By Christina Radish
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Nikki Blonsky at the "Hairspray" premiere held at the Mann Village Theater in Westwood, Calif. on July 10, 2007. |
Much like 17-year-old Nikki Blonsky, Tracy Turnblad is a big girl with big dreams and an even bigger heart. In the New Line Cinema musical Hairspray, Tracy has only one passion -- dancing -- and her dream is to appear on “The Corny Collins Show.” In real life, Blonsky’s passion is for acting and singing, and her dream was to play Tracy.
Based on the 1988 John Waters cult classic film and the critically-acclaimed, Tony Award-winning Broadway hit musical, Hairspray tells the story of Tracy, whose plus-sized figure has always set her apart from the cool crowd, which she is reminded of by her loving but overly protective plus-sized mother, Edna (John Travolta). With the encouragement of her father (Christopher Walken), and after wowing Corny Collins (James Marsden) at her high school dance, Tracy wins a spot on his show and becomes an instant on-air sensation, much to the chagrin of the show’s reigning princess, Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow), and her scheming mother, Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer). Even worse for Amber is the fact that it’s not just the audience who loves the new girl in town, as Amber’s sweetheart, Link Larkin (High School Musical star Zac Efron), seems to be smitten with Tracy’s charms as well.
When her best friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), starts a relationship with Seaweed (Elijah Kelley), Tracy’s eyes are opened to a bigger issue -- racial inequality. Throwing caution to the wind, she leads a march with Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah) to fight for integration, and winds up with an arrest warrant instead. On the lam from the law, Tracy must decide if she is willing to forfeit the title of “Miss Hairspray,” or see if she can sing and dance her way out of trouble.
With an all-star cast in place, director/choreographer Adam Shankman was committed to finding an unknown to play Tracy. But, finding an adorable, loveable 17-year-old, plus-sized girl who could sing, dance and act, and hold her own up against some of Hollywood’s biggest names, was quite the formidable challenge. That is, until Shankman saw the audition tape of Cold Stone Creamery employee Nikki Blonsky.
Blonsky, the now 18-year-old New York native, tells MediaBlvd Magazine about how you should always follow your heart and go for your dreams, just like Tracy Turnblad.
MediaBlvd Magazine> How did you come to be starring in Hairspray?
Nikki Blonsky> I saw Hairspray on Broadway when I was 15, and I fell in love with it. Tracy just jumped off the stage, into my heart, and that was it. And then, at 16 I auditioned for the Broadway show and they told me that I was too young, and I was just devastated. I wanted to do it more than anything. Then, all of a sudden, the next year, after I turned 17, I checked the website, waiting to see an open call for the Broadway show, and it said there was an open call for the movie. I scrolled down to find the ages and it said that you had to be 17 to 24, so I could finally do it. I made a video tape of me singing some of the songs and scenes from the Broadway show, and we sent it in to New Line. New Line forwarded it to the casting directors and they said, “We’re coming into New York, and we’d like you to come in during the open call.” I went in and, for 5 months, I kept going on call-back after call-back. And then, the final step was a screen test out here in L.A. It was my first time out here and I was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m in Hollywood! This is unbelievable!” So, I did the screen test and went home. They said, “The earliest you will find out will be 2 days, the latest would be 2 weeks. Four weeks later, I was still sitting there, back at the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shop that I was working at, in my town of Great Neck, Long Island, in New York, and I was just waiting. They called and said, “We’re doing a behind the scenes with each of the four final girls, and we want to come to Cold Stone,” so I said, “Okay, c’mon down!” They actually came the day before my senior prom, and they had the full camera crew. There were like 4 cameras and 3 people with big boom sticks, and they miked me as I was scooping ice cream. Then, they sat me down and said, “Would you mind watching some of the other people’s screen tests?,” and I said, “No.” At the time, I didn’t even think that it was unusual. At that point, if they would have said, “Would you roll over and play fetch with us?,” I would have said, “Sure!” So, all of a sudden, they opened up a lap top and Adam Shankman the director popped up on the screen and said, “Hi Nikki. It’s Adam Shankman, the director of Hairspray, and I just want to thank you for going through this long process. But, at this time, I think you should go make yourself a big ice cream cone because you’re going to be playing Tracy Turnblad in the big screen movie.” And, I fell off my chair, crying and screaming, with my arms flailing everywhere. I freaked out!
MediaBlvd> Will all of that be on the DVD?
