A dazzling new star now graces the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and it belongs to none other than Sheryl Lee Ralph.
“Look at what the universe has done,” the former Dreamgirl said after accepting her honor from Steve Nissen, CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday.
April 17, the day Nissen dubbed “Sheryl Lee Ralph Day,” was a celebratory moment indeed. But life has not always been a crystal stair for the actor.
During her speech, Ralph reflected on her career, noting she doesn’t “look like her journey,” and shared how, early in her career, she was unable to afford a “slice of pizza.”
“I have been counted out. I have been passed over. I have been told I was too Black, too strong, too much, and yet here I stand,” she recalled.
And along the way, she said, one unexpected force helped propel her.
“I just want to thank the people who told me no,” Ralph exclaimed.
Michael Buckner via Getty Images
The actor recounted how many in Hollywood didn’t believe she fit their mold — and said “some of them were not kind” in their delivery of that feedback — but stated that it didn’t deter her.
“I thank you, because your rejection was a redirection, and look where it landed me,” she said with pride.
True to form, the “Abbott Elementary” star ended her speech with words of encouragement.
“To all of you thinking ‘It can’t happen to you,’ thinking your dreams don’t matter, you keep on. You keep doing the work. Dreams don’t have an expiration date. It is only over when you stop or when you say, ‘It’s over.’ But keep showing up, keep being your authentic self,” Ralph said.
Content shared from www.huffpost.com.