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Character sheet for Hairspray, its musical adaptation, and the film adaptation of the musical.


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Main Characters

    Tracy Turnblad 

Tracy Turnblad

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Finally, now all of Baltimore knows... I'm big, blonde, and beautiful!" -1988 version
"I'm all for integration! It's the new frontier!" -2007 version

A chubby girl who's a fan of big hairstyles and The Corny Collins Show. She also loves to dance. Played by Ricki Lake in the 1988 movie, Marissa Jaret Winokur in the 2002 Broadway musical, Nikki Blonsky in the 2007 movie, and Maddie Baillio in the 2016 telecast.


  • '60s Hair: She goes from a flip hairdo with a bouffant on top, held by a headband or bow, to a hairstyle that is longer and sleeker, mirroring the trajectory for hairstyles in the 1960s.
  • Acrofatic: She knows every step, and she knows every song. She even mentions in the 1988 movie to Seaweed that this comes from "Just practicing! Oh, and watching Negro Day on Corny Collins!", which adds to the trope on how well she dances.
  • Adaptational Nice Girl: In the original, she's a very deliberate nonconformist to the point of viciousness. She's much nicer in the musical and 2007 movie.
  • Alliterative Name: Tracy Turnblad.
  • Beehive Hairdo: Actually, a flip hairdo with a big bump, which pre-dates Ann Marie.
  • Beware the Nice Ones: In the march, she doesn't take kindly to one of the police officers' rudeness towards her, and assaults him with her sign. The horror!
    • In the original movie, she does have a streak of this in some scenes, like when a woman hurts Link during the riot.
  • Big Beautiful Woman: She’s a teenage version, and it’s just part of her appeal to the other characters.
  • Big Fun: Tracy is a rare female example. She’s energetic and optimistic, which gets her to be a popular dancer in the Corny Collins Show.
  • Book Dumb: Somewhat. She sleeps in most of her classes and doesn't really pay attention.
  • Brilliant, but Lazy: Book Dumb she may be, but if she were to put as much effort into her studies as she does into dancing, then the results might say otherwise.
  • Cloud Cuckoolander: Just listen to her daydreaming in "I Can Hear The Bells".
  • Damsel out of Distress: In NBC's version, Tracy manages to break open her jail cell herself. She explains to Link that the police didn't have enough money for new bars, and that she crossed her fingers when she promised not to try and remove the aging ones. However, she still depends on Link to accompany her to Motormouth Maybelle.
  • Fangirl: Of the Corny Collins show.
  • Fat and Proud: Tracy is overweight, but she loves her size.
  • Fat and Skinny: The fat to Penny's skinny.
  • Fat Best Friend: Type A to Penny.
  • Genki Girl: Loves dancing, the Corny Collins show, and social justice.
  • Graceful Loser: In the 2007 film, she has no problem with Inez winning the pageant over her, since they're friends.
  • Hero with Bad Publicity:
    • Her public image takes a hit in the stage show after she partakes in the protest where it's implied she loses her Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway sponsorship. Presumably she gets it back after winning Miss Teenage Hairspray.
    • Played more for laughs in the 2007 film. Tracy lightly hitting a police officer with her protest sign is wildly sensationalized when the news reports that she savagely beat the officer with a crowbar and put him into critical condition. Link somehow hears that Tracy bludgeoned an Eagle Scout. Fortunately, nothing serious really comes of it.
  • "I Want" Song: "Good Morning Baltimore" and "I Can Hear the Bells".
  • Idiot Ball: She grabs hold of it in the 2007 film during the protest. The police grossly overexaggerate it, but hitting a police officer during a tense racial protest with a sign (even lightly) was an extremely stupid idea.
  • Little Miss Snarker: In the 1988 film. This does, however, get her in trouble at school.
  • Nice Girl: In the musical and 2007 film adaptation, when she's friendly and sweet to everybody.
  • Perpetual Smiler: She’s an upbeat person, it comes naturally.
  • Pint-Sized Powerhouse: "Pint-sized" isn't quite the right word, but take a look at Beware the Nice Ones and remember that she's usually played by shorter actresses (Ricki Lake is 5'4", Marissa Jaret Winokur is 4'11", and Nikki Blonsky is 4'10".)
  • Plucky Girl: She’s upbeat throughout most of any performance your watching.
  • The Pollyanna: In the musical and 2007 film version.
  • Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: The Energetic Girl to Link's Savvy Guy.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist: Sometimes Tracy can be oblivious to the blatant racism existing in the 60s. Some examples are saying that she would make every day Negro Day on live TV, and declaring that the black dancers should dance with the whites when Velma cancels Negro Day. She lampshades it herself in the 2007 film after some Character Development.
    Tracy: I think I've been in a bubble or something. Thinking that fairness was just gonna happen... it's not. I think people like me are gonna have to get up, off their father's laps, and go out there and fight for it.

