Nikki Blonsky

Nikki Blonsky

Blonsky in January 2008
Born Nicole Margaret Blonsky
(1988-11-09) November 9, 1988
Great Neck, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actress, singer, dancer
Years active 2007–present

Nicole Margaret "Nikki" Blonsky[1] (born November 9, 1988) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her role as Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 film Hairspray and as Maggie Baker in the 2008 film Queen Sized. She is also known for her starring role in the ABC Family original series Huge.

Early life

Blonsky was born and raised in Great Neck, New York. She is the daughter of Karen (née Smeja), a school aide, and Carl Blonsky, a Jewish municipal worker for the village water pollution control district.[2] She is of Czech and Irish descent on her mother's side.[3] She began singing at age three and started taking vocal lessons at the age of eight. She was raised Roman Catholic.[4]

Blonsky attended Great Neck North Middle School, and attended John L. Miller Great Neck North High School for one year. Then she switched to Village School, an alternative high school with only 50 students.[5] After school each day, she would attend the after-school theatre program at William A. Shine Great Neck South High School, where she participated in productions of Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Kiss Me, Kate, and the title role of the opera Carmen.[3]

Career

Blonsky said that she yearned to play the role of Tracy Turnblad since seeing Hairspray on Broadway on her 15th birthday.[4][6] In 2006, while working at Cold Stone Creamery, she found out she had been cast in Adam Shankman's 2007 film adaptation.[2]

Blonsky began work on her debut album in September 2007 and collaborated with alternative rock musician Duncan Sheik on a number of tracks.. Her first single, "On a High", a cover of one of Sheik's songs, was featured in Blonsky's Lifetime Original Movie Queen Sized. On December 18, 2007, she performed with the Turtle Creek Chorale in her first solo performance.

On June 22, 2008, she sang the American National Anthem in the pre-race ceremony at the 2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.

In 2009, Blonsky made a guest appearance on Ugly Betty, in the episode "Dressed for Success."[7] Blonsky also co-starred in the MTV mystery series Valemont in 2009. She later starred in the short lived ABC Family series Huge, which premiered in June 2010,[8] but was cancelled three months later.

In 2013, Blonsky appeared in two episodes of the NBC Broadway drama series Smash.[9] Later that year, she appeared in the film adaptation of Geography Club.

Personal life

In July 2008, Blonsky and her parents were involved in a violent confrontation with the family of Bianca Golden, a former contestant on America's Next Top Model, at the Providenciales International Airport in the Turks and Caicos.[10] The Blonsky and Golden families reportedly fought over seats in the airport's departure area, leading to a brawl which left Golden's mother hospitalized.[10] Golden, Blonsky, and Blonsky's father were all charged with assault. The charges against Blonsky were dropped in January 2009.[11]

In 2011, Blonsky earned a cosmetology license, and began working part-time as a hairstylist and make-up artist in her home-town of Great Neck, New York in between acting auditions.[12]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Hairspray Tracy Turnblad Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Performer
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
Hollywood Film Festival for Ensemble Cast of the Year
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Palm Springs International Film Festival for Rising Star
Palm Springs International Film Festival for Ensemble Cast
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Nominated – Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Awards for Most Promising Actress
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Nominated – Young Hollywood Awards for One to Watch
2008 Queen Sized Maggie Baker Television film
2008 Harold Rhonda Baxter
2011 Waiting For Forever Dolores
2012 The English Teacher Sheila Nussbaum
2013 Geography Club Therese
2016 Pup Star Lady Paw Paw

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Ace of Cakes Herself Episode: "The Eagle Has Landed"
2009 Ugly Betty Teri O'Shaughnessy Episode: "Dressed for Success"
2009 Valemont Poppy Barker 19 episodes
2010 Huge Willamena Rader 10 episodes
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer TV Star: Female
2011 The Fresh Beat Band MC Freeze Episode: "Dance Floor Superhero"
2011 Rocco's Dinner Party Herself Episode: "Runway Ready"
2013 Smash[9] Margot 2 episodes

References

  1. ↑ "Movies – News – Zac Efron prepares for 'Hairspray' – Digital Spy". Digital Spy. November 7, 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  2. 1 2 Kahn, Robert (July 15, 2007). "Nikki Blonsky's career takes hold with 'Hairspray'". New York's CW 11. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
  3. 1 2 Fischler, Marcelle S. (July 8, 2007). "The Big Time; For 'Hairspray' Star". The New York Times. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
  4. 1 2 Bloom, Nate (July 10, 2007). "She's the Man: A Q&A with Amanda Bynes". Interfaith Family. Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  5. ↑ Fischler, Marcelle S. (July 8, 2007). "For 'Hairspray' Star, 'My Darn Dream Come True'". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2007.
  6. ↑ Fox, Michael (July 19, 2007). "ARTS: Welcome To The '60s". The Detroit Jewish News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2007.
  7. ↑ Nikki Blonsky to Stir Up Trouble for Ugly Betty" TV Guide. November 4, 2008. Retrieved on November 5, 2008.
  8. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 22, 2010). "Nikki Blonsky to star in ABC Family's 'Huge'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Barton, Chris (September 17, 2012). "'Smash' adds Broadway vets Nikki Blonsky, Jesse L. Martin". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Tauber, Michelle (October 9, 2008). "Nikki Blonsky: Airport Brawl Left Me 'Destroyed'". People. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  11. ↑ Daly, Bridget (January 9, 2009). "Nikki Blonsky Cleared Of Assault Charges". HollyScoop.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Nikki Blonsky: No beauty school dropout". Newsday.
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