Sheryl Lee Ralphhas been acting since 1977, but has recently become a hit across generations after starring in season one of thehit showAbbott Elementary. Over the course of her extensive acting career, she has starred in dozens of film, television, and Broadway productions. Most recently, Ralph received the Order of Jamaica and has been seen out and about at some of the movie premieres. Earlier this year, she also received an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, making her the second Black woman in history to receive this award. Outside of her current work on Abbott Elementary, Ralph is all over social media, from strutting the Fenty stage with Rihanna to spending time with her kids and going viral for their videos.
7To Sleep with Anger (1990)
This 1990 dark comedy stars Paul Butler, Mary Alice, Danny Glover, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. When Harry (Glover) blows into town, he brings chaos with him. Throughout the movie, Harry brings tension and lots of other problems to light. The movie is filled with tales of Black folklore and in 2017, was chosen for preservation in theUS National Film Registryby the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
6The Mighty Quinn (1989)
Starring Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend, Mimi Rogers, James Fox, Esther Rolle, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. This action crime drama, based on the novel Finding Maubee by Albert Z. Carr, followspolice officer Xavier Quinn(Washington) as he works to clear his partner Maubee’s (Townsend) name after he is connected with a briefcase full of money and a murder. Ralph plays Quinn’s estranged wife, Lola, and her performance garnered her a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture at the Image Awards.
5Mistress (1992)
This 1992 film stars Robert De Niro, Eli Wallach, Robert Wuhl,Jean Smart, Martin Landau, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. This dramatic comedy tells the story of the difficulties of the film industry and what it takes to deal with the demands of the financiers tied to the project. Mistress made a huge impact on Ralph. In recent interviews, she’s shared an important piece ofadvice from Robert De Nirothat she has held on to for the past thirty years.
4Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993)
ThisSister Actsequelstars Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Najimy, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Maggie Smith, Lauryn Hill, Mary Wickes, and Sheryl Lee Ralph and tells the story of Sister Mary Clarence (Goldberg) as she brings her musical teachings to a class of Catholic school students before their school is shut down. The group struggles when their best singer, Rita (Hill) is banned from singing by her mother, Florence (Ralph).
Related:Tyler Perry Hopes to Get Audiences Singing with Sister Act 3
3Moesha (1996-2001)
One of the biggest nineties sitcoms,Moesharan from 1996-2001 and stars R&B singer Brandy, William Allen Young, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Shar Jackson, and Ray J.Moeshafollows the titular character, played by Brandy, as she tries to figure out who she is and while balancing high school, friends, and the world in general. Moesha’s school and home life blend together when her dad marries the assistant principal, Dee (Ralph), even though she doesn’t approve. Along withSister, Sister, Martin, The Parkers, Living Single, and Kenan and Kel, Moeshais one of the most popular Black sitcoms of the nineties. Sheryl Lee Ralph was nominated multiple times for Image Awards for her role inMoesha.
Related:Abbott Elementary: 10 Things the Series Captures about the American Public School System
2Dreamgirls (1981)
As she does her press tour after winning the Emmy forAbbott Elementaryearlier this year, many people are learning that Sheryl Lee Ralph is a stage legend as well. Ralph starred as Deena Jones in the hit musicalDreamgirlson Broadwayin 1981. Her performance earned her a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. The show was later turned into the famed movie of the same name, starring Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Anika Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy, and Danny Glover. You can find the actresssinging her heart outwith Jennifer Hudson all over the Twitterverse and on TikTok.
1Abbott Elementary (2021-Present)
Abbott Elementaryis one of the biggest hit shows of all time. In fact, season onebroke several major records, including show creator and lead actor Quinta Brunson being the youngest Black woman nominated for the comedy acting category. The breakout sitcom also stars Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, William Stanford Davis, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Together, this mix of teachers, administrators, and a quirky custodian do their best to run an underfunded school in Philadelphia. Abbott Elementary has skyrocketed Sheryl Lee Ralph to a completely new level of fame as the show continues to break record after record.
