Netflix's 'Star Search' reboot reveals judges, including a 'Dexter' alum and Grammy-nominated hitmaker
Netflix is putting a fresh, high-profile spin on a classic talent competition with the announcement of the celebrity judges for its live reboot of 'Star Search'. The streamer has confirmed that Sarah Michelle Gellar, chart-topping country artist Jelly Roll, and media personality Chrissy Teigen will sit on the judging panel alongside host Anthony Anderson when the series premieres later this month. The reimagined 'Star Search' is set to debut on January 20 and will air live twice a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT. The competition will run for five consecutive weeks, as reported by Variety.
By reviving a format that once helped launch major entertainment careers, the streamer is betting on nostalgia, star power, and real-time audience participation. While the three judges come from very different corners of the entertainment world, all of them bring some experience with competitive formats. Gellar has previously appeared as a guest judge on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' and 'Chopped Junior'. Jelly Roll served as a mentor and artist-in-residence on the last two seasons of 'American Idol'. Teigen, meanwhile, has a history with competition shows dating back to MTV's 'Snack Off' and NBC's short-lived comedy contest 'Bring the Funny'.
Netflix's 'Star Search' will spotlight a wide range of performers, including singers, dancers, comedians, magicians, variety acts, and junior contestants. Viewers will be able to cast votes in real time during each live broadcast, either through their television remote or directly within the Netflix mobile app. The new iteration of 'Star Search' traces its roots back more than four decades. The original series launched in 1983 as a syndicated broadcast hosted by Ed McMahon and ran for 12 years. In the early 2000s, CBS attempted to revive the franchise with Arsenio Hall as host, capitalizing on the popularity of 'American Idol'.
The judging panel's individual careers also add extra intrigue to the reboot. Gellar is coming off a busy period that includes 'Dexter: Original Sin' and a return to the 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' franchise in its 2025 reboot. She is also attached to Hulu's upcoming 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', where she will both executive produce and reprise her role on screen. Jelly Roll enters the show amid a career high, having earned seven Grammy nominations overall and three last year alone, while also topping the Billboard 200 with his album 'Beautifully Broken'.
Teigen continues to balance her work as a television host, entrepreneur, and best-selling cookbook author, per The Hollywood Reporter. Behind the scenes, the series is being produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. The showrunners are Jason Raff, known for his work on 'America’s Got Talent', and David Friedman, who previously worked on 'Bring the Funny'. They also serve as executive producers alongside Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Madison Merritt, Elaine Metaxas, Taraji P. Henson, and Steve Mosko.
