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Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Actor, also producer · Born December 30, 1956 (69) · Waterbury, Connecticut, USA

Primetime Emmy winner · Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Golden Globe nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Sheryl Lee Ralph OJ (born December 30, 1956) is an American actress and singer. Known for her performances on stage and screen she earned acclaim for her role as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls (1981), for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Since 2021, she has starred as Barbara Howard on the ABC mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the first Black woman in 35 years to win the award. ​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 30, 1956 (69)
From
Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
73 on MovieCove · 93 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 15% in 30 days

What are Sheryl Lee Ralph's films like?

Across their 37 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy15 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Self
23%
Society
17%
Morality
13%
Power
7%
Ideas
3%
Survival
2%
Family bonds14 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity13 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship7 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 29 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 20 · Serious 6 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 23 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 14 · Charged 13 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 20 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 13 · Funny 9

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 21 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 24 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

12 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 6 of 12 analyzed roles.

Ally
6 of 12
Mentor
6 of 12
Show the 12 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
27
Joyful
20
Hopeful
10
Tense
8
Melancholic
9
Other
25

How their films linger

Feel-good24 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy20
  • Bittersweet14
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sheryl Lee Ralph's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 58 of their 73 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sheryl Lee Ralph's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

93 credits, 73 with a MovieCove page; 33 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident(2026)

    Producer · as Self

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Regular Show: The Lost Tapes(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Joan Kranden (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Imperfect Women(2026)

    Show 1 episode · as Constance

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • Weather Hunters(2025)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ms. Joyce (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Disappearance of Miss Scott (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Hazel Scott (voice)

  • Ricky(2025)

    as Joanne

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Living Proof(2025)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Fabulous Four(2024)

    Executive Producer · as Kitty

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Young Love(2023)

    Show 2 episodes · as Additional Voices (voice)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all shows

  • The Young Wife(2023)

    as Angelique

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • How We Roll(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Loretta

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Abbott Elementary(2021)

    Show 93 episodes · as Barbara Howard

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Christmas in My Heart(2021)

    as Ruthie Sampson

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Christmas Comes Twice(2020)

    as Ms. Nelson

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Fashionably Yours(2020)

    as Janet

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Motherland: Fort Salem(2020)

    Show 30 episodes · as President Kelly Wade

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Christmas Hotel(2019)

    as Marnie

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Black Lady Sketch Show(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Asia's Mother

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Fam(2019)

    Show 13 episodes · as Rose

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • No Sleep 'Til Christmas(2018)

    as Mrs. Wright

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Forbidden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Actor

  • Uncensored (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Step Sisters(2018)

    as Yvonne Bishop

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Christmas at Holly Lodge(2017)

    as Nadine

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Just Getting Started(2017)

    as Roberta

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Quad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 3 episodes · as Ula Pettiway

  • MacGyver(2016)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mama Colton

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • One Mississippi(2015)

    Show 6 episodes · as Felicia

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Ms. Dumont

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • Instant Mom(2013)

    Show 65 episodes · as Maggie Turner

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • Ray Donovan(2013)

    Show 5 episodes · as Claudette

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • JD Lawrence's Community Service (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 4 episodes · as Carolyn

  • Christmas in Compton(2012)

    as Abuta

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Smash(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Cynthia Moore

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Ladies of the Church (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • 2 Broke Girls(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Genét

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Young Justice(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Amanda Waller (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Blessed and Cursed(2010)

    Producer · as Lady Wright

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Wendy Williams Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Hannah Montana(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Clarice Johnson

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Barbershop(2005)

    Show 4 episodes · as Claire

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all shows

  • It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Barbara Howard

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Justice League Unlimited(2004)

    Show 1 episode · as Cheetah (voice)

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Janet Ellis

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Whoopi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Florence

  • Justice League(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Cheetah (voice)

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Proud Family(2001)

