Marissa Jaret Winokur Opens Up About Time in HAIRSPRAY

In a recent piece for XO Jane, Tony winner Marissa Jaret Winokur opens up about her time in Hairspray and coming to terms with being a plus-sized role model. She writes:

Then, the interview began.

"Marissa, I have to ask you. What is it like to be a 'plus-size role model?'" he asked me.

I remember my face getting warm as I blushed and inside I just wanted to scream, "Did you just call me fat?" I don't remember how I answered that question that day. All I remember is thinking, "Did Jason, a high school boyfriend of mine just hear that man call me fat ON TELEVISION? Did everyone hear that?"

Honestly, I wanted to crawl under the chair. I thought to myself, "Tracy Turnblad was a plus-size role model! I'm just the actress playing her! And PS: Why did he just call me fat?"

Click here to read Marissa's full piece.

Marissa Jaret Winokur is best known for creating the role of "Tracy Turnblad" in the hit Broadway musical Hairspray, a performance for which she won a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress. As Hairspray reached the end of its Broadway run, Winokur returned to close the show, reviving her role as the zaftig lead. Currently she can currently be seen as co-host of The Talk, a new talkshow that premiered on CBS this fall. The show - who's other co-hosts are Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osborne, Holly Robinson Peete, Leah Remini and Julie Chen - will cover pop culture and current events through the perspective of motherhood.

Winokur danced her way into the hearts of America on the hit ABC series, Dancing With the Stars, where her stellar performance and fan-favorite personality placed her 4th in the competition. She has been seen co-starring with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon in the Farrelly Brothers film Fever Pitch from Fox 2000, and on the hit comedy Stacked with Pamela Anderson on FOX. Winokur also starred in the Lifetime movie It Was One of Us. Winokur was most recently seen as the host of Oxygen Network's dance and weight loss competition entitled Dance Your Ass Off. The show, which has been described at The Biggest Loser meets Dancing With the Stars, had the most watched original series premiere in Oxygen Networks history.

A native of New York, Marissa started her career on the stage, appearing as "Jan" in the Broadway production of Grease. After moving to Los Angeles, Marissa quickly landed roles in the features Teaching Mrs. Tingle and Never Been Kissed. These were followed by her memorable roles in Scary Movie and American Beauty, where she immortalized the phrase "You are so busted." In television, she starred alongside Fran Drescher and Mark Consuelos in the ABC Family Channel romantic comedy Beautiful Girl. Winokur also Executive Produced the film, which was the network's highest rated original movie of the year.

Marissa has recurred on Dharma and Greg and Moesha, and her guest starring roles include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Jack and Bobby, Just Shoot Me, Felicity, and Get Real. Marissa, her husband, comedy writer, Judah Miller and their son Zev reside in Los Angeles.