Ricki Lake has spent decades in the public eye as an actress, television host, producer, and documentary filmmaker. Yet, away from the cameras, motherhood has remained one of the most important parts of her life.
Lake has two sons, Milo Sebastian Sussman and Owen Tyler Sussman, from her first marriage to illustrator Rob Sussman. Both sons are now adults and live on the East Coast, while Lake has described herself as an empty nester in recent years.
Her family story also connects with some of her most meaningful professional work. In particular, Owen’s birth became part of The Business of Being Born, the 2008 documentary Lake executive produced.
Below is a closer look at Ricki Lake’s sons, family background, career, personal life, and life as a mother.
Quick Bio: Ricki Lake and Her
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ricki Pamela Lake |
| Date of birth | September 21, 1968 |
| Age | 57 years old as of July 2026 |
| Birthplace | Hastings-on-Hudson, New York |
| Profession | Actress, television host, producer |
| Sons | Milo Sebastian Sussman and Owen Tyler Sussman |
| First husband | Rob Sussman |
| Current husband | Ross Burningham |
| Number of children | Two biological sons |
| Sons’ ages | Milo, 29; Owen, 25, as of July 2026 |
| Estimated net worth | About $20 million, according to one widely cited estimate; not publicly verified |
| Best known for | Hairspray, Ricki Lake, The Business of Being Born |
Lake’s age and career details are publicly documented. Her sons’ birth years are also widely reported, although both men maintain considerably more privacy than their famous mother.
Early Life and Childhood
Ricki Lake was born on September 21, 1968, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. She grew up in a family that was not part of Hollywood’s entertainment establishment.
Her father, Barry Lake, worked as a pharmacist. Her mother, Jill, was a homemaker. Lake also has a younger sister named Jennifer.
From an early age, Lake showed an interest in performing. She began singing professionally at just nine years old and eventually developed an interest in acting.
That early confidence helped prepare her for a career that began unusually young. At 18, she landed the role that would change her life.
Family Background and Parents
Lake’s family background was relatively ordinary compared with the Hollywood world she later entered. She has often presented herself as someone who built her career independently.
That perspective became especially meaningful after her Malibu home was destroyed in the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Lake said she had built her life for herself, her husband, and her children.
Her sons have therefore grown up around a mother who experienced both enormous professional success and major personal changes.
Still, Lake has generally protected their privacy. Unlike some celebrity children, Milo and Owen have not built highly public entertainment careers of their own.
Education and Early Years
Lake attended local schools in Hastings-on-Hudson before transferring to the Professional Children’s School in New York City.
The move allowed her to focus more seriously on acting. She later attended Ithaca College, although her college experience was brief.
Her professional opportunity arrived before she could follow a traditional college path.
In 1988, director John Waters cast Lake as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. The film became a cult favorite and established her as a recognizable young performer.
Career Start and Breakthrough
Lake’s breakthrough came with Hairspray, where she played the energetic and optimistic Tracy Turnblad.
The role was important for several reasons. It made Lake famous while also challenging conventional ideas about who could play a glamorous leading character.
She later appeared in additional John Waters projects, including Cry-Baby, Serial Mom, and Cecil B. Demented.
However, acting was only the beginning.
At 23, Lake became the host of her own daytime talk show. Ricki Lake premiered in 1993 and continued until 2004. The program became closely associated with Lake’s youthful, conversational approach to television.
Her career eventually expanded into producing, documentaries, reality television, and other media projects.
Major Works and Achievements
Lake’s career has covered several different areas of entertainment.
Some of her best-known professional achievements include:
- Starring as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (1988).
- Appearing in several John Waters films.
- Hosting Ricki Lake from 1993 to 2004.
- Hosting The Ricki Lake Show during its later television run.
- Executive producing The Business of Being Born.
- Co-authoring Your Best Birth.
- Competing on Dancing with the Stars.
- Continuing to work in television, documentaries, and podcasting.
Her documentary work is especially relevant to her family story.
The Business of Being Born explored childbirth and maternity care. Lake’s interest in the subject was deeply personal because she had experienced childbirth herself.
Owen’s birth also became part of the documentary’s story. Lake later described the project as one of the most meaningful pieces of work she had created during her career.
Personal Life, Marriage and Family
Ricki Lake married illustrator Rob Sussman in 1994. The couple later welcomed two sons.
Who Are Ricki Lake’s Sons?
Milo Sebastian Sussman was born in March 1997. He is Lake’s first child and is now in his late 20s.
Owen Tyler Sussman was born in June 2001. He is Lake’s younger son and is now in his mid-20s.
The brothers grew up during one of the busiest periods of their mother’s career. Lake was still hosting her daytime show when Owen was born.
Lake and Sussman eventually separated. Their divorce was finalized in the mid-2000s.
Lake later married jewelry designer Christian Evans in 2012. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2015. Evans died in 2017. Lake has spoken publicly about the complicated grief surrounding his death and his mental health struggles.
In 2022, Lake married Ross Burningham. The couple had met during the COVID-19 pandemic after being introduced on a blind date.
Importantly, Burningham’s relationship with Lake’s sons developed over time. Lake previously described him as a supportive presence in their family.
Ricki Lake as a Mother
Motherhood has influenced both Lake’s personal decisions and professional interests.
One example came after the September 11 attacks. Lake later explained that witnessing the attacks while living in New York contributed to a major reassessment of her life.
At the time, she was 33 and raising two young children. She eventually chose not to renew her talk-show contract and moved away from New York.
The decision demonstrates how motherhood shaped her priorities.