    Show 2 episodes · as Diana Parker (voice)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • The Jennie Project(2001)

    as Dr. Pamela Prentiss

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • The District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 4 episodes · as Dee Banks

  • Static Shock(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Trina Jessup (voice)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel(2000)

    as Nurse

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Deterrence(1999)

    as Gayle Redford

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • The Parkers(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Actor

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Hook'd Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Chantal

  • The Wild Thornberrys(1998)

    Show 1 episode · as Lioness #2 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all shows

  • Jamaica Beat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Sylvia Jones

  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Zsa Zsa Goowhiggie

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Bogus(1996)

    as Ruth Clark

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • 7th Heaven(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Nurse

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all shows

  • Lover's Knot(1995)

    as Charlotte

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Moesha(1996)

    Show 112 episodes · as Dee Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • White Man's Burden(1995)

    as Roberta

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Witch Hunt(1994)

    as Hypolita Kropotkin

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • ER(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Gloria Gallant

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Flintstones(1994)

    as Mrs. Pyrite

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit(1993)

    as Florence Watson

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • George (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

  • The Distinguished Gentleman(1992)

    as Miss Loretta

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Mistress(1992)

    as Beverly Dumont

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw(1991)

    as Miss Rosalee

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • To Sleep with Anger(1990)

    as Linda

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • New Attitude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 8 episodes · Theme Song Performance · as Vicki St. James

  • Max Monroe: Loose Cannon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Skin Deep(1989)

    as Receptionist

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Mighty Quinn(1989)

    as Lola Quinn

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Oliver & Company(1988)

    as Rita (voice)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Corelle

  • Designing Women(1986)

    Show 7 episodes · as Etienne Toussant Bouvier

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • L.A. Law(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Renee Quintana

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Amazing Stories(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as show singer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Code Name: Foxfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Maggie Bryan

  • Code Name: Foxfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 7 episodes · as Maggie 'The Cat' Bryan

  • V(1984)

    Show 2 episodes · as Glenna

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Josie Clifford

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • The Neighborhood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Doris Campbell

  • Falcon Crest(1981)

    Show 2 episodes · as Mooshy Tucker

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • It's a Living(1980)

    Show 71 episodes · as Ginger St. James

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • A Piece of the Action(1977)

    as Barbara Hanley

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Wonder Woman(1975)

    Show 1 episode · as Bobbie

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • The Jeffersons(1975)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Good Times(1974)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Cars: Lightning Racers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · as Ms. Blinker (voice)

  • Octet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Paula

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 93 titles, 91 of them dated from 1974 to 2026; peak year 1993.

Biggest box office

Oliver & Company (1988)

$74M worldwide

Highest rated

Abbott Elementary (2021)

Midcredits 90th

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
19742026

Peak 1993 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 5 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 1 more milestone

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting92 of 93: 89 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score47thDirecting1 of 93: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 93: 1 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 93: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

93 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1970s4 · acting1980s14 · acting1990s21 · 21 acting · 2 crew2000s14 · acting2010s23 · acting2020s15 · 14 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 5th · top billed in 0% of 18 roles
889398

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Primetime Emmy, a Screen Actors Guild Award and 2 other major awards from 13 major nominations, 1991–2026.

WinNomination
  1. 2026
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  2. 2025
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  3. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
  4. 2023
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
    • +2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
      • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
  5. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
  6. 1991
    • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Supporting Female

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Sheryl Lee Ralph's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 32; across their 29 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Reach · how many have seen their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 29

Midcredits score across 73 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th22
  • 25th to 49th20
  • Below 25th18

Shape of the crowd

30 of their 73 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser23
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed30

Most divisive · actor, producer

Blessed and Cursed (2010)

95th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Ray Donovan (2013)

Midcredits 93rd · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 25 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sheryl Lee Ralph's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles18–42 · median 20 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles16–75 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 10 · minimalMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sheryl Lee Ralph work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sheryl Lee Ralph's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lisa Ann Walter shares the most, 2.

Actors

Cinematographers and editors