Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph OJ (born December 30, 1956) is an American actress and singer. She gained recognition for her role as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls (1981), earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Ralph made her film screen debut in the 1977 comedy film A Piece of the Action. She received critical acclaim for her performance in the 1990 comedy-drama film To Sleep with Anger, winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. Ralph has appeared in notable films such as The Mighty Quinn (1989), Mistress (1992), The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993), and The Comeback Trail (2020). Since 2021, she has starred as Barbara Howard on the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary, earning her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, making her the first Black woman in 35 years to win the award.