The former Pussycat Doll and X Factor judge didn’t just leap onto the screen though; instead she took to the stage to hone her craft. A successful role in London’s West End revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats garnered her a prestigious Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her debut performance playing Grizabella. She further honed her skills by appearing in Rent where her portrayal of Maureen received rave reviews. In ABC’s Dirty Dancing, Scherzinger portrays Penny, the dance teacher (played by Cynthia Rhodes in the original), so for her getting back to the DWTS ballroom was like coming full circle.
“I'm telling you, being on this show has really helped me!” she continued. “I am acting more and my role in Dirty Dancing is actually quite dramatic ... I did a lot of acting and some singing.” (Scherzinger is pictured with her Dirty Dancing "family" below, left to right: Tony Roberts, Bruce Greenwood, Sarah Hyland, Debra Messing, Abigail Breslin, Katey Sagal, Colt Prattes, Trevor Einhorn, Scherzinger, J. Quinton Johnson, Shane Harper.)