Ricki Lake's weight has been a much talked-about subject ever since the very beginning of her career in entertainment. For her first movie role, Lake landed the part of the "pleasantly plump" Tracy Turnblad, the lead in the original 1988 "Hairspray" film. Up until that point, the aspiring actress hadn't had any experience with public scrutiny. But that was about to change.
At first, Lake tells "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" in the above video, she was thrilled to be a part of a story as iconic as "Hairspray" -- and is still grateful for the experience to this day.
"I was 18 years old, I was a freshman at Ithaca College, and got the role of a lifetime... [playing] this incredible role model character," Lake says. "I had no idea what I was signing up for, and how it would give me the career and the life that I've had. It's just completely surreal. It's like life imitating art."
Critics, however, focused on Lake's weight almost as much as her performance. Headlines that included phrases like "Ricki Lake, the Jumbo Teen Star of 'Hairspray'" and "Ricki Lake as a Chubby Charmer" appeared in the tabloids.
"I don't remember the tabloids and them picking on me about my weight. I mean, maybe it did bother me. I don't really have a lasting memory of it," she says.
Looking back at her lengthy career in television and film, Lake says that the intense focus on her weight over the years is essentially par for the course. "It's just been part of it," she says. "My weight fluctuates."
What she struggles with, Lake adds, is how her own discussion about those fluctuations contributes to society's overall fixation on size and standards of beauty.
"I became famous for being a certain size, and I was a role model for so many young women. But I loved when I lost weight and felt good about my body. I loved telling the world!" Lake says. "At the same time, I felt like I was perpetuating this obsession that we have with weight."
In other words, Lake also struggles with the idea of losing weight.
"You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't," she says.
Ricki Lake's full interview airs this weekend on "Oprah: Where Are They Now?", on Saturday, April 25, at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
