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Sheryl Lee Ralph

Highest Rated: 90% The Young Wife (2023)

Lowest Rated: 5% Just Getting Started (2017)

Birthday: Dec 30, 1956

Birthplace: Waterbury, Connecticut, USA

Sheryl Lee Ralph was an American actress, singer, and writer who made a name for herself starring in one of the most legendary musicals in Broadway history, before enjoying a prolific and varied career in both film and TV, paving a path for aspiring African-American performers from all walks of life. Born on December 30, 1956 in Waterbury, CT, Ralph was the eldest child and only daughter of Stanley Ralph, a college professor, and Ivy Ralph, a fashion designer. As her mother was of Afro-Jamaican descent, Ralph spent much of her childhood in Mandeville, Jamaica, before the family moved to Long Island. While attending Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY, Ralph first got the acting bug when she starred in her high school's production of "Oklahoma!" Following her high school graduation in 1972, Ralph attended Rutgers University, where she was one of the first recipients of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and at age 19, became the youngest woman to ever graduate from Rutgers. Ralph took up acting professionally after graduation, making her film debut in "A Piece of the Action" (1977), and then a year later, making her TV debut with a cameo on "Good Times" (CBS, 1974-1979). Ralph's big break came when she was cast as Deena Jones in the original Broadway production of "Dreamgirls," the hit musical loosely based on the rise and fall of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. Critics and audiences alike were wowed by her powerhouse performance, and she was nominated the following year for a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical. Following the success of "Dreamgirls," Ralph joined the cast of the daytime soap opera "Search for Tomorrow" (CBS, 1951-1986) for the 1983-1984 season, before playing Ginger St. James on the sitcom "It's a Living" (ABC, 1985-1989). She also began appearing more often in films, voicing Rita in the Disney animated film "Oliver & Company" (1988), playing Denzel Washington's wife in the thriller "The Mighty Quinn" (1989), and earning an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her turn in Charles Burnett's indie hit "To Sleep with Anger" (1990). Ralph appeared alongside Robert DeNiro in "Mistress" (1992), Eddie Murphy in "The Distinguished Gentleman" (1992), and Whoopie Goldberg in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" (1993), while also taking a series regular role on the final season of the sitcom "Designing Women" (CBS, 1986-1993). Her next series regular gig came when she was cast as Dee Mitchell, mother to Brandy's titular character on the hit sitcom "Moesha" (UPN, 1996-2001). The early 2000s were a slow period for Ralph, she mostly took guest roles on shows like "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009) and "Barbershop: The Series" (Showtime, 2005), and even appearing as herself on the reality series "My Super Sweet 16" (MTV, 2005-2009), and "Baldwin Hills" (BET, 2007-2009). She also took a lead role in the Broadway musical version of "The First Wives Club" when original star Adriane Lenox dropped out due to health issues. Her next two series regular gigs came on the sitcoms "Tyler Perry's House of Payne" (TBS, 2006-2012) and "Instant Mom" (Nickelodeon/TV Land, 2013-2015). Ralph was next seen playing Rose on the sitcom "Fam" (CBS, 2019-).

