BWW Interview - Special 'Tracy Trifecta' Series: Nikki Blonsky Shares Fond HAIRSPRAY Memories

With NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE! on the horizon (Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT), BWW caught up with the 'Tracy Trifecta' - the three talented actresses who have taken on the iconic role of bright-eyed teenager Tracy Turnblad in various incarnations of the beloved musical.

First up in our special series is Nikki Blonsky, who took on the iconic role of Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical. Below, Blonsky shares her fondest memories from the film, including meeting John Travolta for the very first time, and explains why she believes the message of Hairspray is one that still resonates today.

Is it true that you had auditioned for the Broadway production of HAIRSPRAY a full year before landing the role of Tracy in the movie adaptation?

It is true. I auditioned for the show when I was 16. I had seen it on Broadway as a birthday gift and I remember sitting in the theater with my mom and the minute "Good Morning Baltimore" began I started poking my mom's arm, and I looked at her and I said, "I can do that, that's me, I can do that." And she looked at me and said, "I was thinking the same thing but I didn't want to speak because you always tell me not to speak in the theater!"

So obviously I went through the initial audition and then three callbacks with Telsey and Company casting and I came super close, but they eventually said, 'you know, you're too young', and I said, 'I'm 16. I'm too young to play a 16-year-old?' But there were schooling rules and all that stuff and I remember just being so upset and bummed out when they told me 'you're perfect for it, but wait a few years when you're not in high school anymore.' So my plan was to just keep auditioning until they got fed up and hired me. But the following year, when I was 17, I saw the casting notice for the movie and it said, 'scroll down for more information' and I was like, 'oh please let my age be in there.' And when I saw it said '17 - 24 years old' I was like, 'yes, I'm back in the game!' And after that it was a whole other ball game, it was truly a dream come true and the most magical experience of my life.

So much of that magic was due to the film's wonderful production numbers. Did you have much dance experience prior to being cast?

Oh my gosh no, I had never danced a day in my life before 'Hairspray.' We had so many months of rehearsal before we even started filming and I remember being in rehearsals with the choreographers and just dancing eight hours a day in order to get it down. I owe [choreographers] Jamal Sims and Zach Woodley everything. They literally taught me everything I know. They're just two incredible men in my life who I love dearly and will never forget that they gave me the gift of dance and taught me how to express myself through dance.

Do you recall your first meetings with the film's all-star cast?

I remember the first celebrity I met was Zac [Efron], and I remember I had just come back from a lunch break and I accidentally walked in on his music lesson and I looked at him and said, 'oh I'm so sorry!' and I slammed the door. But then I heard him yell, 'no, no, no - come back!' and from thereon in we had an amazing relationship and he's one of the most important friends I've ever had and one of the most important relationships I'll carry forever.

When I met John [Travolta], that was a whole other experience. I was in rehearsals, I was sweaty, and Adam Shankman our director started knocking on the door saying, 'come on, it's time to meet John,' and I said, 'no - I'm all sweaty and I'm gross and I don't have make-up on. I can't meet Danny Zuko like this!' But we walked over to the wardrobe room, and there he was, he was just sitting there and he looked at me and it was probably the first time in my life I was speechless, I couldn't even utter 'hi' or 'hello'. I remember my mouth opened but no words came out. And he stood up, and seemed to just keep standing up because he's 6 foot 4 and I'm 4 foot 10, and he was everything that a gorgeous movie star, a true gentleman and an amazing man should be. And he opened his arms and his first words to me were 'come to Mama!' And I remember just running over to him and hugging him and it was so out of this world. And the movie star thing just faded into the background as I got to know this amazing, wonderful, incredible human being. I have to say to this day, he is still a third parent to me. He's somebody I consider one of my best friends and someone I look up to and someone I devote so much of my heart to.

And what are your memories of working with the rest of the cast?

Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer obviously incredible mentors. Michelle taught me so much about the business. Chris as well taught me so much about the business and about life. Queen Latifah was like the older sister I always wanted. She became one of my best friends and we are still just like two giddy high school kids when we see each other. It was truly the most magical experiences I think for all of us because we were so excited to each individually play our characters in such a magical movie that also had such an important message behind it.

And many would argue, a message which continues to be relevant today.

Yes, absolutely. You know there's a song that rolls during the end credits of the film called 'We've Come So Far', and we didn't realize when Marc Shaiman wrote it, and when myself, Queen Latifah and Elijah [Kelley] recorded it, that it would hit so close to home, especially in today's times. The lyrics are "we've come so far, but we have so far to go." And I think that has so much meaning today. There's so much tragedy going on and so much unnecessary hatred and unnecessary, horrible things being done. I think that even though it's a musical, with that strong message behind it, it's also a movie about acceptance and loving yourself and loving everybody for who they are.

