Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph, born on December 30, 1956 in Waterbury, Connecticut, is an American actress and singer. She began her career in the 1970s, making her film debut in A Piece of the Action directed by Sidney Poitier. Her breakthrough role came in 1981 when she portrayed Deena Jones in the original Broadway musical Dreamgirls, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Ralph signed with Sid Bernstein's music label and released her only studio album, In The Evening, in 1984. The title track "In The Evening" peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles chart and number 64 on the UK Singles Chart that same year. Throughout her career, Ralph has continued to balance her acting and singing roles, earning critical acclaim for her performances in various films and television shows. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary in 2022, becoming the first Black woman in 35 years to win the award.