Hollywood legend Sheryl Lee Ralph, whose career spans back to the 1970s, was a household name by the time she starred in the hit 1996 sitcom “Moesha.” Ralph portrayed Brandy Norwood’s stepmother, Dee Mitchell, for five seasons before her shocking departure from the series. Her beloved character was written out of the show before the show’s finale.
During the ABC Summer soiree in LA on Sept. 5, the actress shared her bond with the cast now and reflected on “Moesha’s” upcoming 25th anniversary.
“Oh, my God, are you kidding me?” Ralph responded in shock to more than two decades passing since the show’s debut.
“Every now and then I will hear from people, but we don’t talk as much as I would like,” the actress tells our entertainment reporter Courtney Tezeno. “But I would like to do a movie that ties it all up.”
A “Moesha” movie could give fans the closure they deserve. The abrupt cancellation of the show after six seasons left many with unresolved plot points, including the mysterious pregnancy test found in Moesha’s room, or Myles being kidnapped.
Brandy is currently gearing up for her “Brandy & Monica: The Boy is Mine” tour, named after their hit 1998 song. The concert kicks off on Oct. 16. In a new interview, the singer discussed the years-long feud with Monica that has since been resolved.
“I see it as so much bigger than just a hit record,” she told the outlet. “I think that even though the lyrical content and some of what started to play out created more division than it did togetherness, we’ve taken control of that, and we’re making what the legacy of this song would be totally different for the next generation.”
“Brandy is on the road doing her thing. Brandy has a book coming out, everything. I’m so proud of her,” Ralph said.
Flashing forward, the Emmy winner has a recurring role on ABC’s hit show “Abbott Elementary” as Barbara Howard, but she says she would trade places with one character in a heartbeat.
“Absolutely. Ava,” she exclaimed. “She is such a boss, and her wardrobe, her hair, I’ll take all of it.”
As for what to expect in this new season, the 68-year-old actress joked she simply shows up to set and couldn’t tease much about the comedy’s storyline.
“I’m only in the show. I don’t know what changes are going to happen. I know nothing. I’m the only person that reads the scripts, and then [is like] what are we doing?”
“Abbott Elementary” season 5 premiered last night on ABC, and the new episode is now available to stream on Hulu. The show airs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c.
