Sheryl Lee Ralph deflects hypothesis that she lip-synced on the Super Bowl
Lift each voice and lip-sync? Sheryl Lee Ralph did one — or each — at Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The Emmy Award-winning “Abbott Elementary” star promptly waved apart hypothesis that she lip-synced throughout her stay pre-game efficiency at Super Bowl LVII. Ralph belted the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing” earlier than Chris Stapleton sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and, within the custom of such extensively seen stay performances, turned the topic of criticism when her voice didn’t appear to align with the motion of her lips.
When requested about it by the Hollywood Reporter, Ralph firmly deflected: “Does it matter? Does it matter? No. Thank you.”
The Tony-nominated “Dreamgirls” star in any other case basked within the kismet of the day, which got here earlier than the matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
“It is no coincidence that I will be singing the Black National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing at the Super Bowl on the same date it was first publicly performed 123 years ago (February 12, 1900). Happy Black History Month!” the 66-year-old wrote on Instagram earlier than her efficiency.
“I thought what a wonderful honor it is for me to be here singing this song inside the arena with the NFL, making a huge gesture for diversity, inclusion, and the end of so many of these isms that people want to keep alive to divide us,” she instructed Entertainment Tonight. “They wanted to create a moment that brought us all together and I believe that’s exactly what they did. And I was so thankful for them to think of me and include me for that honor.”
Although the Chiefs in the end gained the large recreation 38-35, the “Moesha” veteran was apparently rooting for “Abbott’s” hometown workforce.
“‘Abbott Elementary’ takes place in Philadelphia. My husband [state Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, a Democrat] is a senator in Philadelphia. And this year the Eagles [went] to the Super Bowl — I had already been chosen to sing,” she instructed THR.
Ralph was cheered on by her “Abbott” co-star and creator Quinta Brunson, who was within the stadium to help her, in addition to co-star Lisa Ann Walter, whose character within the ABC sitcom is a large Eagles fan.
“Booth crashing to watch Sheryl,” Walter mentioned on Instagram Stories, sharing a pic of her and Brunson of their VIP seats.
Incidentally, Ralph’s pink Harbison Studio jumpsuit and white-clad backing choir coordinated with halftime performer Rihanna’s look, however Ralph’s daughter and stylist Ivy-Victoria Maurice mentioned it was purely coincidental.
“We had no idea that Rihanna would be wearing red and her background dancers will be wearing white. This was unintentionally, intentionally planned,” Maurice instructed ET.