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Born in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, Ricki Lake developed an early interest in performing; she took acting and music lessons for years and appeared in numerous school plays. Enrolled in New York's Professional Children's School in her teens, Lake further developed her talents. After her freshman year at Ithaca College, she took a one-year leave of absence to pursue acting full time. The year had nearly expired when she received a call to audition for writer-director John Waters' musical comedy "Hairspray."
Lake's performance as the film's zaftig heroine, Tracy Turnblad, won over not only Waters' audience, but also his cast and crew. "She's 19 and delightful. I hate her," quipped Divine, who played Tracy's mother. "I do adore Ricki," declared Waters, who went on to cast her in several other films. Lake's performance earned her a 1988 Independent Spirit Award nomination for best actress, and the following year she appeared on the 61st Annual Academy Awards in a musical number, "Break-Out Superstars of Tomorrow."
The confluence of stardom and being overweight soon became, in Lake's mind, her "gimmick." She earned roles in films like "Cry Baby" (directed by Waters), the romantic comedy "Babycakes," "Cookie" and "Working Girl," and worked for one season on TV's "China Beach." But Lake's ballooning weight--by her own account, she weighed more than 260--had become an obstacle: gradually, the offers subsided; the gimmick no longer served a purpose. With her career at low ebb, Lake decided to take matters into her own hands. Over the course of six difficult months, she shed 125 pounds.
Flushed with new confidence, Lake auditioned for and got the host spot on a new daytime talk show. By 1993, she had moved to New York and begun taping "The Ricki Lake Show" for Sony Pictures Television. Separating itself from the chat pack by skewing topics toward a younger audience--and not shying away from spicy subject matter and a confrontational approach--"Ricki" became the fastest-growing talk show in TV history. At its peak, the show averaged 14.5 million viewers. Lake was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Host in 1994.
The program's commitment to providing after-show assistance to troubled guests earned it two PRISM commendations, a certificate of merit and a 2003 PRISM Award from the Entertainment Industries Council. Lake also earned Excellence in Media's Angel Award, a Maggie Award from Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Gracie Allen Award for media excellence with moral and/or social impact.
During the decade-plus run of "Ricki," Lake's life changed radically. She amassed a fortune, was married, had two children (sons Milo and Owen), got divorced and moved back to California. She made headlines as an animal-rights activist, getting arrested with her husband at a 1994 anti-fur protest and doing community service. In addition, she served as a keynote speaker at World Wide AIDS Day in 1998, counseled pregnant teens with Project Cuddle, spoke to high-school students about HIV and AIDS, helped raise funds for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and for the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and participated in Avon's 60-mile walkathon to raise awareness about breast cancer.
Lake's more recent acting roles include leads in the romantic comedy "Mrs. Winterbourne" and the TV mystery "Murder She Purred," as well as parts in Waters features "Serial Mom" and "Cecil B. Demented" and a recurring role as Stephanie Heffernan on the smash TV sitcom KING OF QUEENS. In 2002 she joined a star-studded stage performance of "The Vagina Monologues." She provided a guest voice-over for Disney's animated series "Higglytown Heroes" and appeared as herself in Waters' "A Dirty Shame" and the mockumentary "The Naked Brothers Band." She has also tweaked her perky public image by holding her own on "Celebrity Blackjack" and Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown."
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