Few individuals have managed to do the near-impossible: transition from TikTok-famous to Famous Famous. It’s no easy feat. It’s not for the weak. Once you’ve shared the most cringe moments of your life with the world and posted hundreds (or thousands) of horrifying thirst traps and way-too-enthusiastic attempts at TikTok dances, people are most likely not gonna take you seriously as a creative. So, when it comes time to announce your new pop song or your new movie, you’ll hear lots of groans and/or laughs. Think Dixie D’Amelio releasing “Be Happy” in 2020. There’s a reason why most TikTok stars stay TikTok stars (*cough* Bryce Hall, Brianna Chickenfry, Griffin Johnson, etc.)
But once in a blue moon, a born superstar is able to use the app as a vehicle to get to where they truly wanna go, whether that’s pop radio, the Broadway stage, a TV show or movie, or a sold-out comedy tour. The influencer to A or B-lister transition has been done before… only a handful of times. Here are the TikTok stars who’ve managed to become legit celebrities, according to my expert opinion.
TikTok Stars Who’ve Become Legit Celebs
Addison Rae
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Godisson Rae has come a long way from her “Boyfriend, I’m nervous” and her “Let me do this TikTok really quick” (when fans asked for a picture) days. In 2025, she’s a bonafide pop star endorsed by Betches as well as The New York Times and Pitchfork. With hits like “Diet Pepsi” and “Fame Is a Gun,” we as a society have no choice but to recognize this diva as the A-lister she was born to be.
Benson Boone
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Where TF did Benson Boone (aka Mr. Moonbeam Ice Cream) come from, you ask? Yeah, TikTok. Because the app glitches sometimes. Benson was already TikTok-famous in 2021 when he joined season 19 of American Idol. He quickly quit the show, continued to focus on TikTok, and wound up with an insufferable hit, “Beautiful Things,” a Grammy nom for Best New Artist, and now, a headline arena tour. Whether you’re a fan or you groan every time he flips, there’s no denying he’s an A-list pop star.
Owen Thiele
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With Theater Camp and now Adults and Overcompensating on his resumé, Owen Thiele’s officially graduated from TikToker x Nepo Friend to Legit, Respectable Actor with a blindingly bright future in comedy. I mean, he was literally just featured in The Hollywood Reporter, so it’s official. Transition made. And no one deserves the success more than this talented icon! His comedic timing and instincts are unmatched.
Jake Shane
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My favorite influencer to ever exist <3. If you were part of the OG TikTok era, you once knew Jake Shane as the guy who loves to eat octopi and make the most random, hilarious impressions imaginable. These days, his podcast, Therapuss, is the most relevant podcast out there; he’s BFFs with every single major pop star, he performs at live shows for thousands of adoring fans, and he just made his TV debut in Hacks.I just love all of this for him more than I can express.
Charli D’Amelio
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The queen of TikTok herself has somehow managed to gracefully transition her social media fame into a dance career! It’s a miracle this happened, considering she was the face of the app (and had that god-awful family reality show, The D’Amelio Show, for a bit there), but she did it! In 2022, Charli won Dancing With the Stars alongside Mark Ballas, and she’s currently starring in the Broadway production of “&Juliet.” She joined the ensemble as Charmion back in October 2024. Personally, I’m so here for Charli (Professional Dancer Version).
Ilana Frost is an entertainment writer at Betches. As a teenage girl in her twenties, she spends her time stanning Olivia Rodrigo, baking cakes for award shows, and refusing to ever leave her Reputation era.
