Sheryl Lee Ralph OJ is an American actress and singer. She made her screen debut in the 1977 comedy film '' A Piece of the Action'', before landing the role of Deena Jones in the Broadway musical ''

Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others,G ...

'' (1981), for which she received a

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...

nomination. She currently stars as Barbara Howard on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

Abbott Elementary ''Abbott Elementary'' is an American mockumentary sitcom television series created by Quinta Brunson for ABC. It stars Brunson as a second-grade teacher at Abbott Elementary, a fictional predominantly Black school in Philadelphia. The ensembl ...

'', for which she won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the

74th Primetime Emmy Awards The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in American prime time television programming from June 1, 2021, until May 31, 2022, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). The awards ceremony was held live on September 1 ...

, and became the first Black woman to win the award in 35 years. Ralph has appeared in a number of films during her career. She starred alongside

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has been described as an actor who reconfigured "the concept of classic movie stardom". Throughout his career spanning over four decades, Washington ha ...

in the film '' The Mighty Quinn'' (1989). In 1991, she won the

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female was an award presented annually by Film Independent. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an absolutely outstanding performance in a supporting role while working in an indepen ...

for her performance in the 1990 drama film ''

To Sleep with Anger ''To Sleep with Anger'' is a 1990 American black comedy film written and directed by Charles Burnett. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, h ...

''. Ralph starred in the 1992 films ''

Mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a ...

'' and ''

The Distinguished Gentleman ''The Distinguished Gentleman'' is a 1992 American political comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. The film was directed by Jonathan Lynn. In addition to Murphy, the film stars Lane Smith, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Joe Don Baker, James Garner, Victoria Row ...

''. She later played the role of Florence Watson in '' Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit'' (1993). Ralph has also starred in the syndicated television sitcom ''

It's a Living ''It's a Living'' (renamed for season two as ''Making a Living'') is an American sitcom television series set in a restaurant at the top of the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. The show aired on ABC from October 30, 1980, until June 11, 1982. ...

'' (1986–1989), the short-lived

sitcom '' New Attitude'' (1990), the Nick at Nite sitcom ''

Instant Mom ''Instant Mom'' is an American sitcom produced for the NickMom block on the Nick Jr. channel. It was developed by Howard Michael Gould and stars Tia Mowry as a stepmother of three children alongside her husband. The series first aired on Septe ...

'' (2013–2015), and, in 2016, played

Madame Morrible ''Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'' is an American novel published in 1995, written by Gregory Maguire with illustrations by Douglas Smith. It is the first in ''The Wicked Years'' series, and was followed by ''Son of a ...

in the 2003 Broadway musical ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

''. Her role as Dee Mitchell, in the

UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which pr ...

sitcom '' Moesha'', (1996–2001), earned her five nominations for the

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The award was first given during the 1996 ceremony and since its conception, Marsai Martin holds the record for the most w ...

Early life

Ralph was born in

Waterbury, Connecticut Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 20 ...

, the daughter of Stanley Ralph, a college professor, and Ivy Ralph O.D., a

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

n fashion designer and the creator of the

kariba suit A Kariba or Kareeba suit is a two-piece suit for men created by Jamaican designer Ivy Ralph, mother of Sheryl Lee Ralph, in the early 1970s to be worn on business and formal occasions as a Caribbean replacement for the European-style suit and ...

. She has a younger brother, actor and comedian

Michael Ralph Michael Ralph (born c. 1963 in Waterbury, Connecticut) is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor. He is known for his recurring roles as Spencer Boyer on the sitcom ''A Different World (TV series), A Different World'', Tyrell Livingston ...

. According to a DNA analysis, she descends partly from the Tikar people of

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

. She was raised between

Mandeville, Jamaica Mandeville is the capital and largest town in the parish of Manchester in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. In 2005, the town had an estimated population of 50,000, and including the immediate suburbs within a radius of the total population w ...

, and

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

. Ralph attended

Uniondale High School Uniondale High School is a public high school located in Uniondale, Nassau County, New York, U.S.A., and is the only high school operated by the Uniondale Union Free School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the school had an enrollment of ...

Uniondale, New York Uniondale is a census-designated place (CDP), as well as a suburb in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, New York (state), New York, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead, New York, Town of Hempstead. The population was 32,473 at the 2020 ...

. She starred in a high-school production of the musical ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'', portraying Ado Annie. Sheryl graduated in 1972. Earlier that year, she was crowned Miss Black Teen-age New York. At 19, Ralph was the youngest woman to ever graduate from Rutgers University; during her time at Rutgers, Ralph was one of the earliest winners of the

Irene Ryan Irene Ryan (born Irene Noblitt, Noblett, or Noblette; October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress and comedienne who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television, and Broadway. She is most widely known for her por ...

