Sheryl Lee Ralph is going behind the camera.
I can exclusively reveal that the Emmy winner has signed on to produce “Unexpected,” a documentary short about women of color living with HIV in the South. Directed by Zeberiah Newman (“Right to Try”), the film chronicles Masonia Traylor and Cici Covin as they create care packages for pregnant women newly diagnosed with HIV and invite them into a safe network of support and services.
‘I am honored to amplify Masonia and Cici’s story and put a spotlight on HIV in the South, what’s happening there needs our attention and it needs it now,” Ralph tells Variety.
Newman said, “I am thrilled to have Sheryl on board, her work as an activist in this space is legendary and her foundation, The D.I.V.A Foundation, has been at the forefront of this issue for decades.”
Ralph, who earned her first Emmy in September for her work on “Abbott Elementary,” launched D.I.V.A in 1990 as a way to honor the many friends and colleagues she lost during the early days of the AIDS epidemic while she was starring in the original Broadway production of “Dreamgirls.” The foundation has raised more than $3 million for awareness programs and partnerships with support organizations to provide critical services to all members of the LGBTQ+ community, women and children, and are inclusive of persons of color.
Ralph joins Newman, a producer at the “The Late Show with James Corden,” as a producer of “Unexpected” along with Leah Turner, who serves as editor of the film.
Ralph is represented by Neon Kite, Innovative Artists and Persona PR.
“Unexpected” is currently in post-production and is aiming for a film festival run in early 2023.
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