Sheryl Lee Ralph

Singer • Actress • Activist

Birth Date: December 30, 1956

Age: 68 years old

Birth Place: Waterbury, Connecticut

Sheryl Lee Ralph is 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-).

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Singer • Actress • Activist

Birth Date: December 30, 1956

Age: 68 years old

Birth Place: Waterbury, Connecticut

Children: Etienne Maurice

Awards

Credits

Weather Hunters

Ricky

The Real Red TailsStream

The Fabulous FourStream

Young LoveStream

Live with Kelly and MarkStream

The Young WifeStream

Sherri

The Jennifer Hudson ShowStream

Access Daily With Mario & Kit

If We're Being Honest with Laverne CoxStream

The Pulse With Bill Anderson

How We RollStream

Soul of a Nation Presents: X/onerated -- The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice

Abbott ElementaryStream

Nick Cannon

CBS Mornings

Turning the Tables with Robin RobertsStream

Celebrity Wheel of FortuneStream

Christmas in My HeartStream

Zerlina

GMA3: What You Need to Know

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Fashionably YoursStream

Christmas Comes TwiceStream

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Access Daily

Access Daily

Tamron HallStream

Tamron HallStream

First Day Back

Today With Hoda & Jenna

FamStream

Christmas Hotel

Localish

Today 3rd Hour

No Sleep 'Til ChristmasStream

Sister Circle

Daily Blast Live

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

ClawsStream

Daily Pop

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Just Getting StartedStream

Christmas at Holly LodgeStream

News One Now: 2016 Election Night Watch Party

MacGyverStream

Celebrity PageStream

One MississippiStream

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Rupaul's Drag Race: RuVealed

Celebrity Family FeudStream

The Late Late Show With James Corden

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Women of Power

Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & DawnStream

Hollywood Today Live

One Love

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Instant MomStream

The Social

The Real

The Real

The Real

Ray DonovanStream

Home & Family

Parental Discretion With Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

Finding Your RootsStream

SmashStream

Christmas in Compton

Ladies of the Church

2 Broke GirlsStream