‘WHAT STRIVING LOOKS LIKE’

Sheryl Lee Ralph’s ‘Abbott Elementary’ Emmy Speech Gave Us All Chills

Her instantly iconic speech began with a beautiful song—and only got better.

Everyone at the Emmys can go home. The show’s over, because Sheryl Lee Ralph has walked away with the whole damn night.

After winning the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Abbott Elementary, Ralph took a moment to soak it all in with her co-stars. When she was ready, she headed to the stage and blew everyone away with a rendition of “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves.

“I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim song,” she sang. “I am a woman, I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs.”

Chills. Everyone in the Emmy audience rose to their feet, giving Ralph a much-deserved standing ovation for her opener. Then, to top the whole acceptance speech off, the actress began a touching ode to her co-stars, production team, and supporters.

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“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like, this is what striving looks like,” Ralph said. “And don’t you ever, ever give up on you.”

She continued: “Because if you get a Quinta Brunson in your corner, if you get a husband like mine in your corner, if you get children like mine in your corner, and if you’ve got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved for me, thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

With her win, Ralph becomes just the second Black woman to win the Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She was preceded by Jackée Harry, who won the prize 35 years ago for her role on 227. Ironically, according to Harry in a Twitter thread, 227 producers initially wanted Ralph in Harry’s role on the show.

“.@thesherylralph’s had a remarkable career AND she’s one of the nicest people in Hollywood,” Harry wrote in her celebratory post. “Barbara Howard on #AbbottElementary is another fabulous character we’ve been fortunate to watch her breathe life into.”

In Abbott Elementary, Ralph plays the no-nonsense teacher Barbara Howard, who schools creator Quinta Brunson’s plucky young teacher, Janine, on how to instruct students. Abbott Elementary is currently gearing up for its second season, which will premiere Sept. 21 on ABC. It's nominated for other top prizes tonight, like Best Actress in a Comedy Series (for Quinta Brunson) and Best Comedy Series.

Fletcher PetersEntertainment Reporter

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