Sheryl Lee Ralph Unbothered Over Super Bowl Lip-Sync Accusations

Sheryl Lee Ralph is in no way listening to any side talk!

The legendary actress took the Super Bowl stage by storm with her powerful performance, and despite some criticism about lip-syncing during her performance, she has remained unbothered and expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to take part in such a historic event. 

With an Emmy under her belt and a Tony nomination for her role in "Dreamgirls," the 66-year-old has had an illustrious career in the entertainment industry, and this latest one is an added accomplishment to her list. 

The singer's recent Super Bowl performance raised questions about whether she lip-synced during her rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona. However, the Award-winning actress had a straightforward response to the rumors when she said, "Does it matter? Does it matter? No. Thank you."

Ralph was filled with positivity and gratitude following her performance as she spoke with The Hollywood Reporter. She expressed her amazement at being chosen to perform at such a prestigious event and her excitement that the Eagles were also playing in the Super Bowl. With a smile, she said:

"It's just so amazing that they chose me. And then the Eagles are in the Super Bowl. I mean, come on. You know God must be a woman because all of this is just too perfect."

The entertainer received compliments on her stunning appearance, with people saying she made the pre-show look like halftime, and she credited it all to Rihanna's brand, saying, "Well, thank you. Fenty of it all, hey."

Ralph was also honored to perform the Black National Anthem on the same date it was first publicly performed 123 years ago, February 12, 1900, during Black History Month. She noted that she was thrilled to make history at the Super Bowl and would always cherish the experience.

The star pointed out another reason it was a significant moment saying, "Abbott Elementary takes place in Philadelphia. My husband is a senator in Philadelphia. And this year, the Eagles [went] to the Super Bowl — I had already been chosen to sing."

After her performance, the camera panned to her Abbott Elementary co-stars, Quinta Brunson and Lisa Ann Walter, who were eagerly cheering her on. Ralph revealed that Brunson had approached her to join the show, recognizing her talent that others were overlooking. 

Ralph continued expressing her gratitude, "All I can do is thank God—that God would deliver me all these flowers at this point in my career." She added:

"There's so many people that have written me off and said, 'Well, that's it for her.' And if it had been, that's all for me, everybody would've said, 'Well, she had a great career.' But now it's going from great to OK, that's pretty damn amazing. How fantastic."

Earlier this month, The Blast shared that Ralph's joy from being invited to perform at the Super Bowl LVII was as loud as her excitement of being on the stage. The 66-year-old was scheduled to deliver a memorable performance of the iconic song "Lift Every Voice and Sing." She was also set to hit the stage alongside other big-name artists like Chris Stapleton and Babyface Edmonds. 

Recalling her reaction when she got the offer, the TV star told ET Online that she did not hesitate to accept because she felt incredibly honored. Ralph compared the proposal to a nomination and stated:

"I've been saying through the whole awards season, 'It's about the nomination,' and for me, this is a nomination."

The 66-year-old performer noted her confidence in her abilities and that she would not have been selected to perform alongside great singers, artists, and performers if she could not deliver.

Her co-stars from the ABC mockumentary, "Abbott Elementary," have been cheering her on since the announcement. The show, set in Philadelphia, is a constant cheerleader for the Philly Eagles, who will play against the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game on February 12th. 

Of the significance, Ralph stated, "Philly is on a wonderful high with 'Abbott Elementary' being based in [the city]. They see this as the wonderful last chapter of a new book that's gonna be written, or maybe it's the first chapter as we go into the third season of 'Abbott Elementary.'"