Sheryl Lee Ralph Reveals the Regal Nickname She Wants as a Grandma
Sheryl Lee Ralph is already a queen in Hollywood — but when it comes to being a grandma, she’s got a regal nickname picked out, too.
The Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary star, 68, revealed to PEOPLE that once one of her two adult kids, son Etienne Maurice or daughter Ivy-Victoria Maurice, makes her a grandmother, she already knows what she wants to be called: Nana.
At first, Ralph wasn’t sold on the name. “I didn’t want to be called Nana, because my grandmother was Nana,” she explained while promoting her PBS Kids animated series Weather Hunters. But everything changed after a trip to Ghana. “They said to me, ‘Of course you’re Nana, you are Queen. You are a Queen Mother of the family.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God, I am absolutely Nana.’”
The actress, who has been married to Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes since 2005, loves tying her family roots and culture into her milestones. Earlier this year, she celebrated receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with her husband and kids by her side. During her heartfelt speech, she shared wisdom passed down from her own mother: “Good, better, best, never let it rest till your good is better and your better best.”
Ralph’s personal life is also reflecting her on-screen role. In season 5 of Abbott Elementary, premiering October 1, her beloved character Barbara Howard is stepping into grandma territory, too. A February sneak peek showed Barbara joyfully announcing to her fellow teachers, “My baby is having a baby! I’m going to be a grandmother!”
But Barbara isn’t ready to let grandma life define her entirely. Ralph explained that the character has some initial concerns about being seen only as “grandma” when her daughter Taylor moves back to Philly. Still, Barbara’s passion for teaching remains strong. “Barbara, like so many teachers I know, kept working until they couldn’t work,” Ralph said. “It wasn’t about work — it was the passion and the purpose of showing students what excellence looks like and raising the bar.”
As for what comes next for Barbara, Ralph is keeping the faith in series creator and star Quinta Brunson. “I don’t know what’s in store, but because I believe in Quinta … I know it’s something wonderful for Barbara to look forward to.”
Whether on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the classroom at Abbott Elementary, or someday as a proud “Nana,” Sheryl Lee Ralph is proving that she can embrace every chapter of life with grace, love, and a little bit of royalty.
