fantasia' live performance in New York City." Fantasia is currently starring in The Color Purple on Broadway. She has two CDs, Free Yourself and Fantasia; a best-selling book, The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life is Not a Fairy Tale; and a Lifetime Television movie based on her life story.

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Ruben Studdard, 28

Show: American Idol, Season 2 (2003)

Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.

Previous occupation: Student/singer

Studdard still lives in Birmingham, which is the site of his new business endeavors. They include a modeling agent, a clothing boutique and the Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts. "I've had a long and wonderful career and have sung all over the world," says Studdard, who wants to expose young people to the various jobs in entertainment. Since his 2002 American Idol win, Studdard has released three albums, and he is currently working oil his fourth production.