Marissa Jaret Winokur Among Cast of New Season of Celebrity Big Brother

Broadway's Marissa Jaret Winokur will be joining the cast of Celebrity Big Brother next season, according to Entertainment Weekly. Winokur won the 2003 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Drama Desk Award, Theatre World Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray. She had previously appeared on Broadway as Jan in the revival of Grease. She reprised the role of Tracy Turnblad in the Hollywood Bowl production of Hairspray, which ran from August 5-7, 2011.

Among the other contestants are Trump campaigner Omarosa Manigault, Sugar Ray singer Mark McGrath, American Pie star Shannon Elizabeth, NBA Athlete Metta World Peace, Real Housewife Brandi Glanville, BIG TIME RUSH star James Maslow, The Cosby Show's Keshia Knight Pulliam, 2015's MISS UNIVERSE runner-up Ariadna Gutierrez, former mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell, and former Tonight Show intern and judge on RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE Ross Matthews.

Celebrity Big Brother (or Big Brother VIP) is an adaptation of the Big Brother reality television series franchise in several countries, in which the housemates are local celebrities. In some countries, the prize money normally awarded to the winning housemate is donated to a charity, and all celebrities are paid to appear in the show as long as they do not voluntarily leave before their eviction or the end of the series. The rest of the rules are nearly the same as those of the original version.

Photo Credit: Lily Lim