Ricki Lake

Ricki Lake, born on September 21, 1968 in New York, USA, embarked on her journey in the world of entertainment as an actress at the tender age of nine. She initially gained recognition for her role in the 1988 cult classic Hairspray, directed by John Waters. Lake's portrayal of the vivacious and somewhat rebellious teenager Tracy Turnblad solidified her place as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. As well as being impressive on film, Lake made a significant impact on daytime television when she hosted her eponymous talk show, Ricki Lake. Debuting in 1993, the show embraced topics that were often viewed as bold or controversial for its time. This daring approach, coupled with Lake's charismatic personality, resulted in it becoming one of the highest-rated daytime talk shows during the '90s. Her successful stint as a talk show host earned her an Emmy Award in 2013. Not one to rest on her laurels, Lake has also been active in the realm of production. She co-produced the acclaimed documentary The Business of Being Born, which offered an in-depth exploration of maternity care in the United States. Additionally, she showed off her dancing skills on the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars, where she secured third place in 2011.