Ricki Lake Shares How She Overcame Homelessness and Poverty

Ricki Lake Shares Her Journey from Homelessness to Success

In an exclusive interview, Ricki Lake opened up about her challenging journey to overcome homelessness and find success again. Despite first gaining fame in 1988 with the film Hairspray, Lake faced unexpected hardships in the early 1990s, culminating in a period of homelessness. Reflecting on this tough chapter, Lake recounted how the setbacks in her career left her devastated and financially strained.

“I didn’t get the big role I had aimed for,” Lake revealed, emphasizing the rapid shift from her earlier success to experiencing financial struggle. “I went from making a significant income to having nothing, which forced me to give up my home. I was homeless for a while, but that humbling experience profoundly changed me, and I am thankful for it.”

At that time, Lake estimated that she lost between $200,000 to $300,000. This difficult period taught her critical lessons about money management and self-worth. “I realized that I had lost my footing in the industry. The novelty of my image had faded, and the only thing I could control was my health and how I took care of myself.”

To regain control, Lake embarked on a drastic weight-loss journey, shedding 100 pounds through an intense diet. Her persistence paid off when she landed her own talk show in 1993, which aired for 11 successful seasons, lifting her out of poverty.

Now 56, Lake and her third husband, Ross Burningham, have embraced a healthier lifestyle together, opting for a more sustainable approach to weight loss through intermittent fasting and regular exercise, including Pilates.

Ricki Lake’s story serves as a testament to resilience, transforming adversity into empowerment and encouraging fans to see the value in perseverance and personal growth.