Photo: Mingle MediaTV / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Ricki Lake is one of those rare figures who genuinely succeeded at two different things. I love that she broke through as Tracy Turnblad in the original Hairspray, an exuberant performance that earned her an Independent Spirit nomination, then pivoted into one of the defining daytime talk shows of the 90s. Running that show internationally from 1993 to 2004, and later picking up a Daytime Emmy in 2013, tells me she understood her audience instinctively. Her work with John Waters gives her an offbeat credibility I appreciate. She always struck me as warm and unpretentious, and that's why the longevity makes sense.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Ricki Lake
- Name (Japanese)
- リッキー・レイク
- Reading
- りっきー・れいく
- Born
- September 21, 1968 (age 57)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Monkey
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Occupation
- television presenter / film producer / television actor / film actor / television producer
2. Background
- High school
- Hastings High School
- University
- Ithaca College
Awards & achievements
- 1996 Aftonbladet TV Prize
- 2013 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Hairspray | — | |
| Notable work | Cry-Baby | — | |
| Notable work | Ricki Lake (1993 talk show) | — | |
| Notable work | Dancing with the Stars | — | |
| Notable work | The Ricki Lake Show | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Ricki Lake born?
Born September 21, 1968 (age 57).
Where is Ricki Lake from?
Ricki Lake is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Ricki Lake do?
Ricki Lake works as television presenter, film producer, television actor, film actor, television producer.
What is Ricki Lake known for?
Notable works include Hairspray, Cry-Baby, Ricki Lake (1993 talk show).
Television presenter — see all → · Film producer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.