Nikki> Yes, and you can watch it on YouTube because, little did I know that the cameras were not just New Line cameras, they were Entertainment Tonight cameras as well. They said, “Congratulations, Nikki!”and, while I was hugging my family, they said, “Okay, you have two minutes. Now, go wash your face because you’ve gotta do your first interview with Entertainment Tonight.” I was like, “Oh, my God! Entertainment Tonight? That’s unbelievable!” It was a total whirlwind. It was so unbelievable and so exciting, and it hasn’t stopped since. I had a week at home. I went to my prom, and then started doing press right away. I did The Today Show. All of a sudden, I was in the middle of Rockefeller Center, being interviewed. It’s been an unbelievable journey and the train has not stopped. I’m thankful because that’s the way I like it. I like being busy and I love talking about this movie because it contains some really amazing messages.
MediaBlvd> How exactly did you go from working at a Cold Stone Creamery to making it in Hollywood?
Nikki> I have a very supportive family, and I had that growing up. They backed me up and told me I could be anything I wanted to be, and do anything I wanted to do. And then, I had a love of the arts and theater and singing, and all that stuff. Their support really made me feel like I could do it. Nothing made me feel like I couldn’t do it, so I just went out there and went after it, like Tracy does.
MediaBlvd> What was your best dish at Cold Stone?
Nikki> The thing that I probably made the best was the Strawberry Shortcake Serenade, with sweet cream ice cream, strawberries, whip cream and pound cake. Everybody loved it. When someone would come put a tip in the jar, my friends, who knew I was a singer, would say, “No, don’t sing one of those Cold Stone jingles, sing the song from ‘Carmen!’” And, I was like, “Well, I think that’s going to cost you a little more than 25 cents because it’s a little harder to sing.”
MediaBlvd> What was your Plan B, for after high school? Were you thinking about going to college, or was there something else?
Nikki> I had a deposit down on Long Island University. I said, “Well, if Hairspray doesn’t work out, then I’ll just go to college and major in drama.” I wasn’t giving this up. I was going to minor in forensic science/criminal justice because I was obsessed with CSI. I just wanted to be an actor on CSI. I really wanted this acting thing. But, I was always a person who had the motto of, “Why sit in a classroom for four years and learn how to audition, when I could just go audition?” Thank God, I had the parents that I had. They just said, “Go do it!,” so I did.
MediaBlvd> What quality do you think you have inside you that enabled you to carry your first movie, opposite such big stars?
Nikki> I really, truly credit it to my upbringing and the home that my parents created. My parents never made me feel like I was different because I was plus size or because I was short. I knew I was different, but they told me I was beautiful, no matter what way I came. And, they told me I could do anything I put my mind to. They supported me, 100%. So, when you have parents like that, and they’re feeding that to you every day, you have no choice, but to be confident in who you are and just be proud of it.
MediaBlvd> You carry this film so beautifully -- like a vet who has done it many times before. Did you ever have a moment of worry?
Nikki> No. I was so excited that Adam and Craig and Neil were giving me this opportunity, and I knew that they were taking a huge risk, in taking on an unknown. So, I said, “I need to give them what they need and what they’re expecting. They’re taking a huge chance on me, so I need to step up my game and prove to them that they made the right decision, ‘cause I don’t want anybody to regret this.”
MediaBlvd> What was your first day on set like?
Nikki> We started off filming the end of “Good Morning, Baltimore.” The first day of filming was pretty much, “Okay, Nikki, go get your costume on, get on top of the garbage truck and film the movie.” It was pretty amazing. I wouldn’t have wanted to start off, in any other way. The song “Good Morning Baltimore” was a song that I had auditioned with for three years of my life, over and over again. So, to stand on a street in Toronto, getting off of a garbage truck, and hearing your voice being played through speakers at 6 o’clock in the morning, is unbelievable. I was not used to anything like that. Everybody in this movie just welcomed me with open arms, and really welcomed me, and I now have an extended family of life-long friends.
MediaBlvd> What did you see in Adam as a director that made you say, “I’m so happy that I’m working with him”?
Nikki> What I saw in Adam was a person that I want to be like, and a person that I admired. The man has the most incredible passion. I’ve never seen a more passionate person than Adam Shankman. He was determined to find an unknown to play Tracy. He wanted to find me as much as I wanted to find him, and I think that’s why we were just destined to find each other. Now, he’s one of my best friends. I call him to consult on everything, from my hair color to whatever. “Adam, I’m at Betsey Johnson. What shoes should I get?” He’s a third parent, in a way. I have two great parents, but he’s my dreammaker. That’s what I call him. He gave me my dream come true, and he’s also one of my best friends. What I saw in Adam was a person that I just truly admire.
