Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Abbott Elementary’s Whirlwind Success

“I said to Quinta, ‘Baby, can’t you just give me a little zhush?'” she joked. “I was like gee whiz. Look at Ava [Janelle James]! Ava was wearing all of my clothes. Ava’s got all of my hair on. And I’ve got one sweater set after the other.”

Style differences aside, Ralph couldn’t be prouder to see the show shine a spotlight on the importance of Black female creatives and artists in Hollywood.

“It’s a lot of busting rocks and busting dirt and pushing through doors that were closed, telling you you’re ‘too dark’ or ‘too this,’ [they] don’t know what to do with you,” she shared. “And then, to come to a moment that is perfectly created by this young Black woman with vision, I can only look at her and say, ‘Thank you god for this moment’ because, I know everything I went through and those who came up with me and before me. I know they’re like, ‘See, there you go. It was all worth it.”

Hear more from Sheryl Lee Ralph in the above Daily Pop clip.

Abbott Elementary airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.