‘This Is What Believing Looks Like’: Sheryl Lee Ralph Gives Rousing Speech After Winning Her First Emmy
The 2022 Emmy Awards was an eventful night for many reasons but the number one reason was that Black women were getting all of the shine as they should. The ceremony welcomed many Hollywood creatives from the beloved cast of Abbott Elementary to the stars of Euphoria, but some stand-out moments made the evening more special. Sheryl Lee Ralph was the moment after she accepted the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Mrs. Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary. The award was long overdue for the iconic actress who was one of the original Dreamgirls and has been acting in Hollywood for over 50 years.
Sheryl first broke out into a song and then shared some inspirational words with the audience during her acceptance speech. “To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true. I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like. This is what striving looks like. And don’t you ever, ever give up on you,” she said.
Sheryl Lee Ralph Wins Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
“Because if you get a Qunita Brunson in your corner, if you get a husband like mine in your corner, if you get children like mine in your corner, and if you’ve got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved me, thank you!”
Sheryl is the first Black woman in 35 years to win in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category. Fellow legendary actress Jackée Harry was the first Black woman to take home the award and she congratulated the Moesha star on Twitter.
"@thesherylralph’s had a remarkable career AND she’s one of the nicest people in Hollywood. Barbara Howard on #AbbottElementary is another fabulous character we’ve been fortunate to watch her breathe life into,” the Sister, Sister actress tweeted.
Sheryl’s co-star and the creator of Abbott Elementary, Quinta Brunson, also won her first Emmy. The social media breakout star and actress won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the ABC sitcom. She thanked ABC, Disney and Warner Bros as well as her husband, family and the cast and crew.
Quinta Brunson Wins Emmy for Writing for a Comedy Series
Zendaya made history again with Euphoria. After receiving the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, the 26-year-old became the first Black woman and youngest ever two-time actress to win in the Emmy category.
The Euphoria actress and executive producer acknowledged people who may be struggling with addiction such as her character Rue. “Anyone who has loved a Rue, or feels like a Rue, I want you to know that I’m so grateful for your stories, and I carry them with me, and I carry them with her,” she said. “So, thank you very much.”
Zendaya Makes History With Second Emmy Win for Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Lastly, Lizzo took home her first Emmy after winning in the Best Competition Series category for her Prime Video show Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. After accepting her award, Lizzo gave a touching speech. "When I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media. Fat like me. Black like me. Beautiful like me,” she said. “If I could go back and tell little Lizzo something, I would be like, 'You are gonna see that person but b—, it's gonna have to be you.' "
With an Emmy and three Grammys, the “About Damn Time” songstress is halfway to EGOT status.
Lizzo Wins First Emmy for Competition Program
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
- Issa Rae Scored An Emmy Nomination For 'Insecure' - Emmy Nod ... ›
- Karrueche Tran Makes History With 2021 Emmy Win - xoNecole ... ›
Black women are not a monolith. We all are deserving of healing and wholeness despite what we've been through, how much money we have in the bank, or what we look like. Most importantly, we are enough—even when we are not working, earning, or serving.
Welcome to Black Girl Whole, your space to find the wellness routine that aligns with you! This brand-new marketplace by xoNecole is a safe space for Black women to activate their healing, find the inspiration to rest, and receive reassurance that we are one small act away from finding our happiness.
Want to discover where you are on your wellness journey? You don't have to look far. In partnership with European Wax Center, we're bringing you a customized wellness quiz to help you up your wellness game. Answer our short series of questions to figure out which type of wellness lover you are, what you need to bring more balance into your life, and then go deeper by shopping products geared towards clearing your mind, healing your body, and soothing your spirit.
Ready to get whole? Take our quiz now!
Gabrielle Union Explains How Social Media Showed Hollywood The Value of Black Actresses
Actress and entrepreneur Gabrielle Union is bringing attention to the crucial role social media has played in shaping how Black actresses are perceived in the entertainment industry.
The 50-year-old, who began her career as a model before transitioning into acting, rose to fame between the late 1980s and 1990s by guest starring in several hit shows such as Saved by the Bell and Sister, Sister. Union's success would only skyrocket from there. Her breakout role, however, was in Bring It On, and from there, she starred in several other films and her own TV show, Being Mary Jane, and ultimately became a household name.
Since then, Union has cemented her status as a leading actress by taking on various roles in multiple genres, including drama, comedy, action, and romance. Union's most recent work is the romantic comedy The Perfect Find, set to premiere on Netflix this summer.
In a recent interview on Bloomberg's Idea Generation, Union opened up about the struggles she faced in her career before social media and how the platform has positively impacted her life, as well as other Black actresses in Hollywood.
Gabrielle On Her Career
Union told the outlet on May 8 that early on in her career, she wasn't particularly anybody's first pick when it came to job opportunities, but despite the minor setback when the star would find work, it would become a successful project.
The actress would further elaborate that as she participated in box office hits like Bring It On and Bad Boys II, she was informed that those films would open up more job opportunities, mainly because the characters she portrayed left a lasting impression on the audience.
"I think even now, from then to now, late '95 to 2023, I've never been anybody's first choice. Not Black folks, not white folks. But by hook or by crook, I get a job right, and that movie does really well. What they tell you is if you're part of the movie and your character pops, then that leads to the next thing," she said.
Later in the conversation, the Being Mary Jane star expressed that although the movies were successful and positively received by the general public, those in Hollywood didn't treat her fairly.
Union would claim that before the invention of social media, she couldn't differentiate if she was missing out on gigs, including the Bring It On and Bad Boys sequels, because of other people's decisions or if it was due to the public reaction.
"But I really realized that after Bad Boys II and Bring It On, how I am received by real-life people is not reflected on how I'm treated in Hollywood," she explained. "They're completely different. But before social media, I had no way of really knowing that or quantifying that. Because they tell you if you succeed, these are the roles that open up. So I'm succeeding, and the door is bolted shut."
Gabrielle On The Positive Impact Social Media Had
Union came to terms with what was going on in her career when she realized that those individuals who have been "jumping the line" make those in charge "very comfortable."
The Deliver Us From Eva star added that the rise of social media had given her and other actresses like Taraji P. Henson, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, and Tracee Ellis Ross the chance to see how well-loved and valued they are for their craft which has then inspired those in Hollywood to take notice.
"The people who are jumping the line seem to be folks that make white people in charge very comfortable. But what it did, the social media era, me, Taraji, Nia, Sanaa, [and] Tracee, it allowed our real-world popularity to be quantified to where it was undeniable," she stated.
To date, Union has a combined total of 25.7 million followers on both Instagram and Twitter. The star often uses her platforms to bounce ideas for a possible project, promote her work and share real-life experiences with her fans, which contributes to why she is likable by most people.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images
