Ricki Lake
Ricki Pamela Lake (born September 21, 1968) is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray, for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.
She is also known for her talk show, Ricki Lake, which was broadcast internationally from September 1993 until May 2004. When the show debuted, she was 24 and credited as being the youngest person to host a syndicated talk show at the time. In late 2012, Lake began hosting a second syndicated talk show, The Ricki Lake Show. The series was canceled in 2013 after a single season, but Lake won her first Daytime Emmy Award for the project.
She also starred in other Waters films including Cry-Baby, Cecil B. Demented, and Serial Mom. She starred in Mrs. Winterbourne, Cabin Boy, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Cookie, and Inside Monkey Zetterland.
She joined the cast of the Vietnam War drama series China Beach as a Red Cross volunteer, Holly "the Donut Dolly" Pelegrino, for the show's third season. She also had a recurring role on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens as Doug's sister Stephanie. She also had a cameo in the 2007 film Hairspray as a talent agent and sang "Mama I'm A Big Girl Now" with Nikki Blonsky and Marissa Jaret Winokur for the film's end credits.
In 2008, her documentary about home birth and midwifery, The Business of Being Born, was released. She also jointly wrote a book, Your Best Birth, on the world of natural childbirth and birthing options, along with Abby Epstein and Jacques Moritz, which was published in 2009. Lake and Epstein also launched MyBestBirth.com, an online social network, powered by Ning, intended to allow parents and medical professionals to dialogue about varying birthing options and resources.
She returned to television on May 11, 2009, succeeding Sharon Osbourne as host for the third season of VH1's Charm School. On November 10, 2010, Lake joined fellow talkers Phil Donahue, Sally Jessy Raphael, Geraldo Rivera, and Montel Williams as guests of Oprah Winfrey on The Oprah Winfrey Show, marking the first time those hosts appeared together on one show since their respective programs left the air.
She competed on the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with three-time champion Derek Hough and cited Kirstie Alley's appearance as an inspiration to do the show. In October 2019, she began competing in The X Factor: Celebrity.
In March 2018, at SXSW, Lake and Epstein premiered their documentary film Weed the People, examining the use of cannabis as medicine and its status as a Schedule I prohibited drug in the United States. The film focused in particular on the use of cannabis in the treatment of pediatric cancer.
Photos
Films (44)
Big Rock Burning
2025 · Executive Producer
American Catastrophe: LA Burning -- Special Edition of 20/20
2025 · Self (archive footage)
Moon Manor
2022 · Ricki Lake
Noël, toi et moi
2021 · Marie
Weed the People
2018 · Executive Producer
Gemini
2017 · Vanessa
Hairspray Live!
2016 · Pinkette
Embrace
2016 · Self
I Am Divine
2014 · Self
More Business of Being Born
2011 · Host, Executive Producer
Loving Leah
2009 · Rabbi Gerry, Co-Executive Producer
The Business of Being Born
2008 · Self, Producer
Hairspray: Playing Tracy
2007 · Self
The Roots of 'Hairspray'
2007 · Self
Hairspray: The Search for Tracy Turnblad
2007 · Self
Matters of Life & Dating
2007 · Linda Dackman
Hairspray
2007 · Talent Agent
Park
2006 · Peggy
The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie
2005 · Ricki Lake
It Came from... Baltimore!!
2005 · Self
The Best of So Graham Norton
2004 · Self (archive footage)
A Dirty Shame
2004 · Ricki Lake
Cecil B. Demented
2000 · Libby
Jackie's Back!
1999 · Ricki Lake
Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery
1998 · Mary Minor 'Harry' Haristeen
Mrs. Winterbourne
1996 · Connie Doyle
Serial Mom
1994 · Misty Sutphin
Cabin Boy
1994 · Figurehead
Skinner
1993 · Kerry Tate
Based on an Untrue Story
1993 · Velour Gnack
Inside Monkey Zetterland
1992 · Bella the Stalker
Where the Day Takes You
1992 · Brenda
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1992 · Charlotte
The Chase
1991 · Tammie
Cry-Baby
1990 · Pepper Walker
Cookie
1989 · Pia
Last Exit to Brooklyn
1989 · Donna
Babycakes
1989 · Grace
Working Girl
1988 · Bridesmaid
A Family Again
1988 · Carmen
Hairspray
1988 · Tracy Turnblad
The In Crowd
1988 · Dancer (uncredited)
New Line: Independent Legacies
· Self (archive footage)
She Married Her Murderer: The Susan Cox Powell Story
· Judy Cox
Séries (45)
En direct de l'autre monde avec Tyler Henry
2024 · Self
The Wheel
2022 · Self - Expert
Sherri
2022 · Self - Guest
Pictionary
2022
Stars in the House
2020 · Self - Special Guest
The Tamron Hall Show
2019 · Self - Guest
RuPaul
2019 · Self
Mask Singer (États-Unis)
2019 · Raven (archive footage), Self
25 Words or Less
2018 · Self
Drop the Mic
2017 · Self
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
2015 · Dream Ghost #1
Celebrity Family Feud
2015 · Self
Through the Keyhole
2013 · Self
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
2013 · Self
The Ricki Lake Show
2012 · Producer, Creator
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · Self - Guest
Drop Dead Diva
2009 · Susan Semler
Charm School with Ricki Lake
2009 · Self - Headmistress, Producer
Olivia
2009 · Creator
Celebrity Juice
2008 · Self
Easy to Assemble
2008
Gameshow Marathon
2006 · Hostess
The Reichen Show
2005 · Self
Dancing with the Stars
2005 · Self - Contestant
Higglytown Heroes
2004 · Carpenter Hero (voice)
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003 · Self
The King of Queens
1998 · Stephanie Heffernan
Hollywood Squares
1998 · Self - Panelist
The Entertainment Biz
1998 · Self
The View
1997 · Self - Guest, Self, Self - Guest Co-Host
King of the Hill
1997 · Lila (voice)
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996 · Self
TFI Friday
1996
The Critic
1994 · Ricki Lake (voice)
Intimate Portrait
1993 · Self
Ricki Lake
1993
Late Show with David Letterman
1993 · Self - Guest
The Jenny Jones Show
1991
The Idiot Box
1991 · Daughter
Gravedale High
1990 · Cleofatra (voice)
The Word
1990
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
China Beach
1988 · Holly Pelegrino
Kate & Allie
1984
Entertainment Tonight
1981