‘American Idol’ star Justin Guarini endured dark spiral after Hollywood dream collapsed

After becoming runner-up on the first season of “American Idol” in 2002, Justin Guarini expected a lasting career in entertainment. But his early Hollywood success faded, and being dropped by RCA in 2003 left him isolated and struggling; he now says that setback eventually helped him reassess what mattered.

Guarini’s self-titled album reached the Billboard 200 top 20, while his film with Kelly Clarkson, “From Justin to Kelly”, flopped and attracted criticism. He later returned to performing at smaller venues, then built a career in television and Broadway, appearing in productions including “American Idiot” and “Wicked”, and playing Lil’ Sweet in Diet Dr Pepper adverts. He has recently released a book about confidence and owning one’s story.