Sheryl Lee Ralph opened up in an exclusive interview with Way Up with Angela Yee about the sexual abuse she faced in Hollywood. 

The Abbott Elementary star recalled the moments in her career when she had been violated by men in the industry as she discussed her new novel DIVA 2.0: 12 Life Lessons From Me For You.

“This was a famous TV judge….,”

she said adding that it was

“not Judge Mathis.” 

“I’m at a very public place. I was suited, I was handling my business for the television show I was on at that time. We were on the same network. This man walked in grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around, and rammed his nasty tongue down my throat. And everybody at the network saw it,”

she said. 

Ralph said network execs attempted to silence her.

“Do you know that they did not want any bad press around their show and did not care what just happened to me…That’s the kind of stuff that happens. That’s what happens. That’s what makes it hard for women to speak up about these things.”

The Emmy Award-winner offered her advice to women in Hollywood who could relate to her story.

“It’s hard. I would say nowadays, speak up, tell your truth. Do not carry the burden of that pain. Especially if it’s something you feel you cannot work through.”

#Clique, what are your thoughts?