Sheryl Lee Ralph To Receive Sidney Poitier Icon Tribute At Gotham TV Awards
The legendary Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actress and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph will be honored with the Sidney Poitier Icon Tribute at this year’s Gotham TV Awards on Monday, June 2nd in New York City. The Sidney Poitier Initiative, in partnership with The Gotham, honors the groundbreaking actor, director, and activist by supporting inclusive film and media programs for underrepresented students, professionals, and organizations. This year’s honoree, Sheryl Lee Ralph, is recognized for her inspiration, uplifting presence, and pioneering contributions across stage, screen, and community.
Sheryl Lee Ralph’s early roles in film and theater laid the foundation for a celebrated career that would shine across both stage and screen. She made her feature film debut in the 1977 crime comedy ‘A Piece of the Action,’ co-starring and directed by Sidney Poitier himself. In 1980, Ralph performed in the Broadway production ‘Reggae’ and would eventually return to the stage the following year for her role as Deena Jones alongside Jennifer Holliday and Loretta Devine in the hit musical ‘Dreamgirls’ (1981). Her acclaimed performance as Deena Jones earned her a 1982 Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, highlighting her star power and marking a new turn in her rising career. Ralph closed out the 80s voice acting as Rita in the 1988 Disney film ‘Oliver & Company’ before starring opposite Denzel Washington in her first leading film role in ‘The Mighty Quinn’ (1989).
In the following decade, Ralph’s career continued to flourish amid the rise of the Black TV & film renaissance in the 1990s. She starred as Vicki St. James in the 1990 sitcom ‘New Attitude’ and also made another breakthrough as Linda opposite Danny Glover in Charles Burnett’s ‘To Sleep with Anger’ (1990), a role that earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. Two years later, she appeared in ‘Designing Women’ and starred alongside Eddie Murphy in ‘The Distinguished Gentleman.’ Ralph achieved another breakout moment in 1993 with her role as Florence Watson in the acclaimed movie ‘Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,’ sharing the screen with Whoopi Goldberg. She went on to appear in ‘White Man’s Burden’ (1995) as Roberta, acting alongside Harry Belafonte and John Travolta. Her portrayal of a stern, nurturing Black mother in ‘Sister Act 2’ paved the way for her iconic role as Dee Mitchell in ‘Moesha’ (1996–2001), where she earned five NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Ralph’s career continued to thrive in the 2000s and beyond, with a range of inspiring and memorable roles that also set the stage for honors like the Sidney Poitier Icon Tribute. She appeared in the Showtime TV series, ‘Barbershop’ (2005) and the highest-awarded medical drama, ‘ER’ (1994–2009). Ralph was also featured in BET’s ‘Baldwin Hills’ (2007–2009) and lifestyle series ‘Clean House’ (2003–2011). Ralph’s other notable roles include her appearances in ‘Smash’ (2012–2013), ‘Instant Mom’ (2013–2015), ‘Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn’ (2014–2018), and the hit TNT series ‘Claws’ (2017–2022). Together, these roles highlighted her range and affirmed her place as a cultural icon.
As Ralph continued to expand on her legacy through TV and film, her cultural influence reached new heights in recent years. In 2023, she performed the Black national anthem at the Super Bowl LVII pre-show, proudly centering her love for Blackness and the Black experience on one of the world's biggest stages. Later that year, she spread her magic and made history as the first celebrity, and the first Black person, to play Mrs. Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This love and championing of Black culture continue to resonate in her role as Barbara Howard on the critically acclaimed series ‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021–present), which has earned Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody Awards. Ralph’s portrayal of Barbara earned her a 2022 Primetime Emmy Award and 2023 Critics Choice Award, further affirming her excellence and impact.
Beyond her accomplishments in entertainment, Ralph has spent more than three decades demonstrating her commitment to community and public health through her nonprofit, The DIVA Foundation. Her foundation is committed to achieving better health outcomes for all people through innovative programming using the transformative power of the arts.
Sheryl Lee Ralph’s decades of acclaimed work in entertainment, her commitment to community health, and her dedication to uplifting Black voices, make her the perfect recipient of the Sidney Poitier Icon Tribute. This honor not only celebrates her artistic excellence and cultural advocacy, but also the powerful path she continues to pave for generations to come.
From all of us here at TheBlkScript, congratulations Sheryl Lee Ralph!
–Dominique Young
