Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Daughter Styled Her for the 2023 Critics’ Choice Awards
Sheryl Lee Ralph is having a moment. The actor, 66, won a Tony Award for Broadway’s Dreamgirls and starred in Sister Act II long before becoming kindergarten teacher Barbara Johnson in ABC’s Abbott Elementary. However, her side-eyes to the camera and no-nonsense wit on the TV show about a Philadelphia public school have earned Ralph a renewed 15 minutes of household fame.
While Ralph’s Johnson is known for her demure sweaters and strings of pearls on Abbott, the actor embraces a much more interesting — and stunning — sense of style. Along the way, she’s enlisted her daughter for help and tips to look her best on the red carpet.
Sheryl Lee Ralph wore a gold foil gown for the 2023 Critics Choice Awards
At the 2023 Critics Choice Awards in January, Sheryl Lee Ralph dazzled in a floor-length gold foil gown with a one-shoulder cap sleeve detail. The figure-hugging dress was decidedly un-Johnsonesque but bold in a way that accentuated Ralph’s brand of confidence.
Ralph’s daughter Ivy “Coco” Maurice wrote on Twitter that she helped her mom put the look together. The dress is a custom design from Jovana Louis, a label from the Haiti-born Jovana Benoit. Ralph’s gold cuff bracelet and other jewelry were from Misho Designs, Maurice said. Ralph wore her hair in tight curls down her back and highlighted her natural glow with bronzed makeup, Parade noted.
Maurice frequently styles her mom for public appearances
It wasn’t a lark that Maurice styled her mom for the awards show. The 28-year-old has had a hand in many of Ralph’s fashion-forward red-carpet looks over the past few years.
“My daughter understands my style, and we work well together. She knows that I can flip between drag queen and classic Americana and find comfort in both those things,” Ralph told InStyle about collaborating with Maurice.
However, occasionally her daughter helps her rein in her looks, too.
“Every now and then,” the actor explained, “she does have to say, ‘Mommy, let’s rethink this.'”
Ralph’s style choices for public appearances run the gamut, from bold colors and body-hugging pieces to intriguing textures. Muted tones and sweater sets are noticeably absent. Although Ralph and Maurice choose various labels, the latter celebrates the work of Black designers whenever possible. Maurice herself has designed clothing and housewares for her brand, The House of Ivy, with Ralph modeling a caftan and other pieces on the website.
Sheryl Lee Ralph is on an awards-season roll for ‘Abbott Elementary’
Ralph and Maurice will likely have many other occasions to dream up eye-catching looks for the awards circuit, as the fanfare for Abbott Elementary doesn’t appear to be fading anytime soon.
Ralph has already won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a comedy in 2022 and secured the Critics Choice trophy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Next is the Screen Actors Guild Awards in February, where Ralph is nominated with her castmates for Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble.
And though the star seems to savor the accolades and red-carpet moments, her confidence comes from within. It’s a message she hopes to share with fans, as she did in her acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards.
“To all of you watching here, come close to the screen and listen,” Ralph said, beckoning to the cameras. “People don’t have to like you. People don’t have to love you. They don’t even have to respect you. But when you look in the mirror, you better love what you see. You better love what you see.”
Abbott Elementary airs on NBC Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST.
