Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Staying Healthy and 'Thriving' As She Ages: 'I'm Enjoying My Life Above Ground' (Exclusive) Vanessa EtienneSeptember 9, 2025 at 1:04 AM 0 Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Sheryl Lee Ralph Sheryl Lee Ralph announces her partnership with GSK for their THRIVE@50+ campaign The mul...
- - Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Staying Healthy and 'Thriving' As She Ages: 'I'm Enjoying My Life Above Ground' (Exclusive)
Vanessa EtienneSeptember 9, 2025 at 1:04 AM
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Sheryl Lee Ralph -
Sheryl Lee Ralph announces her partnership with GSK for their THRIVE@50+ campaign
The multi-hyphenate star opens up to PEOPLE about "thriving" in life after prioritizing her health and wellness
She credits listening to her doctor and "enjoying my life above ground" for the longevity of her life and career
Sheryl Lee Ralph has enjoyed a successful career in Hollywood for over four decades, and she attributes it to prioritizing her health.
In an interview with PEOPLE, the Abbott Elementary star, 68, opens up about partnering with GSK for their THRIVE@50+ campaign, an initiative aimed at celebrating people 50 and older, encouraging them to continue thriving while empowering them to learn about their risk for potential health challenges, like shingles.
"People think, oh shingles, it's no big deal. Trust me, shingles is a painful blistering rash and you don't have to get it," Ralph tells PEOPLE.
She points out that 99% of adults 50 years and older already have the virus that causes shingles inside their body, but not all of them will develop it. The actress says using her platform to raise awareness was a no-brainer because she witnessed her grandmother deal with the infection.
"I remember what it was like when my grandmother suffered from shingles. For some people, it might come for a week or so. For her, it was a few weeks. And just seeing her with that pain, it's something that never, ever left my mind," she recalls. "And that was one of the reasons I thought, hmm, this is important to get involved with, to have this conversation, to encourage people to talk with their doctor or their pharmacist about their risk for developing shingles and to also talk about prevention."
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Sheryl Lee Ralph
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For Ralph, a campaign about thriving while aging fits perfectly with her current phase of life.
"I always tell people, no, no, no. Surviving won't do, especially not for me. It's about thriving," she explains. "It's about realizing, wow, I have lived this long and I am still living. In fact, the best is yet to come. While I am alive, I'm going to take advantage of every moment, every breath, every step. I am able to take everything that I can enjoy in this world. And why not?"
"There was a great actress and entertainer by the name of Josephine Baker. And she said, 'Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving.' And I refuse to starve," she says. "Oh, no, I'm going to eat life. I'm going to enjoy life. I'm gonna thrive in my life."
Over the years, Ralph has maintained that "health is our greatest wealth," and the multi-hyphenate star admits that too many people don't pay attention to it until it's gone. That's why her biggest piece of advice is listening to everything the doctor says — no objections.
"I pay attention to my doctor," she stresses. "When the doctor says, 'Drink water,' drink water. The doctor says, 'Lose 20 pounds, it might bring your blood pressure down,' lose the weight. When the doctor says, 'Keep it moving,' keep it moving. Take a walk."
"Millions didn't make it. And if you are listening, if you are reading, if you are watching, you are one who did. And you need to appreciate that," she adds. "It's not to be taken lightly because there is an alternative… and I don't want it. That's why I'm enjoying my life above ground."
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Sheryl Lee Ralph
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Ralph's ability to prioritize her health and wellness has given her longevity not only in life but in her career. As someone who's been in the entertainment industry for decades, the Emmy winner is often praised for being "ageless."
The Dreamgirls alum tells PEOPLE that she gladly accepts those who commend the results of her hard work.
"I just take it. People say, 'Oh my goodness, you look good.' I say, yes, I do," she says with a laugh. "And you know what? Sometimes people say life is like a masquerade. What's the mask that you want to wear? Mine is really my joy."
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