Ricki Lake

Daytime talk-show diva Ricki Lake first shot to fame as the high-stepping Rubenesque star of the cult hit film "Hairspray" (1988). A member of director John Waters' repertory company of players, Lake appeared in several of the filmmaker's subsequent films, including the Johnny Depp vehicle, "Cry-Baby" (1990). Lake's greatest claim to fame, however, came later with her dramatic weight loss, and as the host of her daytime gabfest, the eponymous - and occasionally, infamous - "Ricki Lake" (syndicated, 1993-2004) talk show. During the height of her daytime television success, Lake still managed to make periodic returns to Waters films like "Serial Mom" (1994) and "Cecil B. Demented" (2000). After shutting down "Ricki Lake," she embarked on more personal projects, including the documentary "The Business of Being Born" (2008), which she executive produced, and co-authoring the book Your Best Birth in 2009. As when she joined the cast of celebrity contestants for the 13th season of "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 2004- ) in 2011, Lake showed time and again that she was a multi-faceted, and formidable Hollywood talent.