Sheryl Lee Ralph's weight loss after her big break on Broadway landed the star in a treatment center. Forty years later, the actress is still heeding the lessons learned from this period.
"Abbot Elementary" star Sheryl Lee Ralph's divorce has also profoundly impacted how she feels about herself. She promotes healthy lifestyle habits on social media by citing credible sources.
It has taken many years, but the entertainment industry has finally caught up with the actress, who is not too old to model lingerie deep into her sixties.
Loretta Devine, Sylvester Stallone and Sheryl Lee Ralph backstage after a performance of the Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" on September 14, 1982, at the Imperial Theatre, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
The Toxic Environment in Her Early Days Pushed Her to Shed Weight
At 24, Ralph's dream job on Broadway was soured by the toxic environment created by producers playing her and co-star Jennifer Holliday off against each other. The "Dreamgirls" cast was exposed to unrealistic body ideals, with Holliday's weight fluctuations chronicled by tabloids.
In this atmosphere, the actress set on an unhealthy weight loss route that even caused concern among the producers. They sent food to her dressing room, hoping that she would have at least one square meal a day.
Eventually, her parents intervened and sent her to a two-week program at a treatment center. There, she revealed, nurses monitored her food intake, and doctors encouraged meditation, "I guess we didn't know much about anorexia then. But I just knew I was so out of control of my life and what was going on around me."
Sheryl Lee Ralph performs during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium, on February 12, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona. | Source: Getty Images
Sheryl Lee Ralph Took Charge of Her Life after She Felt Broken
Looking back at photos of her from the 1982 Tony Awards, she can "see the problem right there." As one co-star pointed out, "Dreamgirls" was a masterclass in what was expected of Black women in the industry. Though the experience "broke" her, Ralph learned a lot:
"Everybody else was telling me what to do and how to be and how to act, which is why I'm fiercely in charge of my own life now."
Using a tone that is uplifting and not preachy, she encourages followers to live better lives. A tweet in 2020 is a good example where she shared tips from CNN to add ten healthy years to their lives by dropping bad habits like smoking and an unhealthy diet.
Sheryl Lee Ralph Accepted Her Natural Figure but Still Suffered from Body Stigma
On the eve of walking in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Vol. 4 fashion show in 2022, the 66-year-old revealed that a fashion house once curtly informed her that they are not interested in dressing her figure with "its vulgar in and outs."
Ralph's shimmy down the catwalk is not a once-off affair.
The classy elder stateswoman of Hollywood declined to name and shame the brand, instead focusing on the rise in body positivity promoted by the likes of Beyonce.
(L-R) Etienne Maurice, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Ivy-Victoria Maurice attend Koshie Mills Host "The Diaspora Dialogues" International Women Of Power Luncheon on March 2, 2018, in Marina del Rey, California. | Source: Getty Images
At 66, Sheryl Lee Ralph Now Proudly Shows off Some Skin and Her Curves
After her divorce, Ralph had another breakthrough, or as Oprah calls it, an "Aha! Moment." She could not eat during this time; her blood pressure bounced around "like a beach ball," and her hair was falling out. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she realized that her kids needed her at her best:
"At that moment, at my very worst, I was becoming stronger. I was letting go, and as hard as it would be, I was ready to leave the pain of the past and take the first step forward. I laughed, spraying toothpaste everywhere. "
Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vincent Hughes arriving at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, on Monday, September 12, 2022. | Source: Getty Images
In January 2000, the "Moesha" actress met politician Vincent Hughes. Twenty years on, she
that they are still thriving: "Sickness and health, richer and poorer, we've still got love, and this is why I love you!"
Sheryl Lee Ralph's shimmy down the catwalk is not a once-off affair. During the summer of 2021, she shared a video in which she struts around a pool in an orange bikini. In recent years the star hasn't stepped on the red carpet in anything that does not accentuate her curves.
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