Before she was Dee, Sheryl Lee Ralph was an original Dreamgirl
Sheryl Lee Ralph made history when she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2022, becoming the second Black actress to win in the category after Jackée Harry. After starring in Moesha as Dee Mitchell, many young people recognize her as the assistant principal of Crenshaw High, who just happened to be married to Moesha's Dad, Frank.
Moesha and Dee's relationship started rocky, as the teenage girl was still grieving the death of her mother and felt like Dee was trying to erase her from the family's memory. Dee's intentions were always pure, trying anything and everything to build a relationship with Frank's eldest child, and as Moesha got older, there was a breakthrough.
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Dee seemed to be in Moesha's corner a lot when she was going through issues with her dad, becoming the adult she turned to when it felt like her teenage world was tumbling down. Although Ralph's motherly character was loved by many, the actress should've gotten the recognition she deserved years ago, especially since she was an original Dreamgirl.
Remember the classic movie Dreamgirls, which starred icons like Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose, and more? Sheryl Lee Ralph played Deena Jones in the original Broadway musical in 1981. Her performance snagged her a nomination in 1982 for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
It was a role that played a pivotal part in Black musicals in the 80s, which turned into the highly acclaimed movie of the same name.
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