Acting Scholarships awarded by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Also that year she was named one of the top ten college women in America by ''Glamour'' magazine. Initially she hoped to study medicine, but after dealing with cadavers in a pre-med class and winning a scholarship in a competition at the American College Theater Festival, she gave up medicine for the performing arts. Many years later, she served as the commencement speaker at Rutgers for the Class of 2003.

Career

Ralph began her career in the 1970s, starring in the 1977 American

crime comedy film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

''A Piece of the Action'' directed by Sidney Poitier. She also made several appearances in television shows, such as '' Good Times'', ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'' and ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...

.'' Ralph then landed a role in the Broadway production ''Reggae'' (1980), before portraying Deena Jones in the original Broadway musical ''

'' (1981). On television, she was in the cast of the CBS daytime soap opera ''

Search for Tomorrow ''Search for Tomorrow'' is an American television soap opera. It began its run on CBS on September 3, 1951, and concluded on NBC, 35 years later, on December 26, 1986. Set in the fictional town of Henderson in an unspecified state, the show fo ...

'' while starring on Broadway in ''Dreamgirls.'' For her performance in ''Dreamgirls'', Ralph was nominated in 1982 for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Afterwards, she signed with Sid Bernstein's music label, and released her only studio album ''In the Evening'' in 1984. The album's title track peaked at No. 5 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Dance Music/Club Play Singles Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...

chart and No. 64 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

that same year. Ralph landed the leading role of Ginger St. James on the television series ''

''. In 1988 she starred in the Disney movie ''

Oliver & Company ''Oliver & Company'' is a 1988 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released on November 18, 1988, by Walt Disney Pictures. The 27th Disney animated feature film, it is loosely based on the Cha ...

'', providing the voice of Rita, a sassy Afghan Hound. Her first leading role in a film came as Denzel Washington's wife in '' The Mighty Quinn'', released in 1989. In 1990, she was cast as Vicki St. James in the

sitcom ''New Attitude''. The following year, Ralph won the

for her performance in the 1990 drama film ''

''. In 1992, she starred with Robert De Niro in the title role in ''

''. That same year, she played Etienne Toussaint-Bouvier on ''

Designing Women ''Designing Women'' is an American television sitcom created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason that aired on CBS from September 29, 1986, to May 24, 1993, producing seven seasons and 163 episodes. It was a joint production of Bloodworth/Thomason ...

'', and co-starred with Eddie Murphy in ''

''. She also played Florence Watson, the mother of Rita Louise Watson (

Lauryn Hill Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...

) in the 1993 film '' Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit''. Her role as Dee Mitchell on '' Moesha'' (1996–2001), earned her five nominations for the

. During the 1990s she also had roles in ''

The Flintstones ''The Flintstones'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The series takes place in a romanticized Stone Age setting and follows the activities of the titular family, the Flintstones, and their next-door neighb ...

'', ''

Deterrence Deterrence may refer to: * Deterrence theory, a theory of war, especially regarding nuclear weapons * Deterrence (penology), a theory of justice * Deterrence (psychology) Deterrence in relation to criminal offending is the idea or theory that t ...

'', and ''Unconditional Love''. She provided the voice of

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

in ''

Justice League The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived ...

'' and ''

Justice League Unlimited ''Justice League Unlimited'' (''JLU'') is a 2004–2006 American superhero animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and ...

''. Ralph produced ''Divas Simply Singing'', which has become an important AIDS fundraiser. She also appeared on the

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

series '' Barbershop'' as Claire. Sheryl brought a new face to the sufferings of war in the NBC hit series '' ER''. Ralph's 2002 project ''Baby of the Family'' concerns a young child who is born with a

caul A caul or cowl ( la, Caput galeatum, literally, "helmeted head") is a piece of membrane that can cover a newborn's head and face. Birth with a caul is rare, occurring in fewer than 1 in 80,000 births. The caul is harmless and is immediately remov ...

over her head, which enables her to see ghosts and the future. Ralph was also featured with son Etienne on MTV's ''

My Super Sweet 16 ''My Super Sweet 16'' is an American reality television series documenting the lives of teenagers, usually in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom, generally with wealthy parents who throw lavish, excessive and expensive coming-of-age ce ...

'' and BET's '' Baldwin Hills'', as well as an episode of ''

Clean House ''Clean House'' is a home makeover and interior design television show, originally broadcast from 2003 until 2011 which aired 10 seasons of programs on the Style Network. Originally hosted by Niecy Nash and later by Tempestt Bledsoe, the show b ...

'' that also featured her two children, Etienne and Ivy-Victoria (aka Coco), named after Ralph's mother. On June 16, 2009, it was announced that Ralph would join the cast of the Broadway-bound musical ''

The First Wives Club ''The First Wives Club'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retribution ...

