Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph Recalls Being Told She Couldn’t Kiss Tom Cruise In Movie Because She Is Black
Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph shared a disturbing moment in her career on “The View” on Friday.
Ralph stated that a long time ago, a casting director, in Hollywood, told her that she wasn’t allowed to kiss Tom Cruise because she was Black.
“Do I put you in a movie with Tom Cruise? Do you kiss? Who goes to see that movie?” the director is said to have asked.
Ralph had been on Broadway and had won a Tony award for her role in “Dreamgirls” by this time. But, that didn’t matter to the casting director.
“He looked at me and said, ‘Everybody knows you’re a beautiful, talented, Black girl. But, what do I do with a beautiful, talented, Black girl?”
When questioned about who the casting director was, Ralph wouldn’t say. However, she stated, “Look at me now. Everybody knew…that I should have been in a movie with the likes of a Tom Cruise, and he should kiss me!”
Ralph has been featured in The Distingued Gentleman, The Mighty Quinn, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and more films.
She is currently starring in a new, popular sitcom, Abbott Elementary, where she plays a veteran kindergarten teacher.
