Sheryl Lee Ralph filmography

The following is a select filmography of American actress Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 A Piece of the Action Barbara Hanley [1]
1988 Oliver & Company Rita (voice) [2]
1989 The Mighty Quinn Lola Quinn [1]
Skin Deep Receptionist [3]
1990 To Sleep with Anger Linda [1]
1992 Mistress Beverly
The Distinguished Gentleman Miss Loretta
1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Florence Watson [1]
1994 The Flintstones Mrs. Reneè Pyrite
1995 White Man's Burden Roberta Wellison
Lover's Knot Charlotte Lee [4]
1996 Bogus Ruth Clark
1997 Jamaica Beat Sylvia Jones [5]
1998 The Easter Story Keepers Risa (voice) Video[5]
Secrets - Short[5]
1999 Personals Chantal Jones [5]
Unconditional Love Linda Cray [6]
Deterrence Gayle Redford [5]
2000 Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel Nurse Betty Redford [1]
2007 Frankie D Mama D [5]
2010 The Cost of Heaven Paulette Randolph [7]
Blessed and Cursed Lady Elise Wright Also executive producer[citation needed]
2012 Christmas in Compton Abuta [8]
2017 Just Getting Started Roberta [9]
2018 Step Sisters Yvonne Bishop
No Sleep 'Til Christmas Mrs Wright
2020 The Comeback Trail Bess Jones
2021 Prepared Dr. Richards Short[citation needed]
2023 The Young Wife Angelique [10]
2024 The Fabulous Four Kitty Also executive producer[11]
2025 Ricky Joanne [12]
TBA Octet Paula Filming[13]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1978 Baa Baa Black Sheep Elizabeth Episode: "A Little Bit of England"
A.E.S. Hudson Street Nurse Episode: "Shut Down"
Husbands, Wives & Lovers Joelle Episode: "Murray Gets Sacked and Paula Gets Hired"
Good Times Vanessa Blake Episode: "J.J and the Plumber's Helper"
The Krofft Comedy Hour Various Characters Television film[14]
1979 Wonder Woman Bobbie Episode: "The Starships Are Coming"
The Jeffersons Jeanie Episode: "Louise's Convention"
1982 The Neighborhood Doris Campbell Television film[15]
1983 The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon Herself Episode: "1983"
Search for Tomorrow Laura McCarthy Regular cast
1984 V: The Series Glenna Episode: "The Overload"
1985 Code Name: Foxfire Maggie Bryan Main cast[15]
1986 Hunter Josie Clifford Episode: "The Return of Typhoon Thompson"
Pros and Cons Roberta Television film
1986–89 It's a Living Ginger St. James Main cast (season 4-6)[15]
1987 Wordplay Herself/Celebrity Panelist Recurring guest
L.A. Law Renee Quintana Episode: "Beef Jerky"[5]
Amazing Stories Show Singer Episode: "Gershwin's Trunk"
Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies Corelle Television film[16]
1988 Family Feud Herself/Celebrity Contestant Episode: "All Star Special: Funny Women vs. Funny Men Game 1-3"[17]
1990 Falcon Crest Mooshy Tucker Recurring cast (season 9)
New Attitude Vicki St. James Main cast[1]
1991 The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw Miss Rosalee Television film
1992 An Evening at the Improv Herself/Host Episode: "Episode #9.6"
1992–93 Designing Women Etienne Toussaint Bouvier Recurring cast (season 7)
1993 No Child of Mine Marjorie Duncan Television film[18]
1993–94 George Maggie Foster Main cast[15]
1994 Witch Hunt Hypolita Laveau Kropotkin Television film[15]
1994–96 Soul Train Herself/Guest Host 2 episodes
1995 Street Gear Sarah Davis Main cast
1996–2001 Moesha Deidra "Dee" Mitchell (née Moss) Main cast (season 1-5), recurring cast (season 6)
1997 Wild On! Herself Episode: "Wild on Jamaica"
1997–2000 Recess Mrs. LaSalle (voice) Guest cast (season 1 & 4)
1998 The Wild Thornberrys Lioness #2 (voice) Episode: "Flood Warning"[2]
1999 The Directors Herself Episode: "The Films of Norman Jewison"
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch Zsa Zsa Goowhiggie Episode: "What Price Harvey?"
The Parkers Dee Mitchell Episode: "Daddy's Girl"
1999–2001 Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring guest
2000–01 The District Lt. Dee Banks Recurring cast (season 1)
2001 The Test Herself/Panelist Episode: "The Stripper Test"
The Jennie Project Dr. Pamela Prentiss Television film[15]
2002 Justice League Cheetah/Barbara Ann Minerva (voice) Episode: "Injustice for All"[2]
The Proud Family Diana Parker (voice) Guest cast (season 1-2)
