"I love, love, love live performance. It's like walking a tightrope without the net. You better be on point; you better be balanced. You better have rehearsed it and seen it from every vantage so you can do what you do best. I do love film because it's up front in your face, and hopefully you've got a great editor."
Sheryl Lee Ralph (born December 30, 1956) is an American actress and singer, best known for being in the original cast of Dreamgirls as Deena Jones, as well as her film and television roles, most notably her roles as Dee Mitchell on Moesha and Barbara Howard on Abbott Elementary.
Selected Theatre Roles
- Dreamgirls (1981) - Deena Jones (original cast)
- Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002) - Muzzy Van Hossmere (original cast)
- The First Wives Club (2009) - Elise (original cast)
- Wicked (2016) - Madame Morrible
Selected Filmography
Film
- Oliver & Company (1988) - Rita, voice
- To Sleep with Anger (1990) - Linda
- Mistress (1992) - Beverly
- The Distinguished Gentleman (1992) - Miss Loretta
- Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) - Florence Watson
- The Flintstones (1994) - Mrs. Pyrite
- White Man's Burden (1995) - Roberta
Television
- It's a Living (1986–89) - Ginger St. James
- New Attitude (1990) - Vicki St. James
- Designing Women (1992–93) - Etienne Toussaint Bouvier, 6 episodes
- George (1993) - Maggie Foster
- Moesha (1996–2001) - Dee Mitchell
- Recess (2000) - Mrs. Lasalle, voice
- The District (2000–01) - Lt. Dee Banks, 4 episodes
- Justice League (2001-2004) - Cheetah/Barbara Ann Minerva, voice
- The Proud Family (2002) - Aunt Dee/Diana, voice
- Static Shock (2002–03) - Trina Jessup
- BarberShop: The Series (2005) - Claire, 4 episodes
- Young Justice (2010) (2011) - Amanda Waller, voice
- Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2011) - Felicia Starr, recurring role
- Ray Donovan (2013–14) - Claudette, 6 episodes
- One Love (2014) - Carolyn Winters, 8 episodes
- Instant Mom (2013–15) - Maggie Turner
- MacGyver (2016) (2017–19) - Mama Colton, 3 episodes
- One Mississippi (2017) - Felicia Hollingsworth, 5 episodes
- Claws (2018) - Matilde Ruval, recurring role
- Fam (2019) - Rose
- Motherland: Fort Salem (2020) - President Kelly Wade, recurring role
- Abbott Elementary (2022) - Barbara Howard
- Young Love (2023)
- BioShock 2 (2010) - Grace Holloway, voice
