Justin Guarini Says He Was ‘So Afraid’ He Was ‘Shaking at Certain Points’ During “American Idol ”(Exclusive)

Angela AndaloroSun, October 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM UTC

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Justin Guarini on ‘American Idol’ in 2002 (left), and on the cover of his book, ‘Center Stage Confidence’ (2026)Credit: SGranitz/WireImage; Simon & Schuster -

Justin Guarini was introduced to the world as a season 1 contestant on American Idol

The entertainer, 47, reflects on building the confidence to take that chance and many more in his career since then in his new book, Center Stage Confidence: How to Own Your Story and Command Any Room

Guarini tells PEOPLE about going from reality TV to Broadway and motivational speaking

Justin Guarini is sharing the lessons he learned from life after American Idol

The 47-year-old entertainer was first introduced to the public as one of the hopefuls looking to win the reality competition series’ first season in 2002. Over two decades after coming in second to Kelly Clarkson, Guarini reflects on the experience and his subsequent career in music, Broadway, motivational speaking and more in his new book, Center Stage Confidence: How to Own Your Story and Command Any Room.

Speaking with PEOPLE about the self-help book, he opens up about building the confidence that allowed him to take that first step.

“Stepping into that was an act of faith, because none of us had any idea what it was, certainly not what it would become,” he shares. “But at the same time, it was just one of the things that we, as entertainers or entrepreneurs, do on a daily basis. It is taking that which we know, the experience that we have, the passion that we have, and moving forward into a place of uncertainty and just giving it our all.”

Justin Guarini performs during season 1 of ‘American Idol’ (August 2022)Credit: Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/FOX

Guarini is hoping to instill that same confidence in his readers.

“When I wrote Center Stage Confidence, when we think about confidence, confidence is, to me, trusting that you can move forward even though you feel the fear, even though you feel the uncertainty, and knowing that you can handle the outcome, whatever’s going to happen,” he explains.

“So for me, my confident moment in American Idol was stepping out onto that stage, stepping in front of Simon [Cowell] and Paula [Abdul] and Randy [Jackson], stepping forward and just doing what it is that I know how to do. Even though I was so afraid I was shaking at certain points, I trusted that I could handle whatever the outcome would be.”

Justin Guarini at ‘The Great Gatsby’ Broadway opening in New York City (April 2024)Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty

After American Idol, Guarini starred alongside Clarkson in the 2003 film From Justin to Kelly. From there, he took his talents to Broadway, making his stage debut in 2010’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. He’s also had roles in American Idiot, Romeo and Juliet, Wicked, In Transit and Once Upon a More Time. Since 2015, he’s starred in Dr. Pepper commercials as the comical character “Lil’ Sweet.”

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Outside of entertainment, Guarini has built a career as a keynote speaker and confidence coach. It hasn’t always been an easy road, but the author notes that’s true of many of the hands life deals people.

“Navigating the spotlight will always be a challenge, which is why most people don’t do it. Yet for everyone, there is a spotlight moment in your life,” he says. “It might be in your relationship with your body; it might be in your relationship spiritually; it might be in your relationships with loved ones, families, friends; it might be in a business relationship or relationships, whatever that may be. There is a spotlight to navigate.”

“What I love to talk about in the book is, what would be possible for you if you no longer saw fear as an enemy, but as an ally? What would be possible for you if you no longer saw the failures of your past, or the potential failures of your future, as an identity, but instead saw them as just an event?” Guarini continues. “It’s those kinds of questions that we unpack in the book.”

‘Center Stage Confidence: How to Own Your Story and Command Any Room’Credit: Simon & Schuster

While he emphasizes that “the book is not a memoir,” he does feel gratitude to be able to take his own experiences in entertainment and business, as well as those of others that he spoke to for the book — such as Michael Bublé, Jordan Fisher and Amber Ruffin — to help provide readers perspective.

“We explore how we go and begin to see the experiences that we’ve had, whatever you’ve navigated as the reader, as the listener of the book, and begin to see, ‘Oh wait, I was good enough. I am good enough. I just needed to change my perspective. I need to unpack what confidence is for me so that the next time an opportunity comes around, I can feel the fear and move forward anyway; I can feel the uncertainty and move forward anyway, because I have a body of evidence that shows me that I can handle whatever comes,’” he shares.

Guarini concludes, “There are great exercises in the book, and great experiences that you can have while reading the book that make a difference. Instead of just telling great stories, they actually make a difference in your life. And so I’m excited to share those with people, and see the results of what happens when they just show up and play.”

Center Stage Confidence: How to Own Your Story and Command Any Room is now available wherever books are sold.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”