    Edna Turnblad 

Edna Turnblad

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Our little Tracy's too busy ratting her hair and doing the Ubangi Stomp." -1988 version
"Link, your pork is ready!" -2007 version

Tracy's overweight mother, who can be a bit emotional at times. Played by Divine (Actor) in 1988, Harvey Fierstein in 2002, John Travolta in the 2007 movie, and Fierstein again in the 2016 telecast.


  • '60s Hair: Her makeover gives her a huge red bouffant in the 1988 version and a dark bouffant that resembles Sophia Loren's in the 2007 version.
  • Acrofatic: It has been stated that they wanted Edna to be very light on her feet, which is one reason why John Travolta was cast in the latest movie. In the 2007 film, Edna performs some very impressive dance moves despite her size. Downplayed and played for laughs in the stage show, where she ends her musical number in the finale breathless and calling for oxygen.
  • Big Beautiful Woman: When she becomes more confident about herself, she embraces her large body and flaunts off her beauty. Wilbur has always thought Edna was beautiful both inside and outside, which is why he’s so in love with her. During “Big, Blonde and Beautiful”, Motormouth herself sings about she thinks Edna is a beautiful woman and she shouldn’t be afraid to show it off.
  • Big Eater: Though with the spread at Maybelle’s party, can you blame her?
  • Clingy Jealous Girl: While not clingy, she does get very emotional when she sees Wilbur being seduced by Velma in the 2007 movie. This is justified though, as she thought that Wilbur was having an affair.
  • Crosscast Role: It is a tradition that Edna is always played by a man.
  • Good Parents: In all versions. The 1988 one even has Edna being really supportive to the point that she takes up the mantle of being Tracy's manager, and later, with Wilbur, joins her daughter's fight by joining the NAACP.
  • Happily Married: To Wilbur. This is emphasized in the 2007 movie, where she initially believes that Wilbur is cheating on her with Velma, but they make amends in “You’re Timeless to Me”.
  • Hidden Depths:
    • When Tracy gets her first endorsement gig from Mr. Pinky's Hefty Hideaway, she asks Edna to be her agent. In the 2007 film, Edna not only agrees, but shows a surprising amount of business savvy—she alters the contract for Tracy's benefit, speaking knowingly about legal proceeds ("I want a non-exclusive contract! Extensions by mutual option."), and even manages to get herself a free bustier.
    • In the original movie, she also has an eye for a good bargain, and she herself does act as Tracy's manager on her own terms. Like in the '07 movie, she manages to, as Mr. Pinky says, "drive a hard bargain, and rightfully so!"
  • Mama Bear: Despite her timid and insecure nature, Edna will not tolerate any crap given to her daughter or anyone else she cares about! For instance, she barricades a police officer from chasing her daughter, despite the fact that she was dragged into a protest she didn't really want to be in. In a deleted scene, she also unflinchingly demands that the same police officer apologize to the van full of peaceful protesters. You almost forget this is the same woman who hadn't left her house in eleven years.
  • The Makeover: Gets two in "Welcome to the 60's" and "You Can't Stop the Beat".
  • Revenge: In the 2007 film, when Velma Von Tussle tries to trick her into believing she was seducing her husband, she ends up exposing her on TV, getting her fired.
  • The Shut-In: Her insecurity about her weight has turned her into this and she hasn't left the house in over a decade by the time the story begins.
  • Tiny Guy, Huge Girl: With her husband, though he (and later she) wouldn’t have it any other way.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: Even moreso than Tracy, it's startling to see what a Jerkass Edna can be in the original movie when she's such a sweetheart in the musical.
  • Weight Woe: Has a very bad case of this. In the 2007 version, it takes Tracy and Wilbur’s love and support to help her overcome this. Though a makeover where she is put into flattering outfits that make her feel confident doesn’t hurt either.

