Sheryl Lee Ralph is an acclaimed stage and screen actress whose career spans more than four decades. At age twenty, she made her feature film debut opposite Sidney Poitier in Warner Bros.’ A Piece of the Action, which Poitier also directed. She is widely celebrated for originating the role of Deena Jones in the landmark Broadway musical Dreamgirls, earning Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Actress. Her extensive body of work includes notable film and television roles in Mistress, To Sleep with Anger, The Distinguished Gentlemen, Sister Act 2, Moesha, and Ray Donovan. She currently stars in the Peabody Award–winning comedy series Abbott Elementary, and her portrayal of Barbara Howard earned her the 2022 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She recently received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her distinguished career. Ralph is also a nationally recognized AIDS activist, and in 1990 she founded The DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health outcomes through arts-based programming. She is the proud mother of two, Etienne and Ivy, and is married to Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes. She divides her time between Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
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