Sheryl Lee Ralph discussed her early-career experiences as one of the subjects in the latest season of TV One’s Uncensored.
In Sunday’s episode (April 16), the veteran actress reflected on her journey, including some not-so-pleasant moments. According to HelloBeautiful, the 66-year-old talent explained a time when she was physically alerted by a director while working on Broadway.
The Abbott Elementary star shared how director and choreographer Michael Bennett allegedly struck her during a rehearsal for Dreamgirls. “He hit me,” she explained. “My father doesn’t even hit me.”
Her story continues to detail how she immediately walked to a payphone to report her experience to her union which returned unwelcomed advice, saying she was not the “first” to have an unsavory encounter.
“So you mean to tell me this man has been going around hitting people or verbally abusing people, and you all just say ‘take a vacation, he’ll pay you.’ That’s how we’re going to get treated,” she continued. “I’m really glad things have changed, and I love the fact that I’m able to see change. You don’t hit people much anymore.”
The Sister Act 2 actress also shared why she decided to candidly share her reality on Uncensored.
“The truth is I don’t look like my journey just like everybody else. I’ve had my highs and my lows, but what has been different for me is the choices that I have made, and the greatest choice has been to carry on through it all in life,” explained the Emmy Award-winning actress. “I’m happy to see that the industry is changing in its response to artists.”
The Sheryl Lee Ralph episode of “Uncensored” is now available on TV One. Watch a preview of her Uncensored episode below.