Sheryl Lee Ralph Says Her Legacy ‘Isn't Just About My Work’

Sheryl Lee Ralph is reflecting on the kind of legacy she’d like to leave after a 40-year career in Hollywood.

The Abbott Elementary star, who is an Emmy winner and Tony nominee, exclusively told Us Weekly that her influence “isn’t just about my work,” but also about the family she’s been able to build.

“My legacy is about the life I’ve been able to lead,” Ralph, 68, said while discussing her partnership with GSK on the THRIVE@50+ campaign. “It would be my children. My children are my greatest legacy. I met Cicely Tyson on a plane once. She said, ‘Sheryl, you are going to do wonderful things, but your children will be some of the greatest things you ever do.’ I don’t know how she knew that, but that was a truth that I am living now.”

Ralph shares son Etienne, 33, and daughter Ivy Coco, 30, with ex-husband Eric Maurice. Etienne has followed in his mother’s footsteps, becoming an actor and cofounder of a non-profit organization WalkGood LA. Ivy Coco, meanwhile, is a celebrity stylist who lists Ralph as one of her clients. The Moesha alum told Us that she knows “when I’m no longer here, I will leave two wonderful people to speak my name.”

“But more than that, to create their own roads and their own paths that others will follow,” Ralph shared about her children.

While Ralph may be focused on family, she has no plans to slow down anytime soon. The actress, who is nominated for her fourth consecutive Emmy, said that she is thriving after 50 by focusing on her health, wellness, and happiness.

“Thriving after 50 means you are going to take the wise step to prioritize yourself, prioritize your health, and really, really pay attention to it,” Ralph said. “Relax. Listen to your doctors. Drink that water; keep it moving. Take a moment to enjoy nature. Look at the flowers, smell the grass, smell the air — no matter how polluted it is. You’re alive. Enjoy every moment.”

Ralph’s sunny outlook on life, along with her own personal experiences, motivated her to partner on GSK’s THRIVE@50+ campaign, which celebrates and empowers those 50 and older to learn about their risk for potential health challenges like shingles. The Dreamgirls alum shared that her grandmother suffered from the illness, which impacts 1 million Americans every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think it’s very important, as a trusted voice, to be authentic in the choices you make,” Ralph said. “For me, I remember very vividly as a child, my grandmother developing shingles. It was not pretty. It was a painful, blistering rash. When I saw it, it frightened me. When you see people that you love, and you see them suffer even a little bit — I never, ever forgot that. That’s why this was important for me.”