2002–03 Static Shock Trina Jessup (voice) Recurring cast (season 2)[2]
2003 Whoopi Florence Episode: "She Ain't Heavy, She's My Partner"
Las Vegas Janet Ellis Episode: "Luck Be a Lady"
2004 Justice League Unlimited Cheetah/Barbara Ann Minerva (voice) Episode: "Kids' Stuff"[2]
2005 Barbershop Claire Recurring cast
2006 Real Life Divas Herself Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph"
7th Heaven Nurse Yvonne Rockwell Episode: "And Baby Makes Three"
ER Gloria Gallant Recurring cast (season 12)
2007 Exes and Ohs Reverend Ruby Episode: "There Must Be Rules..."
2008 Baisden After Dark Herself Episode: "Has Black Comedy Become a Hot Ghetto Mess?"
My Super Sweet 16 Herself Episode: "Etienne"
Hannah Montana Clarice Johnson Episode: "We're All on This Date Together"
2009 Beverly Hills Groomer Herself Episode: "Grooming Up"
2010 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "Usher"
Inside Herself/Narrator Episode: "Polygamy: Life in Bountiful"
Running Russell Simmons Herself Episode: "You Only Live Once"
Zevo-3 Grams (voice) Episode: "Control"
2011, 2019 Young Justice Amanda Waller (voice) 2 episodes[2]
2011 Tyler Perry's House of Payne Felicia Episode: "The Rich and Payneless"
2012 Celebrity Wife Swap Herself Episode: "Niecy Nash/Tina Yothers"
2013 Life After Herself Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph: Life After Dreamgirls"
Smash Cynthia Moore Episode: "The Song"
JD Lawrence's Community Service Carolyn Main cast
2013–15 Instant Mom Maggie Turner Main cast
2013–20 Ray Donovan Claudette Boone Recurring cast (season 1-2 & 7)
2014 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "Shade: The Rusical"
Oprah: Where Are They Now? Herself Episode: "Darva Conger, Brigitte Nielsen & Original Dreamgirl Sheryl Lee Ralph"
2 Broke Girls Genét Bromberg Episode: "And the Not Broke Parents"
One Love Carolyn Winters Main cast[19]
See Dad Run Vanessa Ralph Guest cast (season 2-3)
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn Ms. Edin Dumont Episode: "The Sad Tail of Gary-Chip-Tiny-Elvis-Squishy-Paws"
2015 Unsung Herself Episode: "Jennifer Holliday"
2016 Being Herself Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph"
Unsung Hollywood Herself Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph"
Criminal Minds Hayden Montgomery Recurring cast (season 11)
2017 Brunch with Tiffany Herself Episode: "Episode Two: Sheryl Lee Ralph"
One Mississippi Felicia Hollingsworth Recurring cast (season 2)
Christmas at Holly Lodge Nadine Television film
2017–19 MacGyver Mama Emma Colton Guest cast (season 1-3)
2018 We Are Washington Herself Episode: "The Wedding Experience & Groom and Grub"
The Quad Ula Pettiway Recurring cast (season 2)
Claws Matilde Ruval Recurring cast (season 2)
No Sleep 'Til Christmas Mrs. Wright Television film
2019 Diva Defined Herself/Host Main host
Fam Rose Main cast
A Black Lady Sketch Show Asia's Mother Episode: "3rd & Bonaparte Is Always in the Shade"[20]
Christmas Hotel Marnie Television film
2020 Fashionably Yours Janet Television film
Christmas Comes Twice Miss Nelson Television film
2020–22 Motherland: Fort Salem President Kelly Wade Recurring cast
2021 History of the Sitcom Herself Recurring guest
Christmas in My Heart Ruthie Sampson Television film[21]
2021–present Abbott Elementary Barbara Howard Main cast
2022 Soul of a Nation Herself Episode: "X / o n e r a t e d – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice"
Celebrity Family Feud Herself/Contestant Episode: "Abbott Elementary vs. Hacks and Kal Penn vs. Erika Christensen"
How We Roll Loretta Episode: "The Big Secret"
2023 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune Herself/Contestant Episode: "Janelle James, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Chris Perfetti"
Praise Petey Boss (voice) Episode: "Taxi to the South!"
Young Love Additional voices 2 episodes
Bob's Burgers Esmeralda (voice) Episode: "The Amazing Rudy"
2025 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Barbara Howard Crossover episode: "The Gang F****s Up Abbott Elementary"[22]
Big City Greens Suzette Blair (voice) Episode: "Short Wait"
Weather Hunters Ms. Joyce (voice) Main cast

