Early life
Lake was born Sepetember 21, 1968, to a Jewish family in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, the daughter of Jill, a homemaker, and Barry Lake, a pharmacist.[4] She attended Ithaca College and the Professional Children's School.[5]Career
Notable acting roles
In 1989, Lake joined the cast of the Vietnam War drama series China Beach as Red Cross volunteer Holly. She later went on to have recurring role as Doug's sister Stephanie on the TV series King of Queens. She has also guest-starred on television series including Drop Dead Diva and a voice role on King of the Hill.
Lake made a cameo appearance in the 2007 movie musical Hairspray as a William Morris talent agent, and teamed up with star Nikki Blonsky, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 movie musical remake, and Marissa Jaret Winokur, who had reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway musical based on the original 1988 film, to record "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now" for the soundtrack, which is played at the film's end credits. She later reunited with original Hairspray co-star Deborah Harry for the film Grammercy Park Hotel which was released in 2008. In October 2007, Lake appeared in the Lifetime TV movie Matters with Life and Dating. She performed in a CBS television special, Loving Leah, that aired in January 2009.
Ricki Lake was originally cast in the TV show The Middle, but she was replaced by Patricia Heaton after ABC announced it had greenlighted the series as a midseason 2009 replacement.[6]
Talk show
Main article: Ricki Lake (TV series)
Ricki Lake was a daytime talk show. The show specialized in topics involving invited guests and incorporated questions and comments from a studio audience.[7][8]
In 2000, Lake told Rosie O'Donnell in an interview she had signed on for four additional years. Although Sony Pictures Television had many stations contracted through the 2004–2005 season, Lake decided to end the show in August 2004, citing (among other things) a desire to spend time with her family. She moved from Los Angeles to New York to tape the 11th season of the show, then returned to California when taping was complete.
Other projects
After her talk show was canceled, Lake went on to host the 2006 CBS limited series Gameshow Marathon, which re-created classic game shows with celebrity contestants.[9] She also signed a development deal with Gameshow Marathon production company FremantleMedia for other ventures, including creating and producing future programs and projects.The Business of Being Born, Lake's documentary about home birth and midwifery, was released in limited markets on January 18, 2008.[10] The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and Red Envelope released the film in New York, L.A. and San Francisco in October[11] and it also screened in Australia.[12] The Business of Being Born included footage and details of Lake's own "life-changing" home-birthing experience and followed a midwife going about her work. Tribeca called it "The Inconvenient Truth of Childbirth."[12] Lake described it as her life's work for the last three years and expressed hopes that the film educated and empowered people to really know their choices in childbirth.[13]
Lake also jointly wrote a book on the world of natural childbirth and birthing options, along with Abby Epstein and Jacques Moritz, called Your Best Birth, published by Wellness Central on May 1, 2009.[16] 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.
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. This marked the first time that these talk show hosts ever appeared together on one show since their programs left the air.[17]
In March 2011 it was reported that three television studios, Twentieth Television, Universal Media Studios and CBS Television Distribution, were interested in bringing Lake back to Talk TV in 2012. This after Lake began appearing on various programs in which she expressed a desire to return to the genre.[18] On April 20, 2011, Lake signed with Twentieth, which will develop her new talk show, for a September 2012 launch. It will have more of an "Oprah"-like format than her previous series.[19]
Personal life
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| Ricki Lake and ex husband Rob Sussman |
In early 2007, Lake pursued a "new routine" resulting in over 125 pounds of weight loss, taking her down to 120 pounds (55 kg) from a high of 260 (118 kg).[22] In November 2007, Lake cited sexual abuse as a child as a reason for her problems with obesity.[23]
On January 15, 2011, Lake finished in sixth place in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Luxury Ladies Poker Event, collecting $5,587 of the prizepool.[25]
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Hairspray | Tracy Turnblad | |
| 1988 | The In Crowd | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1988 | Working Girl | Bridesmaid | |
| 1989 | Cookie | Pia | |
| 1989 | Baby Cakes | Grace | |
| 1989 | Last Exit to Brooklyn | Donna | |
| 1990 | Cry-Baby | Pepper Walker | |
| 1992 | Where the Day Takes You | Brenda | |
| 1992 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Charlotte | Uncredited |
| 1992 | Inside Monkey Zetterland | Bella the Stalker | |
| 1993 | Skinner | Kerry Tate | |
| 1994 | Cabin Boy | Figurehead | |
| 1994 | Serial Mom | Misty Sutphin | |
| 1996 | Mrs. Winterbourne | Connie Doyle/Patricia Winterbourne | |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented | Libby | |
| 2006 | Park | Peggy | |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Talent agent | |
| 2008 | The Business of Being Born | Executive producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Kate & Allie | Teri | 1 episode |
| 1988 | ABC Afterschool Special | Carmen | 1 episode |
| 1989 | Baby Cakes | Grace | Television movie |
| 1989 | Starting Now | Ricki Ross | Television series pilot |
| 1989–1990 | China Beach | Holly Pelegrino | 13 episodes |
| 1990 | Gravedale High | Cleofatra (Voice) | Unknown episodes |
| 1991 | The Chase | Tammie | Television movie |
| 1991 | Riders in the Sky | Broadway Baby | 1 episode |
| 1992 | Based on an Untrue Story | Velour | Television movie |
| 1998 | Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery | Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen | Television movie |
| 2000–2001 | The King of Queens | Stephanie Heffernan | 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Higglytown Heroes | Carpenter Hero | 1 episode |
| 2006 | King of the Hill | Lila (Voice) | 1 episode |
| 2007 | The Middle | Frankie Heck | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Matters of Life and Dating | Linda | Television movie Executive producer |
| 2009 | Loving Leah | Rabbi Gerry | Television movie Co-executive producer |
| 2009 | Charm School with Ricki Lake | Head-mistress | 10 episodes |
| 2010 | Drop Dead Diva | 1 episode | |
| 2010 | The Oprah Winfrey Show | Herself | Guest, "Talk Show Reunion" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Talk Show Host | Ricki Lake |
| 1989 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Female Lead | Hairspray |
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