Sheryl Lee Ralph on Her History-Making Super Bowl Performance, Her First Impression of 'Abbott Elementary' & More

Some know Sheryl Lee Ralph as the iconic Deena Jones from the Broadway production of Dreamgirls. Others remember her as Moesha's no-nonsense stepmom, Dee Mitchell, on the '90s sitcom Moesha. But now, the 66-year-old actress is making waves as veteran teacher Barbara Howard on ABC's hit show, Abbott Elementary—a role that earned her a well-deserved Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

With the critically-acclaimed series in its second season, Barbara is getting even more screen time and scene-stealing lines. And if you're wondering how she manages to bring such a powerful character to life, it's all thanks to the educators in her family.

“My father was a lifelong learner," she told PureWow. "He started out as a teacher and ended his career as a college professor, and he loved his journey as an educator to this day. I still hear from so many of his students who want me to know the impact that he made on their lives.” 

The star also drew inspiration from one of her aunts, who shares several qualities with the beloved character. She said, “My auntie Carolyn is another lifelong educator, who dared to expect and worked for the best that could be gotten for her students. She was an educator who ended her career as a highly honored principal. Parts of Barbara Howard come from my auntie Carolyn.”

Ralph, who's currently partnering with Microban 24, knew from the beginning that Abbott Elementary—which follows the lives of teachers who work at an underfunded public school—would resonate with viewers. In fact, she was sold from the moment she received the pilot script.

She said, “The response from audiences around the country and even in different parts of the world has been amazing. It’s sometimes overwhelming. People want to talk so much about how divided we are in the country, in the world, but there are some subjects that we all feel the same about and it’s been wonderful to be a part of a unifying conversation around education, friendship and family.”

Ralph added, "It always makes me feel good when I hear people say, 'My family and I get together to watch Abbott Elementary every Wednesday night.' I love that."

Aside from winning fans over with her stellar acting chops, the multi-talented star has also been known to sport some serious pipes. So, naturally, Ralph was chosen to perform the Black national anthem at this year's Super Bowl—and any fan who tuned in will tell you that she stole the show.

“I was dumbfounded when I received the request to sing at the Super Bowl," she said. "Especially to have the honor of being the first artist to sing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ inside the stadium as part of the opening ceremonies to the Super Bowl.”