'Abbott Elementary' Star Sheryl Lee Ralph Is Gunning For EGOT Status Following Historic Emmy Win

"Abbott Elementary" star Sheryl Lee Ralph recently reflected on her historic Emmy win and spoke about her future plans, including targeting the EGOT status. Ralph won the Emmy for her role as Barbara Howard in the ABC comedy and is now the second Black actress to win in the comedy series category.

Ralph, who gave an awe-inspiring speech at the Emmys, said that she feels the powerful impact of her win everywhere she goes. Discussing her plans for an EGOT, Ralph revealed that she's producing a new Broadway play starring actress Audra McDonald. She's been previously nominated for a Tony Award for her role in 1982's "Dreamgirls."

The EGOT status is for entertainers who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, like John Legend and Jennifer Hudson. Ralph also said that she ultimately just hopes that other people have at least one experience that is as exhilarating as her Emmy win. 

Read on to find out more.

On September 12th, Ralph made history by becoming the second Black actress to win the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She won the award for her role as Barbara Howard in "Abbott Elementary," which swept many other Emmy awards that night. The first Black woman to win the award was Jackee Harry for her performance as Sandra Clark in "227."

While accepting her award, Ralph delivered a powerful speech that earned her a standing ovation from the audience. She initially broke out into a song, singing, "I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim's song. I am a woman, I am an artist. And I know where my voice belongs."

Ralph said, "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. Don't you ever, ever give up on you, 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 me—thank you!"

During a recent interview with E! News, Ralph reflected on her iconic win and speech and shared how they've impacted her life. The "Sister Act 2" actress shared that she's felt the powerful impact of her win and speech everywhere she's gone.

Ralph said, "It has changed everything. People talk about the overnight of it all. I went to bed as Sheryl Lee Ralph. I woke up as Sheryl Lee Ralph, Emmy Award winner. Nobody stops saying it. I have traveled to different countries and people open their arms, they talk to me about what it meant when I won. They say to me how I moved them with my speech."

Ralph revealed that she has big plans for her future, including achieving the EGOT status. The EGOT status is for entertainers who've won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. There are 17 members of the exclusive club, such as John Legend, Whoopi Goldberg, Audrey Hepburn, and Jennifer Hudson.

Ralph discussed her plans to become an EGOT and said she's "producing a new play on Broadway called 'Ohio State Murders' starring Audra McDonald." The "Moesha" actress said, "I've got an Emmy, so why not go for the EGOT?" Ralph was nominated for a Tony Award for her supporting role in 1982's "Dreamgirls."

Her new broadway show features six-time Tony Award winner McDonald as a fictional writer named Suzanne Alexander. The story follows Alexander as she returns to her alma mater as a guest speaker discussing the violence in her written works. It begins previews on November 11th at the New York Lincoln Center Theater.

As her conversation with E! concluded, Ralph shared that she hopes that people have an experience that's as exhilarating as her Emmy win experience was. The actress spoke about how happy she was to just be there, get the award, and "have that moment."

Ralph also said, "I think once in everybody's life, you should have a moment like that, when you walk out there all alone. Then everything changes. Because everything has changed for me and it's for the good."