Sheryl Lee Ralph wins Emmy
LOS ANGELES, United States (AP) — Sheryl Lee Ralph was so moved by her Emmy win she had to respond in song.
Ralph, the daughter of late Jamaican fashion designer Ivy Ralph, took the Emmy Award for best supporting actress in a comedy series Monday night for her role as a religious kindergarten teacher on ABC’s Abbott Elementary.
It’s the first Emmy and first nomination for the 65-year-old Ralph, who was in tears and had to gather herself after accepting the trophy.
She opened her speech with a powerfully delivered a capella version of the song Endangered Species by Dianne Reeves.
“I am an endangered species, but I sing a victim’s song. I am a woman, I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs,” Ralph belted.
Her win, and reaction, were hugely popular inside the Microsoft Theater.
“We love you!” a man shouted from the rear seats as she arrived on stage. Her acceptance speech was interrupted by cheers and multiple standing ovations.
