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Sheryl Lee Ralph perhaps does not get the kind of credit she deserves in the industry, which she has been a part of for nearly half a century. She has also earned herself some big recognitions along the way, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Interestingly, she continues to play the acclaimed role for which she won her biggest award.
Sheryl Lee Ralph had to traverse a long path to reach where she is right now, and in the process, she also paved the way for many young artists, especially female black artists, who could then go on to reach places that Sheryl failed to in her younger years.
She discussed these challenges, as well as the feeling of being led by a much younger Quinta Brunson, in an interview with AARP in 2023. When asked how she felt about Brunson leading the path, she replied with utmost positivity and wisdom. She said:
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"For me, that’s what aging looks like. When I started as an actress, my road really wasn’t there. I had to bust rocks to create my road. And now that road is there for my kids and other people’s kids to travel. They might look at those broken rocks by the side of the road and say, “Wait a minute. If we melt that rock, we’ll have four more lanes.” That doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate the fact that you busted those rocks."
She added:
"But this is their journey, too, now. You’ve got to celebrate that. Then you’ve got to get yourself a new car, so that you can ride on that smooth new road that they’re creating."
She further answered what the primary challenges were for her when she set out to achieve it all as a young actress.
Sheryl Lee Ralph always tried to "challenge people’s assumptions about what a Black actress should look like"
Sheryl Lee Ralph is among the black actresses who had to go through significant turmoil to reach their goals. Since the 1970s, when the actress started out, the climb was a steep one and one had to battle a lot of things that are unimaginable today.
Discussing the difficulties she had to face, the veteran actress told AARP:
"One thing I tried to do was challenge people’s assumptions about what a Black actress should look like. I remember one time in the ’70s, I had my hair braided and a director said, “Can’t you find a more natural hairstyle?” I had to ask him, “More natural for whom?” It’s hard to imagine today."
This was not uncommon during the time. Sheryl Lee Ralph also discussed other challenges from the time she was a young actor. She added:
"I also sought roles that hadn’t been thought of — but should have been. In the early ’90s, Designing Women was a hit, but it was a show about Southern women with no Black women in it. I met Designing producer Harry Thomason at an event, walked right up to him and said, “You need a Black woman on your show.” The next day, he hired me."
Thankfully, things are better in the industry than they were decades back but there is still a long way to go before everything fits in perfectly.
Sheryl Lee Ralph will return as Barbara Howard in the upcoming season of Abbott Elementary.