    Wilbur Turnblad 

Wilbur Turnblad

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"There's no bugs on our baby!" -1988 version
"Honey, it took me five years to figure out you were flirting!" -2007 version

Dubbed by: Patrick Floersheim (European French, 2007)

Tracy's father. A prank shop owner. Played by Jerry Stiller in 1988, Dick Latessa in 2002, Christopher Walken in 2007, and Martin Short in 2016.


  • Good Parents: He encourages Tracy's dreams, and has full faith in her ability to succeed.
  • Happily Married: To Edna. When Velma tries to seduce him in the 2007 movie, he doesn’t give in to her advances at all. When Edna walks in and assumes he was cheating on her, he reassures her that nothing happened, and makes amends with her through “You’re Timeless to Me”.
  • Nosebleed: Has one when his wife, Edna, shakes her butt while dancing at the end in the 2007 movie.
  • Nice Guy: There isn't a moment in the musical's story where he isn't a good-natured, humble, polite man to everyone he meets. He doesn't seem to hold any ill will against Velma for trying to seduce him in the 2007 film.
  • Not Distracted by the Sexy: He's completely oblivious to Velma's seductive attempts to show her legs off to him.
  • Oblivious to Love: In the 2007 movie, when Velma tries to pretend to fall in love with him, he has no idea of her plan.
  • Only Sane Man: Quirkier than most, but can still count.
  • Wide-Eyed Idealist: Even more so than his daughter. He sees the best in people, doesn't suspect Velma's motives and believes people will give Tracy a chance.
    • Played with in the offbeat song "It Doesn't Get Better Than This" from disc 2 of the collector's edition soundtrack for the 2007 musical, in which Wilbur recounts to Tracy the way in which his parents and uncle passed on words of inspiration from unlikely circumstances.
    • Although he also has a slightly more cynical side to him in the Broadway musical and the 2016 TV musical.
      Little Inez: (about the Von Tussles) Are all white people like that?
      Wilbur: No. Just most of 'em!

    Penny Pingleton 

Penny Pingleton

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Yes, I'm a checkerboard chick... I guess." -1988 version
"Plastic little spastic." -2007 version

Tracy's best friend. Played by Leslie Ann Powers in 1988, Kerry Butler in 2002, Amanda Bynes in 2007, and Ariana Grande in 2016.


  • '60s Hair: Aside from her Girlish Pigtails, her hair is styled similarly to a bouffant. In the 1988 movie, she eventually irons her hair into something sleeker and simpler, like Jean Shrimpton.
  • Alliterative Name: Penny Pingleton. Minus her middle name, which is Lou.
  • Beta Couple: With Seaweed.
  • Cloud Cuckoolander: Prone to spacing out and saying flaky things.
  • The Cutie: A consistent trait of hers since the 1988 movie, complete with how she talks. Even with her hair straightened out, she still looks adorable as ever.
  • Dating What Daddy Hates: In the 2007 movie, Penny alludes to the idea that her mother won’t be accepting of her and Seaweed dating. Towards the end, when Penny kisses Seaweed on live television, Prudy screams in shock and tries to scrub Seaweed off the screen.
  • Deadpan Snarker:
    Motormouth Maybelle: So you two better brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly comin' at you from a neverending parade of stupid.
    Penny: So you met my mom?
  • Dumb Blonde: Subverted. She may be a Cloud Cuckoolander, but she's no dummy.
  • Fat and Skinny: The skinny to Tracy's fat.
  • The Glasses Gotta Go: She wears glasses for most of NBC's version, but removes them prior to crashing the Miss Hairspray pageant.
  • Girlish Pigtails: Her usual hairstyle. She lets it down for the final number.
  • Nice Girl: Like Tracy.