Documentary

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Kiss and Tell: The History of Black Romance in Movie Narrator [23]
2016 Struggle and Triumph: The Legacy of George Washington Carver Narrator Short[24]

Theater

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Swing Helen [25]
Reggae Faith Original Broadway production[26]
1981 Dreamgirls Deena Jones Original Broadway production
2002 Thoroughly Modern Millie Muzzy Van Hossmere Original Broadway production[26]
2016–17 Wicked Madame Morrible Replacement[26]
2021 Goosebumps The Musical Miss Walker Original studio cast recording
Thoughts of a Colored Man Producer; Original Broadway production[27]
2022 Ohio State Murders Producer; Original Broadway production[28]

Video games

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Year Title Voice role Notes
2010 BioShock 2 Grace Holloway [2]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Yohannes, Alamin (28 February 2024). "Sheryl Lee Ralph shares tales from her storied career: a Barbie from Denzel, a haunted hotel, Bill Clinton, and more". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sheryl Lee Ralph (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved November 12, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  3. Massabrook, Nicole (13 February 2023). "Sheryl Lee Ralph Through the Years: From 'Dreamgirls' to 'Abbott Elementary'". US Weekly. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  4. "Lover's Knot Puts Aside the Romance". Los Angeles Times. 12 July 1996. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McCann, Bob (21 December 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland. ISBN 9780786458042. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  6. Leydon, Joe (15 February 1999). "Unconditional Love". Variety. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  7. Hinds, Julie (28 January 2010). "Role in 'Dreamgirls' led to AIDS activism". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  8. Anderson, John (8 November 2012). "Christmas in Compton". Variety. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  9. Callahan, Dan (8 December 2017). "'Just Getting Started' Film Review: Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones Amble Through Laugh-Free Comedy". TheWrap. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  10. Wiseman, Andreas (March 2, 2022). "'The Flash's Kiersey Clemons Leads Cast In The Young Wife For FilmNation & Archer Gray". Deadline. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  11. Grobar, Matt (October 25, 2023). "Sheryl Lee Ralph Rounds Out The Fabulous Four As Additional Cast Joins Bleecker Street Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  12. Gyarkye, Lovia (27 January 2025). "'Ricky' Review: A Sensitive Stephan James Steadies Frenetic Debut About Recidivism". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  13. Tran, Diep Amanda Seyfried, Rachel Zegler, Phillipa Soo, Jonathan Groff, More Set for Octet Film Playbill, April 14, 2026
  14. Terrace, Vincent (1981). Television, 1970-1980. A.S. Barnes. ISBN 9780498025396. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (4 August 2009). The A to Z of African-American Television. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810863484. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  16. Bamidele, Afouda (18 August 2023). "Sheryl Lee Ralph Shares Desire For Son's Wedding Weeks After Engagement Announcement". The Blast. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  17. Pennacchio, George (8 July 2022). "'Celebrity Family Feud' challenges casts of 'Abbott Elementary,' 'Hacks' in the name of charity". ABC 7. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  18. O'Connell, Patricia (29 October 1993). "No Child of Mine". Variety. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  19. Milward, Tom (19 October 2017). "Sheryl Lee Ralph to replace Judy Kaye in Wicked". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  20. Holland, Stephanie (22 September 2022). "The Evolution of Sheryl Lee Ralph". The Root. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  21. Wang, K.L. Connie (23 October 2021). "Find Christmas in My Heart! Music and Friendship Can Make a Big Difference in Life". Parade. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  22. Victorian, Brande (8 January 2025). "'Always Sunny' Visits 'Abbott Elementary' in Crossover Episode — Now Charlie Day Wants a Sheryl Lee Ralph Buddy Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  23. "CNN Transcripts". CNN. 8 February 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  24. "Struggle and Triumph: The Legacy of George Washington Carver". National Park Service. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  25. "Big Bland". The Washington Post. 6 March 1980. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  26. 1 2 3 Sharpe, Josh (9 October 2024). "Video: Sheryl Lee Ralph Offers Advice to Performing Arts Students". Broadway World. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  27. Evans, Greg (24 May 2025). "'Thoughts Of A Colored Man' Sets Broadway Opening With Cast To Include Keith David, Dyllón Burnside, Luke James". Deadline. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
  28. Richardson, Randi (1 November 2022). "Sheryl Lee Ralph says her iconic Emmys acceptance speech was all improvised". Today. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
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