'' as Elyse. She replaced Adriane Lenox, who withdrew from the show due to health concerns. In 2011, Ralph guest-starred in the ''

Young Justice Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen ...

'' episode "Terrors" as

Amanda Waller Amanda Blake Waller (née White), also known as "the Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Legends'' #1 in 1986 and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and ...

. In 2013, Ralph appeared in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

television show '' Smash'' as Cynthia, the mother of

Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisio ...

's character. On February 9, 2013, Ralph appeared at the 2013 Columbus Middle School youth rally in Columbus, Mississippi. In August 2014, she appeared on KTLA Los Angeles Morning News as a fill-in entertainment reporter. In November 2014, Ralph appeared on ''

Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn ''Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn'' is an American comedy television series developed by Michael Feldman and created by Matt Fleckenstein that premiered on Nickelodeon on September 13, 2014. It ran for four seasons and 82 episodes, with the final epis ...

'' as the rich lady who claims her dog from Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn. Some of her recent TV appearances include the TNT dramedy ''

Claws A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tarsus ...

'', and on the Nickelodeon sitcom ''

'' as Stephanie's (

Tia Mowry-Hardrict Tia Mowry is an American actress. She first gained recognition for her starring role as Tia Landry in the sitcom ''Sister, Sister (TV series), Sister, Sister'' (1994–1999), opposite her twin sister Tamera Mowry. The sisters then starred togeth ...

's) mother. From January 10 to April 11, 2019 Ralph appeared as one of the main characters, Rose, in the television series '' Fam'' which ran for one season and was canceled in May 2019. In 2022, Ralph joined the new hit sitcom ''

'', portraying a 30-year veteran elementary school teacher. For her role, Ralph won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the second Black actress to win in the category after

Jackée Harry Jacqueline Yvonne Harry (born August 14, 1956) is an American actress, comedian, and television personality. She is known for her starring roles as Sandra Clark, the nemesis of Mary Jenkins (played by Marla Gibbs), on the NBC TV series '' 227'' ...

, who won in 1987 for '' 227''. In October 2022, Ralph became the recipient of the Order of Jamaica.

Personal life

Ralph was married to French businessman Eric Maurice from 1990 to 2001, and they have two children, a son born in 1995 and daughter in 1997. She has been married to

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

State Senator

Vincent Hughes Vincent J. Hughes (born October 26, 1956) is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 7th District since 1994. Hughes previously served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 190th Dist ...

since July 30, 2005. In July 2004, Ralph was inducted as an honorary member of

Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a historically African American sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emphasis on programs that assist the African American community. Delta ...

sorority at the 47th National Convention in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. In May 2008, Ralph was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from

Tougaloo College Tougaloo College is a private historically black college in the Tougaloo area of Jackson, Mississippi. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was originally established in 1869 by New Yor ...

after giving the

commencement address A commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the world. The commencement ...

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Stage work

Broadway

Discography

Albums

''In the Evening'' (1984, The New York Music Company) #"You're So Romantic" (4:38) #"In the Evening" (3:50) #"Give Me Love" (3:34) #"Evolution" (4:02) #"Back to Being in Love" (3:01) #"Be Somebody" (3:35) #"I'm Your Kind of Girl" (3:55) #"B.A.B.Y." (3:15) #"Ready or Not" (3:46) #"I'm So Glad That We Met" (3:56) Produced and arranged by

Trevor Lawrence William Trevor Lawrence (born October 6, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Considered among the highest-touted college football prospects, he won the 2019 National C ...

Sleigh (2022) # “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (2:11) # “Holiday Cheer (We Made It)” (4:03) # “Wreck The Halls” feat. B Slade (1:09) # “Silent Night” (2:52) # “Little Drummer Boy” (6:57) # “I Love The Holidays” feat. J Minor 7 (1:09) # “Commercial Break” (0:08) # “Sleigh (Jingle Bells)” (3:43) # “The Real Meaning” feat. B Slade (5:26) # “The Gift” (1:04) # “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” (1:10) # “O Holy Night” (3:16) # “O’ Come All Ye Faithful” feat. Ann Nesby and B Slade (5:24) # “Muva Has Spoken” feat. Ivy Ralph O.D. (1:06) # “Silent Night Vibes” feat. Hubie Wang (2:05)

Singles

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website
(archived) * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ralph, Sheryl Lee 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Living people Actors from Waterbury, Connecticut African-American actresses American actors of Jamaican descent American film actresses American television actresses American voice actresses American people of Cameroonian descent American people of Tikar descent Delta Sigma Theta members HIV/AIDS activists Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Long Island People from Mandeville, Jamaica People from Uniondale, New York Rutgers University alumni Spouses of Pennsylvania politicians Writers from Waterbury, Connecticut 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women Tikar people 1956 births