    Link Larkin 

Link Larkin

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Tracy, our souls are black, though our skin is white." -1988 version
"I think knowing you is the start of a pretty big adventure." -2007 version

Amber's boyfriend (and later Tracy's) and the lead male dancer on The Corny Collins Show, he is Tracy's love interest. Played by Michael St. Gerard in 1988, Matthew Morrison in 2002, Zac Efron in 2007, and Garrett Clayton in 2016.


  • Alliterative Name: Link Larkin.
  • The Atoner: In the stage musical and 2007 movie, he becomes this after chickening out of the protest march, in order to make it up to Tracy and the black dancers. In the musical, he breaks Tracy out of jail so she can compete in the pageant. In the movie (where she's never arrested), he brings Inez out at the pageant and dances with her, not only fulfilling her dream of appearing on the Corny Collins Show, but landing a surprise pageant win for her and ensuring that the show remains integrated.
  • Henpecked Husband: In his relationship with Amber, who has him as an accessory rather than a true boyfriend. In the stage musical and 2016 TV musical, he even confesses to Tracy (when he sees her in jail) that he was a tool to further Amber and Velma's gains.
  • Love at First Sight: In the 1988 version, after Tracy gets hit hard with a dodgeball, he checks on her to see if she's alright and asks her if she wants to go steady with him.
  • Mr. Fanservice: It is Zac Efron, this is a given. Garrett Clayton is no pushover in that department either.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: In every version but the 1988 film, he backs out of joining Tracy and the others in protesting for racial equality for fear that it will hurt his promising career. He immediately regrets it and makes up for it (see The Atoner).
  • Nice Guy: Especially when compared to his original girlfriend, Amber, and the rest of the Corny Collins Show council. In the 1988 movie, he even joins Tracy, Penny, Seaweed and Lil' Inez in their protest on live TV.
  • Offscreen Moment of Awesome: His breakup with Amber in the musical.
  • Pretty Boy: Given that Link is a teenage heartthrob, he's this across pretty much every incarnation of the character.
  • Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl: The Savvy Guy to Tracy's Energetic Girl.
  • Single Man Seeks Good Woman: Link falls for Tracy in part due to her earnestness, kindness and compassion. It's easy to see why he prefers her over Amber.
  • Token Good Teammate: The only nice, non-prejudiced person on the Corny Collins Show council prior to their Heel–Face Turn at the end. Downplayed a bit in the 2007 film, where none of the cast are shown to be particularly bigoted or have any problems with Inez being on the dance floor.

    Amber Von Tussle 

Amber Von Tussle

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Oh, come on. This show's not filmed in CinemaScope." -1988 version
"Right now, as we speak, your daughter has entered a hotbed of moral...turpentine." -2007 version

An arrogant, snobbish dancer. She is also the daughter of Velma Von Tussle (and in the original, also to Franklin Von Tussle) and the lead female dancer on The Corny Collins Show. Played by Colleen Fitzpatrick in 1988, Laura Bell Bundy in 2002, Brittany Snow in 2007, and Dove Cameron in 2016.


