The Real World? - Cast Member Successes

Cast Member Successes

Appearing on the program has often served as a springboard to further success, especially in the entertainment industry. 2004 San Diego castmate Jamie Chung, who has appeared in various television and film roles, including Dragonball Evolution, Sorority Row, and The Hangover Part II, is regarded as the Real World alumnus with the most successful media career. Other Real World alumni who have gone on to media careers include London cast member Jacinda Barrett, whose acting career includes films such as Ladder 49, The Namesake, The Human Stain, and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and Hawaii cast member Tecumseh "Teck" Holmes III, who appeared in films such as National Lampoon's Van Wilder and in TV series such as Friends.

Eric Nies of the New York cast went on to become a model, actor, and television host. His housemate, Kevin Powell, became a successful author, poet, journalist, and politician. Their housemate Heather B. Gardner went on to become a hip-hop music artist under the professional name Heather B.

Los Angeles cast member Beth Stolarczyk has produced men's and women's calendars and television programs featuring reality TV personalities, including herself and other Real World alumni, including Tami Roman, who became cast member on Basketball Wives, as well as 2002–2003 Las Vegas' Trishelle Cannatella, Chicago's Tonya Cooley and Back to New York's Coral Smith.

Stolarczyk, Cannatella and Miami's Flora Alekseyeun appeared in the May 2002 Playboy magazine, with later issues spotlighting Cannatella's 2002–2003 Las Vegas housemate, Arissa Hill. Cooley appeared on playboy.com. In addition to Playboy magazine, Cannatella has also posed for the online Playboy Cyber Club, as well as for Stuff magazine.

Lindsay Brien of the Seattle cast became a radio and CNN personality.

Chicago cast member Kyle Brandt’s acting career includes starring in the soap opera Days of our Lives. His castmate Tonya Cooley also appeared on an MTV special of True Life: I'm a Reality TV Star.

2002–2003 Las Vegas castmembers Trishelle Cannatella and Steven Hill appeared in the horror film Scorned. Cannatella has also appeared on other reality shows, such as The Surreal Life, Battle of the Network Reality Stars, and Kill Reality, the latter of which also featured Hill and Cooley.

Mike Mizanin has also found fame as a WWE wrestler wrestling under the name "The Miz," a character he debuted during the Back to New York season.

Boston cast member Sean Duffy was elected to the United States House of Representatives for Wisconsin's 7th congressional district in 2010 as a member of the Republican Party.

Dozens of former cast members from The Real World and its sister production Road Rules have appeared on the spin-off series The Challenge, which pays $100,000 or more to its winners. Various cast members have also earned livings as public speakers, since Bunim-Murray Productions funded their training in motivational speaking by the Points of Light Foundation in 2002, allowing them to earn between $1,500 and $2,000 for an appearance on the college lecture circuit.