Less than two years ago, Nikki Blonsky was singing for tips at an ice cream shop and performing in high school musicals. Today, she’s one of the stars of the ultimate high school musical for the current generation, Hairspray, matching upbeat song verses and dance steps with John Travolta, the star of the ultimate high school musical from my generation, Grease.
Plus, she’s busy winning the onscreen heart of Zac Efron, star of the actual High School Musical, while overcoming the nastiness of Michelle Pfeiffer—herself a veteran of the ultimate bad high school musical, Grease 2.
Like Tracy Turnblad, the character Blonsky plays, there were twists and turns on the road to achieving her dream.
At 16, the Great Neck, Long Island teenager had been turned down as too young for the role of Tracy on Broadway. A year later, she saw a casting call on the Web site for Hairspray. With the help of her manager at the time, she made an audition tape that was sent to New Line Cinema via an emailed link. Impressed by what they saw, Blonsky got invited to an open audition in New York. After several callbacks she headed to Los Angeles in May 2006 for a screen test.
A month later she found out that she’d won the role during a candid-camera set-up arranged by New Line. They told her they wanted to tape a behind-the-scenes segment with each of the finalists, so the studio sent a crew to Cold Stone Creamery—the ice cream chain where Blonsky worked. Instead of viewing other auditions (as she’d been led to believe) they filmed her ecstatic reaction as director Adam Shankman told her (via laptop) that she would play Tracy in the movie.
That decision is validated by Blonsky’s performance. The 4-foot-10-inch teen bursts off the screen from the first bars of “Good Morning Baltimore,” becoming the worthy center of the story.
Like Ricki Lake in 1988’s more subversive John Waters original, Blonsky makes Tracy—who fights for racial equality, her own self-esteem and the chance to dance on local television—the kind of heroine that’s easy to root for and love. She’s a positive role model for girls of all ages—a welcome break from the repetitive messages telling women they’re too much of anything: fat, thin, loud, bold, dumb, brainy or old.
When I found out I’d have the opportunity to interview her, my first thought was of my six nieces. The two eldest—Hannah, 12 and Jessica, 8—are big fans of Blonsky and the film. So I asked them what they’d like to know about the 19-year-old actress.
Blonsky was more than happy to answer the girls’ questions and enthusiastically asked me to say hello to them from her.
I caught up with her as she took a break from her busy schedule. She recently wrapped the film Queen Sized for television cable channel Lifetime and has several music projects—including a concert in Dallas on Dec. 16—in the works. Here’s what she shared with me (and where noted, the girls):
Jessica, 8: Is your real life the same as in the movie?
Nikki Blonsky: No. I live in 2007 and Tracy lives in 1962. A lot of things are different, technology wise, culture wise. But I’m very similar to Tracy and you know if I could run down the streets singing and dancing everyday I probably would, but I think somebody would have a problem if I did that today. [Laughs]
Jessica: How much hairspray did you really use in the movie?
NB: One hundred cans of hairspray in four months.
Hannah, 12: Were you wearing a wig?
NB: I was wearing three wigs over the course of filming. Everyday we would have to tease and play with it until we got it that perfect round shape.
Hannah: Do you have plans to be Tracy on Broadway?
NB: Right now I’m focused more on film and my music. There’s always room for Broadway in my life and my heart, it just has to be the right role. It’s something definitely to think about and something that has been talked about. Just not right now.
Susan Thea Posnock: How do you approach singing versus non-singing scenes? Is there a difference?
NB: For me it’s really just about putting your whole self into something and giving it 110 percent whether it’s a singing scene or acting scene or both put together. It’s just about living in the character’s brain and being in the character’s body and just surrendering.
STP: Do you think there’s acknowledgement and respect out there for singing as part of the performance in a musical film?
NB: I think so. If anything for me, as the performer, I think it’s even more of a testament when you are singing. It’s singing your feelings. What happens in a musical is you can only speak for so long before your emotions get so high and heavy that the only way to get them out is through song.
STP: How much has your life changed as a result of being in the film?
NB: I just travel a little bit more. I still live at home with my family. I still do my normal things, [like] my chores. I’m a very happy 19-year-old because I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. I thank god everyday that this was the life that was chosen for me because this was the life that I wanted to live.
STP: Does your family help you to keep your perspective?
NB: I think it’s the remembrance of what [I’m] really doing here. I’m really trying to be a working actress and I’m really just trying to make movies that not just touch my soul but touch the audience’s heart and soul.
Living at home with my family they don’t just help keep me grounded, they help me with everything—it’s their love and support that have helped me to get where I am.
STP: What kind of example do you want to set for young girls?
NB: Never try to be anyone else but you. Enjoy yourself, love yourself, take care of yourself and just don’t be afraid to be yourself and don’t be afraid to share that with the world. If you have a dream, you can do it—anything can happen, you never know. Dreams really do come true, I’m a living, walking testament to that.
Author's Note: This post first appeared at Awards Daily.
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