  • '60s Hair: Her bubble-cut bouffants are all the rage for the setting.
  • Alpha Bitch: Spoiled, obnoxious, self-centered — she's got this trope covered.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: While she's openly antagonistic in previous versions, the 2007 film has her acting nice and treating Tracy like a friend, "defending" her from nasty rumors that she pretty blatantly came up with in the first place.
  • Butt-Monkey: Has several unfortunate things happen to her either by coincidence or by the intent of several people she offends. Within her first appearance/song, she is pushed aside by Shelley and Brad, dropped by Link, and smacked in the face by Corny.
  • Defeat Means Friendship: In the stage musical, and potentially in the 2007 film.
  • Driven by Envy: Most of Amber’s actions towards Tracy is driven by the former’s envy towards Tracy.
  • Dumb Blonde: Subverted, as Amber is not completely stupid, but she is pretty vapid.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Mostly in the 2007 film. Amber is antagonistic towards Tracy mostly because she envies Tracy’s dancing skills, and Tracy is a threat to Amber winning Ms. Teenage Hairspray.
  • Heel–Face Turn: In the musical and 2007 film (made more explicit in a deleted scene showing Velma's arrest).
  • Hidden Depths: Most prominently in the 2007 version.
    • "I lost, Mom. Let's just deal with it!" Considering how awful and self-centered Amber was before, this is surprisingly mature of her.
    • In the same scene she's eyeing a young black man with some interest, suggesting she isn't as blatantly racist as her mother is. It also suggests that a lot of her bratty behavior was a result of Velma's influence.
  • Hidden Heart of Gold: Implied in the musical, confirmed by the end of the 2007 film.
  • Humiliation Conga: Goes through this at the end of all versions.
  • Icy Blue Eyes: Her blue eyes represent her bitchy and antagonistic nature towards Tracy.
  • It's All About Me: She literally pushes away anyone who attempts to steal the limelight.
  • Jerkass: Consistently, at least early on.
  • Lovable Alpha Bitch: After her Heel–Face Turn in the musical, the 2007 film, and the 2016 TV musical.
  • Ms. Fanservice: Many fans find her attractive, in-show and out.
  • Not Evil, Just Misunderstood: As described by Brittany Snow. It's implied in all versions that she only acts as mean as she does because her mother expects it from her, and at the end of the 2007 film, she finally gets sick of it and makes a switch for the better.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: Especially in the 1988 film, where not only is she hypocritical enough to use the music of Black musicians to further her career but has no problem with racial segregation, she is openly fatphobic and not only fat-shames Tracy, she also slut-shames her and shows hints of classism towards Tracy and Penny.
  • Spoiled Brat: Velma absolutely spoils her rotten in every version, and it really shows when it comes to how she reacts to not getting something she wants.
  • The Rival: Becomes this to Tracy in the middle of the movie when the latter gets on the Corny Collins show.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: At first.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: At the end of the musical, the 2007 film, and the 2016 TV musical.

    Velma Von Tussle 

Velma Von Tussle

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"At least try to act white on television." -1988 version
"They're kids, Corny; That's why we have to steer them in the white direction." -2007 version

The racist and fatphobic manager of the WYZT station in the 2007 version and the 2016 TV musical. The mother of Amber Von Tussle and wife of Franklin Von Tussle in the 1988 version. Her goal is to keep the Corny Collins show segregated. Played by Debbie Harry in 1988, Linda Hart in 2002, Michelle Pfeiffer in 2007, and Kristin Chenoweth in 2016.


