Pair way

November 28, 2007 [...] in Adam Shankman's joyous screen adaptation of "Hairspray" the musical, which was in turn based on John Waters' eponymous 1988 film, Travolta and Latifah -- who are the keynote speakers at this year's Women in Entertainment breakfast -- both get a chance to let their inner big, beautiful women shine. Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, a blonde, brazen Civil Rights activist delivering tongue-tangling dialogue, and Travolta as Edna Turnblad, a gentle, big-bosomed mother singing and dancing with feminine flair. "Characters like these represent real women," Latifah says.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.