MediaBlvd> Did you find you had any misconceptions about any of the famous people you got to work with in this film?Nikki> I honestly went into this movie with absolutely no expectations of the experience that I would have, or the people that I would meet. I knew I was going to meet these huge stars, who are all legends, in their own right. But then, when I really just sat down with them and talked to them, with the cameras off, and got to know John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer for who they are, they were just incredible human beings. They’re some of the sweetest, most nurturing people, and I think that’s why everything worked the way it did. We all bonded. We all have this passion and we all really wanted to be there, so I think that’s why the movie turned out the way it did. It’s just full of life and full of love because we all were having fun with the parts that we were playing.
MediaBlvd> The first time you met John Travolta, did you allow yourself to be a little bit in awe, or did that pass easily?
Nikki> That passed the second after I met him. I heard he was at the studio and Adam said, “It’s time for you to come and meet John.” I was so nervous. I was holding Adam’s hand and I almost broke his fingers, I was squeezing so tight. I remember going in the room, and John stood up and said, “Come to mama!,” and I just hugged him. From then on, it was just total connection, everything was there, and I wasn’t nervous anymore.
MediaBlvd> How was it having John Travolta as your mom and Christopher Walken as your dad?
Nikki> It was an amazing experience. They’re both legendary actors, who are icons in their own right. They are so talented, but are also two of the most gentle, kind men I’ve ever met, in my entire life. They are both so sweet, and I really adore them. My parents are a very important part of my life. I love them with all my heart. They’re my best friends. So, to have people play those really important, key characters in your life, it creates a bond. From the second I met Chris, and the second I met John, that bond was there. The chemistry was there and the family was born. It was incredible to work with them.
MediaBlvd> What was your biggest “Pinch me!” moment then?
Nikki> Watching the movie and hearing the songs. I saw the Broadway show when I was 15, and I was hooked. I loved it! I wanted to play Tracy more than anything. So, to hear my own version of “Good Morning, Baltimore,” and to look at the soundtrack and say, “Oh, my gosh, I am on a soundtrack with Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah and John Travolta.” That’s just totally mind-blowing.
MediaBlvd> What was Amanda Bynes like to work with?
Nikki> What you saw onscreen with Penny and Tracy, the minute they would say, “Cut!,” it was the exact same thing with Nikki and Amanda. We just had the greatest time, constantly laughing and having a blast. We still do. She’s a sweetheart, and she’s definitely somebody to admire because she’s had a very good career. She started young and she’s still going, and she’s doing it up big.
MediaBlvd> Did you talk to Zac Efron about having instant stardom?
Nikki> Zac is one of my greatest friends. We were in a lot of scenes together, so we were constantly together, on set and off. He had a lot of great advice about dealing with everything. I think the best part about learning from Zac was watching him deal with his fans, and seeing how he handles everything. He’s a real gentleman. He’s incredible. I’m very honored to be working with him.
MediaBlvd> As someone who is still only 17, are you able to relate to the messages in the film?
Nikki> When I got the part of Tracy, I researched the time period because I wanted to go back and really see what it was all about. I researched Baltimore in 1962. I wanted to know who the mayor was. I wanted to know what Civil Rights movements were going on at the time. I had just gone through history class, four months prior, so I remember learning about it. I just really dug into what was going on then, and I learned so much about the time period. That’s what really helped me in the portrayal of all the race issues and the bigotry that was going on. If I was Nikki in 1962, I would feel just like Tracy did. Today, in 2007, we’ve come so far, but we have so much more to go to overcome these issues because, sadly, we still deal with them. I have faith that we will overcome.
MediaBlvd> Was it surreal, being in that complete 60's environment?
Nikki> When I showed up on set, the first day, and I saw all the extras, and everybody with their beehives and their pencil skirts, it was like a total time warp. The set and the costumes, and everything, were so authentic and real. That’s what made the movie believable, and made you feel like you went back in the 60's. That was definitely a key part of this film.
MediaBlvd> Are you just a naturally great dancer, or did you take dance lessons before this opportunity came?
Nikki> During the dance audition, I remember thinking, “Oh, my God, please just let it work. Feet, do your magic. I don’t know how you’re going to do it. I don’t even know what an 8-count is, but just figure it out.” The choreographer said, “Okay, this is the dance,” and he did the entire two-minute dance, and then said, “Okay, do it back.” I swear, it just overtook me and I did that dance and I was like, “Oh, my God! How am I moving? This is unbelievable!” So, that was that. Then, I went through 8 hours a day for 2 months of intense dance rehearsals with a choreographer. I think I’ll always be able to do the dances from Hairspray because we drilled them in for so long.
