Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor, Live to Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance. Notably, She received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can\'t Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Big (1988), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She has received five MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning twice, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show, and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990. Abdul was honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids\' Choice Awards\' Hall of Fame Award.\n', '

Abdul was born in San Fernando, California to Jewish parents. Abdul\'s father, Harry Abdul, was born into the Syrian Jewish community in Aleppo, Syria, was raised in Brazil, and subsequently immigrated to the United States. Her mother, the concert pianist Lorraine M. Rykiss, grew up in one of the two Jewish families in Minnedosa, Manitoba, and has Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors from Ukraine. She has a sister named Wendy. In 1980, she graduated from Van Nuys High School.\n', '

As an avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film Singin\' in the Rain.\n', '

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