In April 2025, after nearly 50 years as a performer, Sheryl Lee Ralph was finally granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reflecting on her journey to the milestone, the actor recalls advice Robert De Niro gave her on set for the 1992 dramatic comedy Mistress. “He said, ‘You’re a damn good actress, and that’s too bad, because Hollywood is not looking for you—so you better climb that mountain and wave that red flag and let them know that you are there,’” Ralph says. “It was hard. I could