I recently posted something on my Instagram because it's now ten years from the day that I started making Hairspray, and next summer will mark ten years since its release, and I just asked everyone to find their inner Tracy and my hashtag was #WhatWouldTracyDo. Because Tracy loved everybody and couldn't understand why everyone couldn't get along and dance together and be together and live together and just accept each other. Tracy didn't see color or race and in today's times, I don't think Tracy would see sexual orientation or anything like that. She saw people for the good in them and for their heart and I think as a nation we need to take a step back and really ask ourselves, 'is this what we want for our future generation?' I think we all need to evaluate ourselves before we can judge somebody else.

I don't know if you've had the chance to meet HAIRSPRAY LIVE's newest Tracy, Maddie Baillio, but what advice do you have for her?

I haven't had a chance to meet her or even to congratulate her, so I would like to take this opportunity to say 'congratulations' and advise her to soak up every second of it, because it is probably going to be the most amazing experience. It was for me. And it's definitely going to be a life-changing experience, at least it was for me. I would just tell her to give it your all and just be so grateful that you were given the opportunity to play this iconic character that changed so many lives and has the ability to continue to do so.

And I would also advise her to just keep her eyes wide open and take it all in. She's working with awesome producers who know this business, they're at the top of their game, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. She's very blessed to be working with them and she's in good hands!

And even though I don't know her, I'm so proud of her, because anyone who plays Tracy is a special person, and I welcome her to the sisterhood and I'm happy to share this love of this character with her now. We have a bond for life, all the Tracys, Ricki [Lake], Marissa [Jaret Winokur] and I, we're all very close.

Do you have the opportunity to see each other often?

Yes, well actually in 2014, the three of us performed at Carnegie Hall in honor of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the incredible men behind the music of Hairspray, and it was the most incredible live performance. Nobody knew the three of us were there and that we were going to sing together. Marissa came out singing the first verse of 'Good Morning Baltimore' and then I came out, and the whole audience realized something really special was about to happen. And then for the bridge, out came Ricki, and the three of us were singing together and it was what I like to call 'The Tracy Trifecta.'

I remember the audience started singing along with us in unison and I remember locking eyes with two people in the audience in particular. One was John Waters, and he was just beaming with pride, and then I saw Sarah Jessica Parker and she was singing every word along with me. And I remember thinking, 'Carrie Bradshaw knows the words to this song that I've been singing for the past ten years!' And I got to meet her afterwards and we just had the most incredible meeting and she just grabbed my face and gave me the biggest hug and kiss and told me I was so beautiful. But she is really the most beautiful person, both inside and out. So to look out and see those two iconic people singing along with us was quite the experience, that I think only myself and Ricki and Marissa can understand. So it truly is a sisterhood, a Tracy Turnblad family, and it really is an honor. Every day of my life I thank God for being given that role that allows me to do what I love for a living.

What are you most looking forward to about watching NBC's HAIRSPRAY LIVE?

Well you know Broadway for me, it's so special just to live in New York and to be among the Broadway community and to be able to see a show. But I recently shot a movie in Tennessee, and people there were asking me about seeing a Broadway show live, and they were like, 'wow, that must be so exciting!' And it made me realize that the rest of the country doesn't have that access to Broadway like a New Yorker has. So I think HAIRSPRAY LIVE will really be a treat for the rest of the country to be able to just turn on NBC and see the musical in action, with everybody singing and dancing and just having a blast. Because that's what it is, it's a great time.

If you should have the chance to make a cameo in the show, I'm assuming you would jump at the opportunity?

Oh absolutely! Hairspray was such a pivotal point in my life and one of the most important

experiences in my life, so there's nothing I wouldn't do for Hairspray, there's nothing I wouldn't do for Craig and Neil. So even if they asked me to just walk across the stage, I would do it for them, if they asked me to do a cartwheel, I would do it for them. I am just so thankful everyday that I had the opportunity to be a part of the Hairspray legacy that John Waters so brilliantly created in the 1980's. So whatever they want, I'd be there in a heartbeat - a Hairspray heartbeat!

About Nikki Blonsky: Nikki Blonsky will soon be seen on the big screen in the dark comedy DOG YEARS, opposite Burt Reynolds and Ariel Winter. The film will hit theaters in 2017. She is currently filming the romantic dramedy HUNGRY FOR LOVE in New York City.

The actress starred in the Lifetime Original Movie "Queen Sized." Her other TV credits include a guest appearance on "Ugly Betty", and a starring role in the MTV mystery series "Valemont." In 2010, she appeared in the ABC Family series "Huge." In 2013, she made guest appearances in two episodes of the NBC musical drama series "Smash."

Below, watch Nikki Blonsky and John Travolta perform 'Welcome to the 60's" from HAIRSPRAY:

Follow Caryn Robbins at @CarynRobbins

Hairspray production photos by David James for New Line Cinema

Hairspray set photo courtesy of Neil Meron and Craig Zadan

Concert photo: Genevieve Rafter Keddy

Headshot photo: Walter McBride/WM Photos