  • '60s Hair: She wears her blonde hair in elaborate bouffant and beehive styles.
  • Abusive Parents: Of the emotional variety. She's responsible for Amber's bigoted, spoiled, bratty behavior and Velma evidently taught her racism and fatphobia as well. Interestingly in the 2007 film when she makes a few of her own decisions outside of her Mom's influence she demonstrates that she can be a better person.
  • Adaptational Villainy: She's very unpleasant in all versions, but the 2007 film makes her even more repulsive, going as far as trying to sabotage the Miss Teenage Hairspray contest and attempting to seduce Wilbur, Tracy's married father.
  • Alliterative Name: Velma Von Tussle.
  • Big Bad: She's the antagonist who causes every problem in the story, and the few she doesn't she fights to exacerbate. In the 1988 movie, she shares this with her husband Franklin and the station's boss Arvin Hodgepile.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Tends to be this generally, but Michelle Pfeiffer played it up significantly in 2007.
  • Defeat Means Friendship: Only in the stage musical.
  • Establishing Character Moment: In the 2007 film. When she is introduced, she’s being rude to the cameraman, showing that she’s not only a Jerkass to black people, but to other white people as well.
  • Even Evil Has Loved Ones: She does love her daughter. It's just about the only redeeming thing that can be said about her.
  • Heel–Face Turn: In the musical and the 2016 telecast alongside her daughter, though not in the 2007 film adaptation.
  • Helicopter Parents: She does everything possible to make Amber happy as long as Amber does everything she says. By the end of the 2007 film Amber demonstrates that a lot of her worst behavior was the result of Velma's parenting.
  • Humiliation Conga: Suffers this along with her daughter in all versions. Unlike her daughter, she deserves every minute of it.
  • Jerkass: Especially in the 1988 and 2007 film versions.
  • Kick the Dog: Just about all of the things she does are callous and mean-spirited.
  • Knight Templar Parent: Zigzagged. She will go to extreme lengths to get what she wants for Amber, including seducing married men and rigging contests. That said, given how strict and controlling she can be, she seems more interested in reliving her Glory Days through her daughter than actually making her happy.
  • Lean and Mean: Thin, blonde and beautiful, as praised in the song.
  • Manipulative Bitch: Nothing is beneath her, including tricking children, meddling in her daughter's dating life, and seducing married men.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: Champion for on-screen segregation. She's openly racist against black people, and a few lines in "Miss Baltimore Crabs" imply that she's an anti-Semite as well. She also can't stand fat people, as she openly dislikes Tracy and her mother Edna. Her fatphobia and racism also carries hints of being a Female Misogynist, as she openly judges and disparages other women for not looking like her, and slut-shames Edna in the 1988 version ("Is your daughter a mulatto?").
  • Small Name, Big Ego:
    • She will remind you that she won Ms. Baltimore Crabs, in song of course.
    • Velma also acts like she's the one running the entire station network—while she does have some sway, it's apparent at certain that she's not the true boss of the place. Especially when she's fired in the 2007 film.
  • Smug Snake: God, yes.
  • Sore Loser: Not her exactly, but she has this reaction in the 2007 film when Seaweed's sister Inez wins over her daughter, Amber.
  • Stage Mom: To Amber in all versions, micromanaging her life, and career — it's very strongly implied that she's trying to live vicariously through her daughter.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: At the end of the stage musical, although part of this is because her new job depends on it.
  • Victoria's Secret Compartment: Hides the real votes here when rigging the pageant.
  • Villain Song: Miss Baltimore Crabs.
  • White-Dwarf Starlet: Is approaching this despite still being beautiful (on the outside).

Supporting Cast

    Corny Collins 

Corny Collins

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Tell me, Velma, how exactly do you fire Corny Collins from the Corny Collins show?" -2007 version

The host of the Corny Collins Show. Played by Shawn Thompson in 1988, Clarke Thorell in 2002, James Marsden in 2007, and Derek Hough in 2016.


  • Alliterative Name: Corny Collins.
  • Deadpan Snarker: He has his moments, such as his quote above.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold:: In the stage show and the 1988 film. He's a snarky, egotistical person, but he's actually good-hearted.
  • Nice Guy: Played straight in the 2007 film, where he's shown to be much more affable and friendly than in the original film or stage show. He's also politically progressive, openly proposing integrating the Corny Collins Show and being frustrated with Velma's bigotry.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Across all of the movies.
  • Rules Lawyer: Is one when Velma tries to argue that Inez's victory is invalid in the 2007 movie.
    Corny: Well, anyone who dances for it is eligible, rule 30, paragraph 5, asterisk down at the bottom.
  • Small Name, Big Ego: Subverted. He's the show's host, so he has a big name to back up his big ego.
  • Ultimate Job Security: Lampshaded in the 2007 film. He's such a central part of the Corny Collins Show (hence the title) that Velma's threat to fire him is an empty one.

    Prudy Pingleton 

Prudy Pingleton

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Don't you try to cast one of your voodoo spells on me you, native woman!" -1988 version
"You see? You see! If I let you leave the house right now, you'd be in prison, fighting whores for cigarettes." -2007 version

Penny's overbearing, strict, and racist mother, who is also highly religious. Played by Joanne Havrilla in 1988, Jackie Hoffman in 2002, Allison Janney in 2007, and Andrea Martin in 2016.


