Sheryl Lee Ralph Explains What Would Make Her Feel 'Prouder' Of Golden Globe Nomination

The “Abbott Elementary” star had some choice words for the HFPA on the Golden Globes red carpet.
Sheryl Lee Ralph at Tuesday's Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The "Abbott Elementary" star spoke of the controversy over diversity among the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Sheryl Lee Ralph at Tuesday's Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The "Abbott Elementary" star spoke of the controversy over diversity among the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

“Abbott Elementary” star Sheryl Lee Ralph was one of the few celebrities Tuesday night to publicly acknowledge the fraught nature of this year’s Golden Globe Awards, the first televised one since a 2021 Los Angeles Times investigation revealed a history of diversity and ethics problems at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which presents the awards.

“I will be prouder when I see it put into action,” the Golden Globe nominee and Emmy winner told Los Angeles’ NBC 4 before the ceremony, when asked about the HFPA’s attempts to enact reforms. “I will be prouder when I see what the membership looks like. I will be prouder five years from now, when I see who exactly has been nominated and chosen for the win.”

At the same time, she said she also wanted to “thank them very much for opening their hearts and minds up to others: other colors, other shades, other genders, others, others, others.”

“Everybody deserves respect,” Ralph added. “Hollywood Foreign Press, thank you for opening your minds up to at least consider giving people the respect they deserve.”

The night’s host, comedian Jerrod Carmichael, did not let the HFPA off the hook in his unusually frank opening monologue addressing the scandals.

Carmichael was candid about the fact that he was chosen as “the Black face of an embattled white organization” and expressed skepticism over whether the HFPA had reformed.

“I heard they got six new Black members,” he said, referring to the 105-member organization adding six Black journalists to its ranks after having zero Black members for decades. “Sure! Congrats to them.”

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