Sheryl Lee Ralph‘s acceptance-speech song at this year’s Emmys is still ringing in our ears. After taking home the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series award for her role as Barbara Howard on Quinta Brunson‘s “Abbott Elementary,” Ralph won the hearts of thousands of viewers with her empowering speech. With season two of the elementary-school series set to premiere on Sept. 21, we decided to take a look back at Ralph’s best TV and movie roles, from “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” (1993) to her starring role as Dee on “Moesha” opposite Brandy.
Ralph began her acting career on stage and earned her first nomination for a Tony Award for best actress in a musical in 1982 for her role as Deena Jones in “Dreamgirls.” After releasing her first and only album, “In the Evening,” in 1984, Ralph continued to pursue acting, taking on roles alongside big names like Denzel Washington and Eddie Murphy. Between television and film, Ralph’s acting résumé exploded in the late ’80s and early ’90s, earning her several guest roles on shows like “The Jeffersons,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “The Proud Family,” “ER,” and more. Ralph also starred as Elise in “The First Wives Club” on Broadway in 2009, maintaining a steady presence on the stage as she took on more roles in film and on TV.
If you’re still reeling from Ralph’s incredible acceptance speech or you’re just interested in diving deeper into her filmography, check out the Emmy-winning actor’s best roles in film and on TV ahead.
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