Who is Beckett Rex on American Idol? (Why did Beckett leave the Top 26?)

The surprises just keep coming on American Idol this season! It’s certainly been a dramatic one in some ways. There’s been two exits, and the judges decided to extend the Top 24 into the Top 26 for the 2023 season of the ABC singing competition. And now apparently, there was a third person who chose to leave we didn’t even know about. That would be Beckett Rex.

On April 16 and April 17, the Top 26 performed in Hawaii. While no one went home just yet, these two episodes were important because the aspiring singers performed for our votes at home. Next week on April 23, we’re going to find out who made it into the Top 20 as they return to Hollywood. If you remember when the Top 26 were first announced, only 25 of the contestants’ names were revealed. Then the show shared that 16-year-old Paige Anne from Idaho was the one to be brought back after being eliminated, officially rounding out the Top 26.

Who left the Top 26 on American Idol?

During Monday’s episode, “Top 26 at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii Part #2,” host Ryan Seacrest said that someone from the group decided to leave, but didn’t reveal the person’s name. Well that mystery contestant was Beckett Rex. So it turns out Paige was the judges’ second choice to take the final spot in the Top 26. His name probably doesn’t sound familiar because we didn’t see any footage of him throughout the season, not even see his audition. Why is that the case? We’ve got the answers for you below!

Who is Beckett Rex on American Idol?

Beckett Rex is a 19-year-old from Ojai, California. It turns out that the young adult actually auditioned, passed Hollywood Week and the Showstopper/Final Judgement rounds, and was initially chosen to be a part of the Top 26. He confirmed this news on his Instagram story.

Rex is actually the son of British actor Malcolm McDowell. He is best known for playing Alex DeLarge in 1971 film A Clockwork Orange. Other roles include Dr. Samuel Loomis in the 2007 remake Halloween and Halloween II, as well as voicing  Metallo on Superman: The Animated Series.

Why did Beckett leave American Idol’s Top 26?

Beckett did not share why he left the competition series on his social media post. All he revealed was that the exit was his choice, and he encourages everyone to go vote for his “friends” on the series. Here is what the post said:

"I’m not going to say why I didn’t decide to continue in the competition, but what I will say is that it was my choice. I am forever grateful to my American Idol family and I will always look back at the experience with the utmost gratitude and fondness."

Though he was edited out of the show, you can actually catch a glimpse of the singer with the Top 26 in a promotional image released by ABC. Rex is the redhead standing in the back. Check it out below!

What is Beckett Rex doing now?

While his Idol journey was short-lived, the California native is already making music. He released an EP with three singles – “Wildfire,” “Weirdo,” and “Pale Blue Eyes” – so far, and it seems like more tunes could be coming in the future. You can listen to all three songs on Spotify.

American Idol airs new episodes Sunday and Monday nights on ABC.