Nikki Blonsky Says Amanda Bynes Friendship on 'Hairspray' Was 'So Real': I Want to 'Give Her a Big Hug'

Mar. 15, 2025

Amanda Bynes and Nikki Blonsky inHairspray(2007).Photo: courtesy Everett CollectionNikki Blonskyis looking back with fondness at her “so real” friendship withAmanda Bynes.“We were always bouncing around set, dancing and singing and having a good time,” the 33-year-old actress tells PEOPLE forthe 15th anniversaryofHairspray, in which Bynes, now 36, played Penny Pingleton, the best friend of Blonsky’s protagonist Tracy Turnblad.“So definitely what you saw on screen was so real — that friendship was so real,” she adds.Blonsky says she was a huge fan of Bynes even before they starred inHairspraytogether, from her roles inAll ThatandThe Amanda Show.“I was obsessed,” she says. “So to work with somebody whose humor was equivalent to a youngLucille Ball— I mean, just a brilliant actress. And I’m just so thankful that I had such a great experience and that we got to play such best friends.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Hairspray(2007).New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett CollectionBlonsky tells PEOPLE that she and Bynes “kept in touch for a while,” and that she will “always” have “love” for her former costar.“I always wish her nothing but the best,” she adds. “I hope I get to give her a big hug someday because I have always loved Amanda hugs. They’re great. They’re the best.“A film adaptation of the 2002Broadwaymusical of the same name (itself based onJohn Waters' 1988 movie starringRicki Lake),Hairsprayfollows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.Featuring a cast of recognizable faces like Bynes,James Marsden,Michelle Pfeiffer,Queen Latifah,Christopher Walken,Zac Efron,Allison Janney— and, of course,John Travoltain drag as Edna Turnblad — the film also familiarized the world with newer talent, includingElijah Kelley,Brittany Snowand Blonsky in the lead role.Blonsky tells PEOPLE she still has aclose relationship with onscreen mom Travolta, 68, and has reconnected with several otherHairspraycast members over the years, including Snow, 36, “a couple summers ago at the Nantucket Film Festival.” She reveals, “We both just screamed because we were so happy to see each other and I love her.“John Travolta and Nikki Blonksy inHairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.“And I had spoken to Elijah a couple of times and he is just always one of my favorite people that I’ve ever worked with,” Blonsky says. “He’s so fun, and nobody has a sense of humor like that guy. He is the prankster of all pranksters. So I love him as well.“DirectorAdam Shankmanstill keeps in touch with many of the actors as well. He tells PEOPLE, “I was just with Marsden doingDisenchanted[the upcoming sequel to 2007’sEnchanted, which Shankman, 57, is directing], so that was that. I just got a text from Latifah. I talked with John Travolta recently. Michelle, I’m having dinner with soon. Brittany Snow, I just talked to. Nikki, I’ve been in touch with. I haven’t talked to Amanda. Zac, I talked to about a year ago when he was in Australia. I had an exchange with Elijah recently … he had just gotten a job that I was super proud of him [for].““So we just get in touch with each other, give each other virtual love. Some of us see each other, but truly, if you look at everybody’s lives, we’re super busy,” Shankman adds. “Everybody’s booked and blessed. I’m super happy for everybody.“Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayand digital now.

Amanda Bynes and Nikki Blonsky inHairspray(2007).Photo: courtesy Everett Collection

