Sheryl Lee Ralph is no newcomer to the business, but finally she is an Emmy nominee. Nommed for her role as veteran teacher Barbara Howard in the hit ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary, this longtime star has found a role that brings her an even wider audience.
A Tony nominee as the original dreamgirl Deena Jones in the 1981 Broadway hit Dreamgirls, Ralph has had a buoyant career in all mediums including television, where she previously starred in such series as It’s a Living, Moesha and Instant Mom. She was an Indie Spirit winner for To Sleep With Anger, and on screen has acted opposite the likes of Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy and Robert De Niro.
As you will see in this week’s edition of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side, she is also a real live wire. We talk about her fantastic career, the teachers in her own family who inspire her, working with the Abbott Elementary ensemble and creator Quinta Brunson, and why this show has come at exactly the right time in a troubled world. Plus so much more.
To watch our conversation, click on the video above, and join me every Wednesday during Emmy season for a new episode of The Actor’s Side.
