Sheryl Lee Ralph is currently receiving critical acclaim in the new ABC comedy series Abbott Elementary.

The show follows a group of dedicated teachers determined to see their students succeed at an underprivileged school.

“I’ve got the best cast of people to work with. I get to do a show that helps you to laugh and then at the same time laugh through the struggle, through the pain to get the message of what is important," Ralph said.

No stranger to dreams, Sheryl Lee Ralph's acting career spans over four decades and has seen her in several iconic roles ranging from Broadway to the big and small screens.

Arguably, her most notable role is the effervescent Deena Jones in the 1981 Broadway musical Dream Girls.

Before that, at just 19-years-old, Ralph was given her first acting role by the late Sidney Poitier, starring in the 1977 comedy Piece of the Action.

“When I think about where I was at 19 years old, fresh out of college and where I am now... I thank God because I’m going to be Betty White black. I’m going through every generation and they’re all going to have something to say about me,” Ralph said.

The actress is also starring in the third season of the female-centric show, Motherland: Fort Salem.

"This show is respecting women, and raising up women, and putting women on a platform. All kinds of different women.”

Motherland: Fort Salem is streaming on Hulu now and you can catch her in the classroom every Tuesday in Abbott Elementary on ABC.