The Real cohosts Loni Love, Tamera Mowry, Jeannie Mai, and Adrienne Bailon have become a morning talk show staple for many fans. But, before they gathered around the table for girl chat in 2013, they had to start somewhere!

Loni, 48, worked the assembly line for General Motors and was an electrical engineer. She entered a standup comedy contest while attending A&M in Texas, and won. Loni was then runner-up on Star Search, appeared on VH1 and eventually became a frequent panelist on Chelsea Lately.

Jeannie, 40, became a makeup artist for MAC cosmetics, and came from San Jose to the east coast to work as a celebrity makeup artist for MTV’s Total Request Live. Jeannie wrote her own scripts when she auditioned for the local TV networks to prove she could be a host. She also appeared on Character Fantasy, Extra, and was a fashion consultant on The Biggest Loser.

Tamera, 41, and her twin sister Tia got their start acting at a young age when their parents moved from Germany to California. The talk show host had small roles on Full House and Are You Afraid of the Dark?. She and Tia eventually starred together on the hit show Sister, Sister in the ‘90s.

Adrienne, 36, initially wanted to pursue a career in medicine, but was hand-picked out of her church choir by Ricky Martin to sing backup for him. Shortly after, she was scouted by a music producer and became a member of the girl group 3LW.

Since, The Real has gained an immense fanbase, and even won a Daytime Emmy in 2018 for Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host.

To hear more about what Loni, Tamera, Jeannie, and Adrienne were up to before The Real, watch the above video and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!