Nikki Blonsky leaps to ‘Hairspray’ stardom

‘Feet just started moving’
From years of singing lessons and high school drama productions, Blonsky had the voice and acting chops when she sent in an audition tape and met with the film’s casting directors in New York City.

What she couldn’t do was dance. Blonsky had danced at parties in high school, but other than a brief time in ballet lessons when she was 5, she had no dance training.

Blonsky had gained confidence as she made it through round after round of callback sessions with the filmmakers. The now-or-never moment came when she went in for her dance audition in Baltimore.

“I credit it to the spirit of Baltimore. My feet just started moving, doing the Twist and the Mashed Potato. I didn’t even know how,” Blonsky said. “I was looking at my feet, going, ‘OK, Nikki, calm down. How are you doing this? How are you moving?’ Tracy just took hold.”

Five months after her first audition, Blonsky had the role.

Blonsky is reading scripts and has been on several auditions but has not yet lined up her next Hollywood job. She knows few lead roles come to short, curvaceous actresses, but she has resisted advice from people in Hollywood to change her appearance.

She had an unpleasant conversation with a prospective agent whose first words were: Lose some weight.

“At the end of the day, you don’t have to go home with those people. You go home with yourself, and you make yourself happy. Those people don’t make you happy,” Blonsky said. “So if you just continue to take care of yourself, make sure your health is in check and everything is in check, then I think you’re doing your job of being you, and just being OK.”