Nikki Blonskyis looking back with fondness at her “so real” friendship withAmanda Bynes.“We were always bouncing around set, dancing and singing and having a good time,” the 33-year-old actress tells PEOPLE forthe 15th anniversaryofHairspray, in which Bynes, now 36, played Penny Pingleton, the best friend of Blonsky’s protagonist Tracy Turnblad.“So definitely what you saw on screen was so real — that friendship was so real,” she adds.Blonsky says she was a huge fan of Bynes even before they starred inHairspraytogether, from her roles inAll ThatandThe Amanda Show.“I was obsessed,” she says. “So to work with somebody whose humor was equivalent to a youngLucille Ball— I mean, just a brilliant actress. And I’m just so thankful that I had such a great experience and that we got to play such best friends.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Hairspray(2007).New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett CollectionBlonsky tells PEOPLE that she and Bynes “kept in touch for a while,” and that she will “always” have “love” for her former costar.“I always wish her nothing but the best,” she adds. “I hope I get to give her a big hug someday because I have always loved Amanda hugs. They’re great. They’re the best.“A film adaptation of the 2002Broadwaymusical of the same name (itself based onJohn Waters' 1988 movie starringRicki Lake),Hairsprayfollows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.Featuring a cast of recognizable faces like Bynes,James Marsden,Michelle Pfeiffer,Queen Latifah,Christopher Walken,Zac Efron,Allison Janney— and, of course,John Travoltain drag as Edna Turnblad — the film also familiarized the world with newer talent, includingElijah Kelley,Brittany Snowand Blonsky in the lead role.Blonsky tells PEOPLE she still has aclose relationship with onscreen mom Travolta, 68, and has reconnected with several otherHairspraycast members over the years, including Snow, 36, “a couple summers ago at the Nantucket Film Festival.” She reveals, “We both just screamed because we were so happy to see each other and I love her.“John Travolta and Nikki Blonksy inHairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.“And I had spoken to Elijah a couple of times and he is just always one of my favorite people that I’ve ever worked with,” Blonsky says. “He’s so fun, and nobody has a sense of humor like that guy. He is the prankster of all pranksters. So I love him as well.“DirectorAdam Shankmanstill keeps in touch with many of the actors as well. He tells PEOPLE, “I was just with Marsden doingDisenchanted[the upcoming sequel to 2007’sEnchanted, which Shankman, 57, is directing], so that was that. I just got a text from Latifah. I talked with John Travolta recently. Michelle, I’m having dinner with soon. Brittany Snow, I just talked to. Nikki, I’ve been in touch with. I haven’t talked to Amanda. Zac, I talked to about a year ago when he was in Australia. I had an exchange with Elijah recently … he had just gotten a job that I was super proud of him [for].““So we just get in touch with each other, give each other virtual love. Some of us see each other, but truly, if you look at everybody’s lives, we’re super busy,” Shankman adds. “Everybody’s booked and blessed. I’m super happy for everybody.“Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayand digital now.

Nikki Blonskyis looking back with fondness at her “so real” friendship withAmanda Bynes.

“We were always bouncing around set, dancing and singing and having a good time,” the 33-year-old actress tells PEOPLE forthe 15th anniversaryofHairspray, in which Bynes, now 36, played Penny Pingleton, the best friend of Blonsky’s protagonist Tracy Turnblad.

“So definitely what you saw on screen was so real — that friendship was so real,” she adds.

Blonsky says she was a huge fan of Bynes even before they starred inHairspraytogether, from her roles inAll ThatandThe Amanda Show.

“I was obsessed,” she says. “So to work with somebody whose humor was equivalent to a youngLucille Ball— I mean, just a brilliant actress. And I’m just so thankful that I had such a great experience and that we got to play such best friends.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Hairspray(2007).New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection

Blonsky tells PEOPLE that she and Bynes “kept in touch for a while,” and that she will “always” have “love” for her former costar.

“I always wish her nothing but the best,” she adds. “I hope I get to give her a big hug someday because I have always loved Amanda hugs. They’re great. They’re the best.”

A film adaptation of the 2002Broadwaymusical of the same name (itself based onJohn Waters' 1988 movie starringRicki Lake),Hairsprayfollows plucky teen Tracy Turnblad as she chases big-star dreams while fighting for racial equality amid the turbulent civil landscape of 1960s Baltimore.

Featuring a cast of recognizable faces like Bynes,James Marsden,Michelle Pfeiffer,Queen Latifah,Christopher Walken,Zac Efron,Allison Janney— and, of course,John Travoltain drag as Edna Turnblad — the film also familiarized the world with newer talent, includingElijah Kelley,Brittany Snowand Blonsky in the lead role.

Blonsky tells PEOPLE she still has aclose relationship with onscreen mom Travolta, 68, and has reconnected with several otherHairspraycast members over the years, including Snow, 36, “a couple summers ago at the Nantucket Film Festival.” She reveals, “We both just screamed because we were so happy to see each other and I love her.”

John Travolta and Nikki Blonksy inHairspray(2007).Courtesy Warner Bros.

“And I had spoken to Elijah a couple of times and he is just always one of my favorite people that I’ve ever worked with,” Blonsky says. “He’s so fun, and nobody has a sense of humor like that guy. He is the prankster of all pranksters. So I love him as well.”

DirectorAdam Shankmanstill keeps in touch with many of the actors as well. He tells PEOPLE, “I was just with Marsden doingDisenchanted[the upcoming sequel to 2007’sEnchanted, which Shankman, 57, is directing], so that was that. I just got a text from Latifah. I talked with John Travolta recently. Michelle, I’m having dinner with soon. Brittany Snow, I just talked to. Nikki, I’ve been in touch with. I haven’t talked to Amanda. Zac, I talked to about a year ago when he was in Australia. I had an exchange with Elijah recently … he had just gotten a job that I was super proud of him [for].”

“So we just get in touch with each other, give each other virtual love. Some of us see each other, but truly, if you look at everybody’s lives, we’re super busy,” Shankman adds. “Everybody’s booked and blessed. I’m super happy for everybody.”

Hairsprayis available to own onBlu-rayand digital now.

source: people.com