Our very own Dreamgirl, finally got her star on the prestigious Walk of Fame. Sheryl Lee Ralph has been in the show business for decades. On Wednesday, April 16th, she was honored with the 2,808th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, within the television category, in Hollywood, Los Angeles. From her Emmy Award-winning role on Abbott Elementary as “Barbara” to Moesha and her legendary run on Broadway as “Deena” in Dreamgirls, Ralph has been a staple in this industry, known to be a multi-hyphenate talent who always shows star presence. The Hollywood Walk of Fame celebrates art and entertainment and encompasses the skill and dedication of Hollywood’s most iconic stars. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Walk of Fame for the City of Los Angeles. A committee of their peers selects honorees, and sponsors fund the star, the ceremony, and the maintenance of the attraction.
Hollywood has taken note of Ralph’s talent for years, which has resulted in her receiving the coveted star. “Our Walk of Fame honorees are selected solely based on their achievements in the entertainment industry. With her remarkable talent and contributions, Sheryl Lee Ralph is more than worthy of this prestigious recognition,” says Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
To celebrate this momentous achievement, noted host Nishcelle Turner officiated the program, along with special guest speakers, Quinta Brunson, actress and creator of Abbott Elementary, and longtime friend and fellow actress, Loretta Devine. Additionally, actress Jennifer Lewis, the cast of Abbott Elementary, Ralph’s children, Ivy Coco Maurice, her daughter, son Etienne Maurice, her husband, and many Delta Sigma Theta sorors were there to support her. Jerry Neuman, the 2025/2026 Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board Chair, greeted the audience to kick off the ceremony. “As a point of privilege, you are more stunning in person than on screen. She’s a triple threat: you are an amazing entertainer, and thank you for what you do for our industry.”
Next, Turner gave Ralph her flowers while introducing her close friend, Devine, to share some words about the actress. “I’m amazed at her ability to get things done. She was strong in 1979, and she still is strong,” she lovingly tells the audience. Brunson brought us to the present day with her speech, “We are here to honor the honorable, Sheryl Lee Ralph, she’s getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, because she should be. I don’t know anyone else who embodies the word, star more.”
She continues, “And if we are going to give these out, it’s nice to see them go out to true stars. People with long and incredible careers. People who have the ability to influence the room with their aura alone, and people who have made a mark on this world. People like Sheryl.”
Steve Nissen, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said, “There’s only one, Sheryl Lee Ralph. You have joined the pantheon of greatness. We’re thrilled to name today, Sheryl Lee Ralph Day in Hollywood!”
Ralph emotionally took the mic and shared her gratitude for the moment. “There are so many people in the audience that means so much to me, she says. Ralph continued, “I can still feel the determined spirit of that little girl who dared to dream big. Growing up, I felt my big dreams had to be whispered, because that kind of ambition could be mistaken for arrogance. I have been counted out, I have been passed over, I have been told I was too Black, too strong, and too much, and yet, here, I stand.”
She took the time to honor Black actresses who came before her, “This star isn’t just mine, it belongs to every performer who made space for me, when there seemed to be no space. Ruby Dee, Rosalind Cash, Cicely Tyson, Virginia Capers, and many more women whose brilliance lit the path for me during my darkest professional moments. This star is for the work still to come, for the legacy I leave, walking in their footsteps and Mr. Poitier’s too. Making the path wider for young artists to follow.”
Ralph closed her speech, thanking those who told her no, while inspiring the next group of Hollywood dreamers: “For all those thinking it can’t happen to you, thinking your dreams don’t matter, you keep on going. You keep doing the work. Dreams don’t have an expiration date.”
