Sheryl Lee Ralph
Triple threat DREAMGIRL, Sheryl Lee Ralph is an acclaimed veteran of film, television and the Broadway stage.
Her award winning body of work includes originating and creating the role of Deena Jones on Broadway in the landmark musical Dreamgirls, which earned her a Tony Award Nomination and a Drama Desk Award Nomination for Best Actress.
After Dreamgirls, Ms. Ralph turned her attention to music, television and film. She scored a top-ten selling dance hit in the mid-eighties with the infectious anthem In the Evening.
On television, she has starred in It's a Living, her own series New Attitude, the George Foreman series George and as Anthony’s wife in the hit comedy Designing Women. Voted one of TV's Favorite Moms for her portrayal of step mom with the mostest, Dee on the number-one rated UPN television series Moesha. In the SHOWTIME series, Barbershop, she breaks new ground as the popular, post-operative transsexual, Claire. In April, Sheryl brought a new face to the sufferings of WAR in the NBC hit series ER.
Her extensive film credits include Sister Act II, The Flintstones, The Mighty Quinn with Denzel Washington, Mistress with Robert De Niro, and Eddie Murphy's Distinguished Gentleman. Sheryl Lee's performance with Danny Glover in To Sleep With Anger won her the Independent Spirit Award for best supporting actress.
As a producer, Ms. Ralph created the critically acclaimed Divas Simply Singing!, an evening of song and entertainment that has become one of the most highly anticipated AIDS benefits in Hollywood. She is also the founding creator of The Jamerican Film & Music Festival which in five years has given birth to five SHOWTIME Filmmaker Finalists.
Sheryl Lee has found new success in writing and directing with her award-winning film short Secrets. With an all-star cast that includes Oscar nominee Alfre Woodard, Tina Lifford, Victoria Rowell, La Tanya Richardson, Robin Givens and Ralph herself. Secrets was a finalist in the HBO Film Short Competition, Showtime Filmmakers Series, Acapulco Black Film Festival, Hollywood Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, Urban World Film Festival and an audience favorite at Outfest Film Festival. Now, Ms. Ralph has added a one-woman show Sometimes I Cry, about the lives, loves, and losses of women infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to her list of credits.
Mother of two Sheryl Lee loves every moment of raising her children. Recently married to State Senator Vincent Hughes of Pennsylvania in what Entertainment Tonight called, "The most elegant and romantic wedding of the summer!" she acknowledges love is the greatest gift to be given and shared.