  • Abusive Parent: She’s super controlling of her daughter and doesn’t approve of her friendship with Tracy. She also ties her daughter to her bed for “going to jail without her permission”. In the film, she goes a little further by sprinkling Penny with holy water and calling her a “devil child”.
  • Alliterative Name: Prudy Pingleton. In the 1988 film, she, her husband, and her child all have matching names.
  • Control Freak: Beats out Amber’s mom.
  • Denied Food as Punishment: Enforces this on her daughter Penny for "breaking the rules" by vowing to give her a diet of only saltine crackers and tang juice while tying her to her bed with jump rope.
  • Freak Out: Towards the end of the 2007 film, she loses it when Penny kisses Seaweed. It may have also been a response to her daughter somehow getting out of her room.
    • In the 1988 film, she gets a big, funny one when she ends up in Baltimore's black community, and when Seaweed saves Penny from her house.
  • The Fundamentalist: A rather extreme example, at least by the films' standpoints. She tries raising her daughter in a "Christian" lifestyle, but her methods are forced, and she seems more controlling and abusive (as noted before) and less loving and understanding.
  • Jerkass: She's very rude and controlling to almost everyone around her.
  • Large Ham: Especially when she's played by Allison Janney. The 1988 movie is no slouch in the ham either, as Joanne Havrilla's acting (see Freak Out above) takes it up a notch.
  • My Beloved Smother: She actually ties her daughter to her bed with jump rope (with knots that rival the navy's) and sprinkles her with holy water.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: Part of what Penny fears when she and Seaweed getting together is her mother disapproving of the relationship. In the 2007 film, she shrieks when she sees Penny kiss Seaweed and tries wiping Seaweed off the screen. In some versions of the stage production, she bemoans that since Seaweed is in her house, she can’t sell it anymore.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: In the stage musical, but not in either of the film versions.

    Motormouth Maybelle 

Motormouth Maybelle

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"No matter what you've heard, we are gonna teach the white children how to do The Bird!" -1988 version
"If we get any more white people in here, this is gonna be a suburb." -2007 version

A Baltimore rhythm and blues radio DJ who hosts "Negro Day" on The Corny Collins Show. Played by Ruth Brown in 1988, Mary Bond Davis in 2002, Queen Latifah in 2007, and Jennifer Hudson in 2016.


  • '60s Hair: In all adaptations, she has blonde hair stacked up into an elaborate beehive as voluptuous as her body.
  • Alliterative Name: Her radio name Motormouth Maybelle qualifies.
  • Big Beautiful Woman: Maybelle is often portrayed by a large and beautiful woman. Her song “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful” is all about her declaring herself to be big and beautiful and encouraging Edna to not be ashamed of her size.
  • Nice Girl: Motormouth is loud and energized, but she can be quiet and motherly when needed to be. She is kind-hearted, mature, loving, motherly, and thoughtful.
  • Only Sane Woman: Definitely this in the 2007 version.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Especially in the 2007 version, though all versions qualify.
  • Sassy Black Woman: With the 2007 movie, well, she’s Queen Latifah, what else do you expect.
    • Ruth Brown's take on the character has traces of it too.
  • Shipper on Deck: Maybelle is supportive of Seaweed and Penny being together. She does, however, warn them that other people won’t be so accepting of them being together, to which Penny replies, “So you’ve met my mom.”

    Seaweed Stubbs 

Seaweed J. Stubbs

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"But these knots might, was your mom in the navy?!" -2007 version

Motormouth Maybelle's son and Penny's love interest. A skilled dancer and singer on Negro Day. Played by Clayton Prince in 1988, Corey Reynolds in 2002, Elijah Kelley in 2007, and Ephraim Sykes in 2016.


