Ricki Pamela Lake in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, is an American television host and actress.
She gained fame for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.
Lake hosted her own talk show, Ricki Lake, from 1993 to 2004, becoming the youngest person to host a syndicated talk show at that time.
The show was highly successful, ranking second in its time slot during its peak.
Siblings
Ricki has one sibling, a younger sister named Jennifer, who was born in 1969.
The Lake sisters share a close bond, and while Jennifer is not as publicly prominent as Ricki, she has been a steadfast source of support throughout Ricki’s career.
The two have often spoken about the importance of family and how they have supported each other through various life challenges.
Lake has frequently credited her family, including her sister, for providing her with the encouragement needed to pursue her career in entertainment.
Career
Lake has had a diverse and successful career spanning acting, television hosting, producing, and advocacy work.
She gained prominence with her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film Hairspray, which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.
This role marked her film debut and established her as a notable talent in Hollywood.
Following Hairspray, Lake appeared in several other films, including Cry Baby, Serial Mom, and Working Girl, as well as a recurring role in the television series China Beach.
In 1993, Lake transitioned to television as the host of her own daytime talk show, Ricki Lake.
The show quickly became a hit, appealing to a younger demographic with topics like dating and fashion.
Over its 11-season run, it garnered multiple accolades, including a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Talk Show Host.
After the show concluded in 2005, Lake returned to daytime television with The Ricki Lake Show in 2012, which won her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host.
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In addition to her television work, Lake has focused on advocacy, particularly in women’s health and empowerment.
She has produced documentaries such as Weed the People, which explores the use of cannabis as medicine.
Her career reflects her ability to reinvent herself while remaining connected to her audience through her genuine and relatable approach.
Awards and accolades
Lake has received several awards and accolades throughout her career as an actress and television host.
She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2013 for Outstanding Talk Show Host for The Ricki Lake Show and was also nominated in 1994 for Outstanding Talk Show Host for Ricki Lake.
At the Independent Spirit Awards, she was nominated for Best Female Lead for Hairspray.
The People’s Choice Awards nominated her for Favorite New Talk Show Host for The Ricki Lake Show in 2013. In Sweden, she won the Aftonbladet TV Prize for Best Foreign TV Personality – Female in 1996.
Lake also won a Streamy Award in 2010 for Best Ensemble Cast in a Web Series for Easy to Assemble.
She is also recognized for her impactful role in the film Hairspray, which significantly boosted her career and led to her becoming a prominent figure in pop culture.
Personal life
Lake has been married twice and has two children from her first marriage. She married illustrator Rob Sussman in 1994 after dating for six months.
They remained together for ten years and had two sons together: Milo Sebastian Sussman and Owen Tyler Sussman.
After divorcing Rob Sussman in 2005, Lake married jewelry designer Christian Evans in 2012. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 2015.
Evans, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, tragically died by suicide in 2017 at the age of 45.
Lake has expressed that her relationship with Evans was deeply meaningful, stating, “He was and continues to be my greatest teacher. I am a far better version of myself having been loved so deeply by him.”
In 2021, at the age of 52, Ricki Lake got engaged to Ross Burningham, a 54-year-old lawyer.
They married in an intimate backyard ceremony in Malibu, California, in January 2022.
Lake believes her late ex-husband Christian Evans helped orchestrate her meeting with Burningham, saying, “I believe Christian arranged this entire situation. He wanted me to find love, and I think Ross is the man Christian wished he could have been for me.”
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