- She was the first woman to graduate from Rutgers College at the age of 19. She missed her graduation to get a Skippy Peanut Butter commercial. She did get to wear a cap and gown on May 2, 2003 as the Commencement Speaker for the Class of 2003.
- Studied medicine at Rutgers University.
- One of the original Dreamgirls on Broadway.
- Nominated for Broadway's 1982 Tony Award as Best Actress (Musical) for "Dreamgirls."
- Was originally considered for a potential spin-off of the 1970s television series Wonder Woman (1975) but the project never made it past the green-light phase. Her ties to the show continued though as, 25 years later, she portrays Wonder Woman's nemesis "The Cheetah" in the animated Justice League (2001) series.
- Married Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles on July 30, 2005.
- Is half Jamaican.
- Sidney Poitier was a dear mentor who gave Sheryl, at age 19, her very first job in A Piece of the Action (1977).
- Ex-husband, Eric Maurice, was an art collector. They have two children: son Etienne Maurice, born in 1992, and daughter Ivy Maurice, born in 1995.
- July 2004: Inducted as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. at the 47th National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- 1973 Miss Black Teen-Age New York
- Filing 1 million dollar lawsuit against The National Enquirer for libel and invasion of property (June 2000)
- "Dreamgirls" is considered by many as a loosely-based account of the meteroic rise of the 1960s super girl-group The Supremes. Sheryl's Deena Jones' character closely follows the path taken by Diana Ross.
- Friends with Loretta Devine, Marla Gibbs, Patti LaBelle, Mablean Ephriam, Vesta Williams, and Tim Reid.
- Daughter of Ivy Ralph, and Stanley Ralph.
- Nominated (1982) for Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
- Played "Muzzy van Hossmere" in the original cast of the Broadway production "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (2002 Tony winner for Best New Musical). While in the stage show, Muzzy is a black character, in the film she was white, played by Carol Channing.
- Named Best College Actress in 1974.
- She appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care."
- Invited to join the actor's branch of AMPAS in 2022.
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