Rather than remaining focused solely on television success, Lake began exploring documentary filmmaking and subjects connected to health, family, and personal wellbeing.
Lifestyle and Public Image
Lake has remained unusually candid about personal change.
She has discussed body image, aging, weight fluctuations, wellness, relationships, and motherhood. However, she has also allowed her sons to maintain a much lower public profile.
That balance has become more noticeable as Milo and Owen have entered adulthood.
In 2024, Lake told PEOPLE that her children were grown and living on the East Coast. She described herself and Burningham as empty nesters because his children were also out of the house.
Lake has also continued to discuss wellness and aging publicly.
In July 2026, she shared unfiltered before-and-after images marking two years since her facelift. She said the procedure followed a significant weight loss that had left loose skin around her lower face and neck.
Her openness fits a broader pattern in her public image.
She often talks about personal experiences without presenting herself as perfect. That quality has helped maintain her connection with audiences across different stages of her career.
Family Life After the 2025 Wildfires
A major recent chapter for Lake’s family came in January 2025.
Her Malibu home was destroyed by the Palisades Fire. Lake and Burningham escaped safely, but the loss included many deeply personal belongings.
Among the items lost were photographs and videos connected to her sons’ childhoods.
Lake specifically discussed losing birth videos, photographs, and an album related to Owen’s home birth. She described those memories as priceless.
There was later an unexpected piece of good news.
In December 2025, family photographs believed to have been destroyed were found at a Pasadena flea market. The recovered collection included photographs of Lake with Rob Sussman and young Milo.
For a family already dealing with the loss of a home, the discovery offered an emotional reminder of the memories that can survive even major loss.
Net Worth and Financial Overview
Ricki Lake’s exact net worth is not publicly verified.
Celebrity wealth figures are usually estimates based on career earnings, property records, investments, business activity, and other available information. They should not be treated as audited financial statements.
One widely cited source currently estimates Lake’s net worth at approximately $20 million.
Her potential income sources have included:
- Film acting
- Television hosting
- Television production
- Documentary production
- Book publishing
- Media appearances
- Real estate
Lake has also had substantial real estate activity during her career. Her Malibu property, which she purchased in 2013, was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades Fire.
Therefore, a reasonable public-facing summary is an estimated net worth of around $20 million, while emphasizing that the figure is not confirmed by Lake or her financial representatives.
Legacy and Life Today
Ricki Lake’s legacy extends beyond the phrase “talk-show host.”
She first became famous through Hairspray. She then built a major daytime television career before moving into documentaries, production, and other forms of media.
Her family has been part of that evolution.
Today, her sons Milo and Owen are adults. Both live largely outside the entertainment spotlight, while their mother continues to work and speak publicly about her experiences.
Lake’s family life has also influenced her professional choices. Her documentary work on childbirth remains particularly connected to her experience as a mother.
Meanwhile, her current life with Ross Burningham represents a different stage.
She has described their household as an empty nest. That change has given her more room for travel, wellness, creative work, and new projects.
In 2026, Lake remains active in public life. She continues to discuss aging, health, relationships, entertainment, and personal reinvention.
For fans interested in Ricki Lake’s sons, the most important point is simple: Milo and Owen are now grown men who largely live outside their mother’s celebrity world.
Conclusion
Ricki Lake’s sons, Milo and Owen, have been important figures in her life for nearly three decades.
Milo was born in 1997, while Owen arrived in 2001. Their childhoods unfolded alongside Lake’s rise from young actress to daytime television star and documentary producer.
Motherhood also helped shape Lake’s later choices. Her experiences with pregnancy and childbirth contributed to The Business of Being Born. Her children also influenced major personal decisions during difficult periods.
Today, both sons are adults living on the East Coast. Lake has embraced her role as an empty nester while continuing her career and relationship with Ross Burningham.
Although much about Milo and Owen’s private lives remains undisclosed, that privacy appears intentional. Lake shares family memories when she chooses, while respecting the fact that her sons have their own lives.
That balance gives her family story a more grounded quality than the typical celebrity profile.
FAQs
How many does Ricki Lake have?
Ricki Lake has two , Milo Sebastian Sussman and Owen Tyler Sussman. She shares both children with her first husband, Rob Sussman.
Who is Ricki Lake’s oldest son?
Ricki Lake’s oldest son is Milo Sebastian Sussman. He was born in March 1997 and is now in his late 20s.
Who is Ricki Lake’s youngest son?
Her youngest son is Owen Tyler Sussman, who was born in June 2001. He is now in his mid-20s.
Are Ricki Lake’s sons actors?
There is no strong public evidence that either Milo or Owen has pursued a major acting career like their mother. Both have maintained relatively private adult lives.
Who is the father of Ricki Lake’s sons?
Milo and Owen’s father is Rob Sussman, an illustrator whom Lake married in 1994. The couple later divorced.
Does Ricki Lake have children with Ross Burningham?
No. Lake and Ross Burningham do not have children together. They are both parents to adult children from previous relationships, and Lake has described their household as an empty nest.
How old are Ricki Lake’s sons?
As of July 2026, Milo is 29 and Owen is 25, based on their publicly reported birth years.
What happened to Ricki Lake’s family photos?
Lake lost many family photographs and birth memories when her Malibu home was destroyed in the 2025 Palisades Fire. Some photographs, including pictures involving her son Milo, were later unexpectedly recovered at a Pasadena flea market.
What is Ricki Lake’s estimated net worth?
A widely cited estimate puts Ricki Lake’s net worth at about $20 million. However, this figure is not publicly verified, so it should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed amount.
