What Happened to Katharine McPhee? Find Out Where the ‘American Idol’ Runner-Up Is Now

During the season 5 finale of American Idol, Katharine McPhee was named the runner-up against winner Taylor Hicks. After competing in the singing competition, she launched an acting career and was also able to find lasting love. Keep scrolling for details on what happened to Katharine and where she is now. 

What Happened to Katharine McPhee?

Katharine, a California native born in 1984, auditioned for American Idol in 2005 with a rendition of Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child.” She blew away judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul with her vocal talent. The artist soared through the competition with unforgettable covers, leaving many viewers shocked when she didn’t take home the top prize. 

After the show, Katharine released her self-titled debut album in 2007 under RCA Records. The “Over It” singer starred in The House Bunny with Anna Faris in 2008 and made other acting appearances in Ugly Betty, Community, CSI: NY and more. In 2012, Katharine landed the role of Karen Cartwright in the musical drama Smash on NBC. The series ended after two seasons in 2013. The Young Hollywood Award winner joined the cast of the drama series Scorpion in 2014, a role she held until 2018. 

Katharine married her first husband, Nick Cokas, in 2008. They announced their split in 2014 and their divorce was finalized in 2016. 

Where Is Katharine McPhee Now? 

After leaving Scorpion, she starred as Jenna Hunterson in Waitress on Broadway in 2018. The songwriter reprised the role for a second stint on Broadway from 2019 to 2020. She has released four more follow-up albums to her solo self-titled debut over the last few years.

In July 2018, Katharine got engaged to music producer David Foster, whom she first met in 2006 when he served as a mentor on American Idol. They wed in June 2019 at the Church of St. Yeghiche in South Kensington, London. The couple welcomed their first child together, son Rennie, in February 2021. David is also a dad to daughters Allison, Amy, Sara, Erin and Jordan, whom he welcomed during his previous marriages. 

A few months after welcoming their little boy, Katharine and David competed together on The Masked Singer. During a January 2023 appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, the doting mom revealed whether the pair planned to have more kids in the future. 

"I would love to have another baby, but we'll see," Katharine said. "We're not in any crazy rush, but I hope so. I love being a mom, I really love it."