MediaBlvd> At what point did you get to meet John Waters, and what was that like?
Nikki> Adam picked me, so I didn’t meet John Waters until I got the part and worked with him on set. Talk about a little bit of intimidation. I was a nervous. He created Tracy. He created Hairspray. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. So, it was very cool to work with John. He’s an incredible guy.
MediaBlvd> Did you talk to Ricki Lake, who originated the role, at all?
Nikki> Actually, I talked to Ricki a lot. She gave me a lot of great advice, when we were up on the set, about the industry and breaking into it, and what things to expect and not to expect. She’s an incredible person.
MediaBlvd> What was the hardest part about making this movie?
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Nikki Blonsky at the MTV Movie Awards held at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. on June 3, 2007. |
Nikki> The hardest part about making the movie was finishing the movie and leaving the set. We all became so close. You become a family. You work together for so long and you’re with each other 18 hours a day, on set. You’re getting your hair and make-up done together, and you’re eating together. We were making a family-fun comedy and we were having so much fun. I think the most amazing thing about Hairspray is that there’s something for everybody, and there’s someone for everybody to relate to. The most exciting part about being in this movie is that we all stand for something different, yet there are some really amazing messages behind this movie.
MediaBlvd> Tracy has a history of being played by relative unknowns. Do you think that worked to your advantage?
Nikki> Tracy was just a 17-year-old girl with a big dream. I was just a 17-year-old girl with a big dream. They paralleled each other and worked well together. Playing Tracy was my life-long dream. This is it. I’m just having fun.
MediaBlvd> How has your life changed since making the film?
Nikki> My life has completely turned around, I’ll tell you that much. I have extremely supportive parents, so I’ve always been very happy and content with my life with them. But, when you’re finally doing what you want to do in life, it’s this level of joy that I never thought was possible. I’m just happy, 24/7. I’ve never been this happy.
MediaBlvd> What would you say to teens to help them feel better about themselves?
Nikki> I think the first step is going to watch Hairspray. The bottom line is that you have to be secure within yourself before you can be any good to anybody else. You have to find the passion within you, whatever your dream is -- whether it’s to be in this business or whether it’s to be whatever else you want to be. It doesn’t really matter what you look like, if you have the passion and you have the drive and you have the love for it. You have to go for it because, at the end of the day, it’s about the talent and the love and the passion, not about the length of the hair and the size of the hips.
MediaBlvd> What are your expectations for Hollywood?
Nikki> I’ve been in and out of this town for a few months now, since the movie wrapped. I’ve seen amazing things in Hollywood. I see all these big stars and it’s amazing and then I also see really sad things, like Paris Hilton going to jail and Lindsay Lohan in rehab. I read the covers of these magazines and feel just terrible that it got to that point, for both of them. I really want to let kids out there know that, if you have it within you, you can be good and you can be the person you want to be. You just have to follow your dreams. It’s about taking what’s within and putting it out there and working with it.
MediaBlvd> If you stay in this business, are you worried about being able to keep your kindness, sincerity and generosity?
Nikki> I grew up, going through elementary school and getting called all different kinds of names. But, life is what you make it and, if you let things get to you, then that’s that. I was never a person who really let things get to me. I really couldn’t have cared less about what people said to me. My grandmother said, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” So I would just say, “Well they have nothing nice to say, so they should just stop talking.” Now, it’s interesting. Everybody has their own opinions and, of course, this business is the most judgmental business out there. But, I think I’m just going to take my own route. I have a lot of great people around me, supporting me and loving me -- everyone from my parents to John Travolta and Adam Shankman, so I think I’ll be okay.
MediaBlvd> Are scripts being sent to you?
Nikki> Oh, yes. I just want to continue to make more great movies that I enjoy doing, and that people enjoy watching.
MediaBlvd> Do you have another movie lined up?
Nikki> I’ve been reading some stuff and I’ve been keeping busy with my agent. John has graciously shared his agent with me, so I’m with William Morris and we are working on finding another great film.
MediaBlvd> Would you like to do another musical, or are you looking for other projects?
Nikki> John starred in Grease, which is the greatest musical of all time. He says that a great musical is only made once every 10 years, so if I were to just wait for musicals, I’d be waiting forever, or I’d only be working once every 10 years, which is not acceptable. Hearing that, I knew that I wanted to take some straight acting roles, whether it be in comedies or dramas. I want to really put all the possibilities up for grabs and just try out all my chops.
