Sheryl Lee Ralph – FAM

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects you have been working on?

A) Well, outside of “FAM” I have a podcast that will be dropping on the 10^th as well called “Diva Defined.” That’s a wonderful project that I’m excited about and the two combined make sure that I have an incredible January 10^th and a great way to say, “Hello 2019!”

Q) How was your character, Rose, on “FAM” originally described to you?

A) [laughs] You know something? Rose is such a wonderful character. There is probably a kernel of me in her, but she’s a wonderful outrageous character. She loves her family. She adores her husband. She will do anything to make sure that her son is happy, including embracing his crazy fiancé and her even crazier family.

Q) Were you familiar with any of your costars before working with them on this series?

A) I was only familiar with Tone [Bell] from seeing “Disjointed.” I was only familiar with Nina [Dobrev] from hearing my children saying, “That’s the girl from ‘Degrassi!’” And my kids were like, “That’s her!” I said, “How do you know that’s her? You were kids when that was on!” My son was like, “I won’t forget her!” [laughs] I missed the whole “Vampire Diaries” thing.

Q) Is there much of an opportunity for you to improvise on set?

A) You know something? There are always those moments where you have to just go for what you know and what you feel as a character. Most times the end up staying. [laughs] Most times they end up being part of the show, so it’s fun for me.

Q) You have great comedic timing! Is that something that has come naturally for you or is it something that you’ve worked at?

A) Growing up they would always tell me that I was funny, but at the same time they would say I was “seriously funny.” I didn’t understand what that meant. I realized that it’s like humor is a part of my delivery in life in that if it is delivering a funny message, a difficult message or whether it is finding a way to tell somebody sometimes what they don’t want to hear I’ve found that you can do anything if you have great comedic timing. It can be a great piece of my armor as a human being to keep me moving forward; to keep the levity of life alive.

Q) Brian Stokes Mitchell and you share a long history in performing arts. Is there any chance for either or both of you to sing during the series?

A) Let me tell you, I don’t think anybody realized that we did what do and that we are who we are. I think they knew about Brian, but folks had no idea about “Dreamgirls” or “Thoroughly Modern Millie” and no idea of “Wicked.” Hollywood can be that way. People see you how they want to see you until the vision is changed. So, no we don’t get to sing or perform, which is a waste. I know now it’s going to happen on stage. I know it.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments so far from filming “FAM?”

A) I think the most memorable thing for me was the fact that this is “FAM.” The name of the show is “FAM.” I went through my own personal tragedy and the whole company came together like a family, functionally-dysfunctional, but with such warmth and caring that going through what I was going through at that time with those people was just made so much better for me because of family. So, the best thing happened for me offscreen. But on screen, being able to work with three people who in some ways are brand new to the business and have them so open to learning and learning from what it is others before them have done has been another great experience.

Q) What have you already personally taken away from working on the show?

A) I prayed and I prayed. I said, “God, just give me a great show with great people that I can go to work, do my job and go home with the feeling that I want to come back and do it all again.” So, that has been a wonderful thing to have because there are a lot of shows out there where people go, “Oh God! Do I really have to go to work? I can’t stand that one. That one is going to drive me crazy.” For the most part, I have got a great new fam and it’s a good thing.

Q) What makes CBS such a perfect fit for the show?

A) I don’t know if anybody has been noticing that CBS has been branching out and expanding its audience, drawing new eyes to their shows – new eyes and younger eyes. Diverse eyes. This show really fits that mold. Somebody watched the show and they said to me, “Oh my God! It made me feel so good. It made me feel like when you really wanted to sit down and watch TV.” I was like, “Wow! That’s a nice comment.” Especially when it comes to comedy. Especially when it comes to CBS. Especially when it comes to adding that color and diversity to the screen. So, it’s great!

Q) What does it mean to you to have so many people of color in lead roles, something CBS has done a lot more of lately?

A) Oh my God! You really, really have no idea how good I feel seeing this happen right in front of my eyes! I started in this business when I was nineteen years old and my first film was called A Piece of the Action. When I did that film, I’ll never forget somebody saying, “My God, it is too bad she is black because this girl would have been going someplace.” I will never forget that as long as I live. So, when I see Regina King get up there and all she does is win, win, win…I said, “That’s what happens when you partner talent with opportunity.” But I was one of the last in my generation of actresses who was shut out just because of the color of your skin. And now, I see…When I see “FAM,” I realize somebody picked up the phone and said, “This is who we’d like. Would she like to do this?” I’m like, “Wow. Okay, God. I’m ready. And thank you.” You gotta hang in there. You gotta believe in yourself. Know that you can make it. You gotta work the game and you’ve got to keep trying. You’ve got to keep working. You’ve got to keep honing your craft! For me, I had to learn all those steps very well to still be here at this time in my life in my career to be able to reap the benefits that I knew should be mine.

Q) To what do you attribute your incredible career longevity?

A) I just thank God so much. There is not a lot – there is a very small group of women that are here doing this where I am now in life when it comes to women of color. It’s not like there is a lot because it was so difficult. When you’re in school and you learn about Sisyphus trying to roll that ball up the hill. As soon as he would get to the top, the ball would roll back down the hill…I feel like Sisyphus, except I’m at the top of the hill! I’m like, “Damn you, ball! You will not roll me over one more time.” There was an actress by the name of Virginia Capers who was an incredible mentor to me. When I say “mentor” I’m not just throwing that word around that I looked to her as a mentor. This woman, when I graduated from college earning the Irene Ryan scholarship award and winning the American Theater College award…This woman took the time to pour into me the need to not just act, but to act, sing, dance, speak a few languages, learn a song or two in different languages, travel the world, get as much education as you possibly can after you graduate college…She used to always say, “An educated artist is a more interesting artist.” I’m telling you, it’s with me today because when I look at the character that I’m playing now in “FAM” – a psychologist with her handsome actor husband, living on the upper West Side…You can tell she is still a hip, wonderful woman with some money. Her handsome son is at NYU as a professor and this girl that he brings into her life she is ready to love her. Then, you find out everything she has told you is not the truth, but you’re going to love her just the same because your son is crazy about her. And, if you were to flip the script, when I started the character played by Nina would have been a black girl trying to improve her life, marrying up into the upper West Side. Now, it is a young white girl marrying the perfect black man into the well to do black family – all you do is see it. We never mention race! You have to come to your own conclusion about this new family.

Q) What else do you want to be sure our readers know about “FAM?”

A) It’s been great working with Nina as she gets into situation comedy. It’s wonderful working with the comedy of Tone. I’ve always wanted to work with Brian stokes Mitchell. Why we never got to do it on stage I will never know, but all things in God’s time. And to see the bright future of Odessa Adlon coming out right in front of us…And Gary Cole. Gary Cole. Oh my gosh! He’s just too much! I love that guy, too. I’m surrounded by people that I get to love. In so many ways, CBS has been great to me. From doing a few episodes of “Criminal Minds” and recurring character that I’ve had on “MacGyver,” to be a part of the CBS family with what I believe in some ways is going to be groundbreaking in its look at family and its look at people in this entertainment and what we’re going to add to CBS it’s going to be fabulous and I’m looking forward to it.