Kirstie Alley Set to Appear on 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 12 as She Continues Her Fight for Proper Body Image

Kirstie Alley is excited to enter season 12 of "Dancing With The Stars." The actress has vowed to not show off her body until she loses more weight and contestants on the show have certainly been known to drop the weight by the end of the season.

Randall Christensen is the costume designer on "Dancing With The Stars" and he says that less is more. He has dressed the likes of Joanna Krupa, Rachel Ray, and Audrina Patridge. He admits to the New York Daily News that typically contestants start out not wanting to show their bodies, but as the season progresses they begin to feel more comfortable and in shape. Kirstie is sure to show more as she drops more weight and becomes more comfortable with her body. She's a role model in many ways for anyone who has ever gained weight and suffered the backlash. Her career hasn't been halted she has continued to find success despite her feelings of how she looks. She's still a beautiful lady and a Hollywood star and that will help her on "Dancing With The Stars."

The actresses real name is Kirstie Louise Deal and she was born on January 12, 1951 in Wichita, Kansas. Besides being an actress she's a mother to Parker, William True, and Lillie Price Stevenson.

Kirstie Trivia:
Some things you may not know about Kirstie: she was a cheerleader in high school, once shared an apartment with Mimi Rogers, has her own Star Trek action figure made in her likeness, is best friends with John Travolta, and her mother was killed in 1981 in an automobile accident caused by a drunk driver. She's also a fan of Jamie Foxx and Prince.

In 2005, she released her memoirs. "How To Lose Your Ass and Regain Your Life: Redundant Confessions of a Big-Butted Star."

Alley is no stranger to weight gain and like her friend Oprah, she often deals with weight issues and body image questions. After two years of being a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, she managed to lose a whopping 75 pounds. By 2009, she admits to gaining 83 pounds and continued to struggle with her weight. She is now back to dropping the pounds and being active and it's certainly paying off.

Film Roles:

Some of Kirstie's biggest roles in television and films: Veronica's Closet, For Richer or Poorer, Fat Actress, Look Who's Talking Now, Cheers, Look Who's Talking Too, Deconstructing Harry, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. By 1995 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her career has remained a constant and steady process of success, although she has perhaps allowed her body image to hold her back. It's nice to see her back in the public eye and trying to put a positive spin on her life and career.

For "Dancing With The Stars" she has been partnered up with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The star admits her dancing inspiration is Gene Kelly, she most fears the Quick Step, and that learning to dance correctly poses the biggest challenge to her. The new season is set to debut March 21, on ABC.