Nicole Blonsky

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Nicole Blonsky

Date of birth
November 9, 1988 (age 18)
Place of birth
Great Neck, New York, USA
Height
4' 10" (1.47 m)
Occupation
Actress
Career milestone
Hairspray (2007)

Nicole Margaret "Nikki" Blonsky (born November 9, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She will portray Tracy Turnblad, the lead character, in the big-screen remake and musical adaptation of Hairspray, currently scheduled for a 2007 release date.

Blonsky hails from Great Neck, New York. She is an alumna of the Village School, North High School and South High School. She has done local theatre at both Levels (youth center) and Great Neck South High School, beating out thousands of hopefuls for the role. She learned that she got the role from the producers via the internet at the Cold Stone Creamery, where she also works during her afterschool hours. The announcement was made public on the June 8, 2006 edition of Entertainment Tonight; the show's crew went to her workplace to film the surprise announcement.

When asked about having won the role of Tracy Turnblad, Blonsky responded by saying "I'm shaking. I'm surprised I'm still standing!" She also told the New York Daily News that she hopes to distinguish herself from Ricki Lake and Marissa Jaret Winokur, who previously played the role, both of whom she has respect for: "I'm not going to try to fill anybody's shoes - I'm going to try to create a new pair of shoes!"^[1]