Characters
Tracy Turnblad is the protagonist of the story. She is a cheerful character that encourages others to believe in themselves and respect one another. She is the biggest force for change in the movie because she bluntly states that she wishes “everyday were Negro Day” and she comes up with the initial idea to protest WYZT. She also embraces her size, something many characters judge her for, and is unapologetic about her appearance as a whole, becoming a role model for many people in Baltimore. Nikki Blonsky’s portrayal of Tracy is spot on with her cheery attitude and optimistic delivery. She also nails all of the choreography in the film and is very believably a good dancer.
Penny Pingleton is Tracy’s best friend and very much the comic-relief character. She is awkward and spends most of the movie narrowly escaping her mother Prudy’s grasp. During the movie, she falls in love with Seaweed and kisses him on television. Her very racist mother nearly faints at the sight. Penny is played by Amanda Bynes in this version. Bynes interpretation of Penny is very awkward but a lot less giddy than the original interpretation. Overall her portrayal still suits Penny and makes her a very lovable character. She is a great friend and shows it by hiding Tracy in her basement while the police are searching for her. She is very accepting of others and the changing standards within the Civil Rights Movement.
Edna Turnblad is Tracy’s mother. The character is large, cautious, and on many occasions, ridiculous. The character is always played in drag. In this version the role of Edna was portrayed by John Travolta. Travolta was not a fantastic Edna. The character is meant to be ridiculous with a grown man impersonating a motherly figure in a nightgown and hair curlers, but Travolta took the character too seriously. He didn’t fully lend himself to the comedy of the character and failed to make Edna as ridiculous and lovable as she had been when played by Harvey Fierstein on Broadway.
Seaweed J. Stubbs is the son of Motormouth Maybelle. He goes to the same high school as Tracy, Penny, Amber, and Link. Seaweed is one of the most lovable characters. The role of Seaweed in this production is played by Elijah Kelley. His portrayal is smooth just like his voice and his dance moves.
Amber Von Tussle is one of the villains of the story. Her mother Velma is the owner of the station WYZT, the station that airs the Corny Collins Show. Amber’s prime goal in the narrative is to flaunt her boyfriend Link and be awarded the title of Miss Teenage Hairspray. Amber is the major antagonist of Tracy and bullies her about her dancing and weight throughout the show. When Tracy becomes a hit overnight, Amber does everything in her power to secure the downfall of Tracy. She even calls Edna when Tracy and Penny visit Motormouth Maybelle. Amber is the classic popular bully that always gets what she wants. Amber does have a redeeming moment at the end, however. When Little Inez wins Miss Teenage Hairspray, she pleads with her mother to just accept the results and shows the possibility of a change in heart. Amber is played by Brittany Snow. Her portrayal is spot on. She perfectly captures the bratty attitude of Amber, but still manages to make her likable.
Velma Von Tussle is Amber’s mother, former Miss Baltimore Crabs, and the owner of WYZT. She is the biggest villain in the story. Not only does she try to sabotage Tracy, but she also attempts to seduce Wilbur to cheat on Edna and ruin their marriage. She fixes the votes at the end to go in favor of Amber and is caught red-handed on camera. She is obsessed with getting screen time for herself and Amber. One of the lines in "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" is “I bought this station so all of the nation could see baby Amber and Me!” Michelle Pfeiffer plays Velma and creates the perfect villain. She is very believably evil and the cunning spirit portrayed paired with her deeper voice and performance of "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" creates her sinister character. She’s the character that everyone despises, but can still sing along with.
Motormouth Maybelle is the mother of Seaweed and Little Inez. She is also the host of Negro Day on WYZT. She is played by Queen Latifah in the movie and is very proud and unapologetic about her size and race. One of her songs is titled “Big Blonde and Beautiful” where she sings about loving herself the way she was made. She is a prominent figure in all the lives of the African American teenagers when faced with the racial tensions of the 60s. She has to bear the bad news to the dancers when Negro Day is canceled and leads the protest against the TV station. Although Latifah is not the most well-known for her singing, her performance in the movie is moving. She shows that Maybelle is a strong woman who has faith for the future and believes in her children.
Link Larkin is the guy on the Corny Collins Show that everyone wants to date. He is the one that Tracy and Penny fantasize about throughout the movie. Tracy even sings a song about him called “I Can Hear the Bells” about how Link has noticed her and her plan for their marriage. Although Link is the subject of Tracy and Amber’s attention, he isn’t really a dynamic character himself. He mainly serves the purpose of being the subject of affection. Zac Efron plays Link in the movie and does a very good job at portraying the “cool guy.” He is smooth and a little self-obsessed, but the character is still one that adds to the story in a positive way.
Corny Collins is the host of the Corny Collins show. He becomes a proponent for the changing times and represents the new generation of thinking in Baltimore. He puts Tracy on the show, even though she got turned away at her audition. He also supports the idea of integrating the show. He is played by James Marsden. The portrayal of Corny Collins is very likable and energetic. Marsden also performs Corny Collins’ songs “The Nicest Kids in Town” and “(It’s) Hairspray” without a flaw