Sheryl Lee Ralph Believes 'Black Panther' Shifted Culture Whether Or Not It Nabs An Oscar

In case you had any doubts, Sheryl Lee Ralph is repping “Wakanda Forever.” The Tony-winning actress, styled by her daughter Ivy-Victoria Maurice, looked stunning in a sunny orange and yellow ensemble at the ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood event. Like many of us, she believes Black Panther is a winner whether it nabs the Oscar for best picture or not. “I don’t care what the Academy Awards say…Black Panther created a cultural shift in America that cannot be ignored. I say if you all want to do something truly special, give the superhero the Oscar for best movie because it is outstanding—the power of mother Angela Bassett, the incredible cast, Ruth Carter’s designs, Ryan Coogler!” Ralph, who currently hosts a podcast called Diva Defined, was thrilled to be in the room among friends and colleagues. “I’m very happy to be here. I’m looking around and seeing my peers. I saw Loni Love, Loretta Devine, Billy Porter is in the room. So many people — older and younger talent — make this the most amazing room to be in.” Black Panther has already racked up a slew of awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture and an MTV Movie & TV Award for best actor in a movie. Many movie critics have forecasted that the film has high chances of winning best picture. Fingers and toes are crossed!