Sheryl Lee Ralph finally gets her due, eats up 2022 Emmys with epic acceptance speech — and song!

Sheryl Lee Ralph has many titles: Dreamgirl. national treasure. Lauryn Hill's mom. Brandy's mom. And now she can add "Emmy winner" to the list.

The star of stage and screen for more than four decades won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Abbott Elementary, earning her first-ever Emmy statue.

When presenters Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers called her name, Ralph seemed too stunned to move and was helped to the stage by her Abbott costar Tyler James Williams. On stage, Ralph stood silently for a moment, taking it all in, and then went to the mic and did what a Broadway diva does best: steal the goddamn show.

Ralph belted out a stunning rendition of the Dianna Reeves song "Endangered Species," bringing the audience to their feet: "I am an endangered species / But I sing no victim's song / I am a woman, I am an artist / And I know where my voice belongs."

"I've been singing that song for years because I think of myself as an artist. As a woman, especially as a woman of color, I'm an endangered species," Ralph later said of her song choice. "But I don't sing any victim song. I'm a woman. I'm an artist. And I know where my voice belongs. There are so many young actors, artists, even kids that think they know what they're going to do in life. Find your voice and put it where it belongs."

This may have been Ralph's first Emmy nomination and win, but the singer and actress has a list of credits longer than the Emmys telecast. She made her screen debut in 1977's A Piece of the Action, starring Sidney Poitier (and Bill Cosby), and then, in 1981, originated the role of Deena Jones in Dreamgirls, (a part played by Beyoncé in the film adaptation), earning a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

In 1991, Ralph received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for To Sleep With Anger. However, roles that played to her numerous strengths were few and far between, with Ralph often being relegated to supporting roles, such as in Sister Act 2, The Flintstones, Designing Women, Moesha, Ray Donovan, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

It wasn't until Abbott Elementary, where she plays no-nonsense veteran teacher Barbara Howard, that Ralph finally got her due — some 45 years into her career. In the press room after her inspiring victory, Ralph revealed she originally wanted to play the principal, Ava Coleman (portrayed by fellow Emmy nominee Janelle James), but Abbott creator Quinta Brunson had only her in mind for the role of Mrs. Howard.

"She said, 'No, absolutely not. We need a queen for this role, and that is you. Take it or leave it.' I was like, 'All right, Little Miss! I'll take it!'"

After her musical beat, Ralph delivered an impassioned speech thanking Brunson and kicking the Emmys into high gear.

"To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn't, wouldn't, couldn't come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like," Ralph said.

"This is what striving looks like," she continued. "And don't you ever, ever give up on you because if you get a Quinta Brunson in your corner... if you get a husband like mine in your corner… if you get children like mine in your corner… and if you've got friends like everybody who voted for me, cheered for me, loved me… Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

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