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Highest rated movies

90% The Young Wife Watchlist
89% 48% The Mighty Quinn
Watchlist
89% 79% To Sleep With Anger
Watchlist
72% 38% Mistress
Watchlist
53% 62% Oliver & Company
Watchlist
46% 59% Deterrence
Watchlist
41% 45% Bogus
Watchlist
27% 71% The Fabulous Four Watchlist
24% 36% White Man's Burden
Watchlist
19% 61% Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
27% 71% The Fabulous Four Unknown (Character) $2.8M 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Real Red Tails Narrator - 2024
90% No Score Yet The Young Wife Angelique (Character) - 2023
No Score Yet 80% Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love Self - 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Christmas in My Heart Ruthie Sampson (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet 50% Fashionably Yours Janet (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Christmas Comes Twice Miss Nelson (Character) - 2020
No Score Yet 56% Christmas Hotel Marnie (Character) - 2019
No Score Yet 48% No Sleep 'Til Christmas Mrs. Wright (Character) - 2018
No Score Yet 20% Christmas at Holly Lodge Nadine (Character) - 2017
5% 12% Just Getting Started Roberta (Character) $5.5M 2017
No Score Yet 52% Christmas in Compton Abuta (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ladies of the Church Unknown (Character) - 2012
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kiss and Tell: The History of Black Romance in Movie Co-Producer - 2011
No Score Yet 83% Blessed & Cursed Lady Wright (Character),
Executive Producer
- 2010
No Score Yet 65% The Jennie Project Dr. Pamela Prentiss (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 20% Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Nurse (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 56% Hook'd Up Chantal (Character) - 1999
46% 59% Deterrence Gayle Redford (Character) $144.6K 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Unconditional Love Linda Cray (Character) $100.5K 1999
41% 45% Bogus Ruth Clark (Character) $4.3M 1996
24% 36% White Man's Burden Roberta (Character) $3.6M 1995
17% 44% Witch Hunt Hypolyta Kropotkin (Character) - 1994
19% 61% Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Florence Watson (Character) $57.0M 1993
13% 37% The Distinguished Gentleman Miss Loretta (Character) $46.5M 1992
72% 38% Mistress Beverly (Character) $53.6K 1992
89% 79% To Sleep With Anger Linda (Character) $1.2M 1990
89% 48% The Mighty Quinn Lola Quinn (Character) $4.0M 1989
53% 62% Oliver & Company Rita (Voice) - 1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Slay It Again Sam Maggie Bryan (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Code Name: Foxfire Maggie Bryan (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Breslin's Neighborhood Doris Campbell (Character) - 1982

TV

Credit
99% 85% Abbott Elementary Barbara Howard (Character) 2021-2024
No Score Yet 42% Jimmy Kimmel Live! Guest 2024
No Score Yet 12% The View Guest 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jennifer Hudson Show Guest 2022 2024
No Score Yet 61% Late Night With Seth Meyers Guest 2022 2024
100% 89% Young Love Unknown (Voice) 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Carpool Karaoke: The Series Self 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Variety Studio: Actors on Actors Guest 2023
No Score Yet 50% The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Guest 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts Self 2023
No Score Yet 18% The Late Late Show With James Corden Guest 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2013 2022-2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Guest 2023
No Score Yet 55% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet If We're Being Honest With Laverne Cox Guest 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Celebrity Family Feud Guest 2022
67% 42% How We Roll Loretta (Guest Star) 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nick Cannon Guest 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wendy Williams Show Guest 2008-2009 2012 2017 2020 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Home & Family Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Doctors Guest 2020
No Score Yet 71% MacGyver Mama Colton (Guest Star) 2017-2019
40% 68% Fam Rose (Character) 2019
90% 73% Claws Matilde (Guest Star) 2018
96% 88% One Mississippi Felicia Hollingsworth (Character) 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rupaul's Drag Race: RuVealed Unknown (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Unknown (Guest Star) 2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet Instant Mom Maggie (Character) 2013-2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn Ms. Dumont (Guest Star) 2014
72% 85% Ray Donovan Claudette (Guest Star) 2013-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet One Love Unknown (Character) 2011 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Parental Discretion With Stefanie Wilder-Taylor Unknown (Guest Star) 2014
No Score Yet 63% 2 Broke Girls Genet (Guest Star) 2014
68% 80% Smash Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tyler Perry's House of Payne Felicia (Guest Star) 2011
No Score Yet 88% Hannah Montana Clarice Johnson (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet 85% ER Gloria Gallant (Guest Star) 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet Las Vegas Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
26% No Score Yet Whoopi Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
No Score Yet 41% The Proud Family Diana (Guest Voice) 2002
No Score Yet No Score Yet Moesha Dee Mitchell (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1996-2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Parkers Unknown (Guest Star),
Director
1999 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The District Unknown (Guest Star) 2000-2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daily Show Guest 1999
No Score Yet 67% Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Zsa Zsa Goowhiggie (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet 97% The Wild Thornberrys Unknown (Guest Voice) 1998
0% No Score Yet George Maggie Foster (Character) 1993-1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Designing Women Unknown (Guest Star) 1992-1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet New Attitude Vicki St. James (Character) 1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet It's a Living Ginger St. James (Character) 1986-1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hunter Josie Clifford (Guest Star) 1986
67% 76% V Unknown (Guest Star) 1984
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jeffersons Jeanie (Guest Star) 1979
100% 82% Wonder Woman Unknown (Guest Star) 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Times Vanessa Blake (Guest Star) 1978