Matinee 'Idols'

They sing! They dance! They act?

“American Idol” isn’t just “the search for a superstar,” it’s a search for someone willing to sing, act and shill any way they can just to be famous. So while most of the show’s contestants are best known for the tunes they’ve sung, a growing number of them are finding (questionable) success in movies. 

It could have easily begun and ended with “From Justin to Kelly,” but five years after that snafu, the crossovers are still going strong. This month alone, Katherine McPhee and Kevin Covais have big roles in major releases. Others haven’t been as lucky, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying. To see how they’ve all fared, check out the best and worst “Idol” forays into film. —Michael O'Connell, Special to Metromix