  • Alliterative Name: Seaweed J. Stubs.
  • Beta Couple: With Penny.
  • Nice Guy: A charming, pleasant, friendly, and just all-around nice guy. Far more inclusive then the rest of the detention crew, and helps Tracy get into the show.
  • Tall, Dark, and Handsome: In the original movie, he's basketball-player tall and very attractive.
    • While not as tall, in the 2007 version, he fills out the dark and handsome part very well (especially the latter). Being a great dancer, dresser, and kisser doesn’t hurt at all.

    Inez Stubbs 

Inez Stubbs

Click to see 1988 version 
Click to see 2007 version 
Click to see 2016 version 
"Oh I know Tracy Turnblad! Good for you girl, you got on the show!" -2007 version

Seaweed's little sister who is a skilled dancer for her age. Played by Cyrkle Milbourne in 1988, Danielle Eugenia Wilson in 2002, Taylor Parks in 2007, and Shahadi Wright Joseph in 2016.


  • Awesome Moment of Crowning: Winning the tiara in the Miss Teenage Hairspray contest in the 2007 movie.
  • The Baby of the Bunch: Inez is one of the youngest characters and dancers in the show.
  • Dark Horse Victory: Little Inez, a supporting character, ends up winning the pageant in the 2007 movie, despite Velma rigging the tallies to ensure Amber wins.
  • Girlish Pigtails: Rocks a pair of these.
  • Little Miss Snarker: She knows what she's worth and she won't apologize for it. Take this exchange from the Broadway musical.
    Inez: Hand over the crown, honey.
    Amber: You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!
    Inez: That'll do.
  • Nice Girl: Very nice, but not without a slight edge!
  • Pint-Sized Kid: The main characters are in high school, whereas she’s in elementary school—not that that stops her from winning Ms. Teenage Hairspray.
  • Sassy Black Girl: In the 2007 version.

    Patrick 'Paddy' Pingleton 

Paddy Pingleton

Penny Pingleton's racist father and Prudy's husband in the 1988 film. Played by Doug Roberts.
  • Abusive Parent: He and his wife are very abusive towards and controlling of Penny.
  • Alliterative Name: Paddy Pingleton.
  • The Fundamentalist: He's very religious, and tries to force a normal "Christian" lifestyle on his daughter Penny.
  • I Have No Son!: His screaming at Penny that "she is no longer his daughter" for running away with Seaweed is this.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: He and his wife are extremely racist toward black people.
  • Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: In the 1988 film, he is fat and balding and unattractive in comparison to his wife Prudy.
  • You Are Grounded!: In the 1988 film, when Penny escapes with Seaweed, Paddy tells to her that she "is grounded until the day she dies".

    Franklin Von Tussle 

Franklin Von Tussle

Amber's father and Velma's husband in the 1988 film. Played by the late Sonny Bono.
  • Adapted Out: From the musical. The 2007 film implies that he is deceased.
  • Big Bad: Shares this role with Alvin and his wife Velma.
  • Death by Adaptation: According to Velma in the 2007 film, he is dead.
  • Fashion-Victim Villain: His fashion sense is a hodgepodge of loud prints and colors that were popular with men in the 1950s and 1960s.
  • Politically Incorrect Villain: Downplayed in that his racism is borne out of greed (claiming that desegregating Tilted Acres would make him broke) but also shows a classist streak towards Tracy, saying she's "white trash".
  • Stage Dad: Micromanages his daughter's career to an extent, using her fame as a way to promote his theme park Tilted Acres.

    Tammy 

Tammy

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/924b9938_46c4_423e_a2a7_df56751db257.jpeg
A personal assistant on "The Corny Collins Show", long-time colleague of Motormouth Maybelle, and romantically interested in Corny. Played by Mink Stole.
  • Adapted Out: She is not seen in the musical.
  • '60s Hair: She has a ridiculous beehive hairdo with blunt bangs.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: She does her best to keep the dancers well-behaved and make sure their falsies aren't falling out; along with Corny, she openly disagrees with Alvin Hodgepile's decision to keep the show segregated.
  • Will They or Won't They?: After a whole film of hints and her sneaking interested looks, she receives a kiss from Corny at the end.


Alternative Title(s): Hairspray 2007, Hairspray 1988

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