What role did Loretta Devine play in Dreamgirls? Actress delivers speech at co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph Walk of Fame ceremony

Loretta Devine just delivered a speech sharing funny anecdotes about former co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph during their Dreamgirls (1981) years, as the latter was honored with the 2808th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on April 16, 2025.

Loretta Devine and Sheryl Lee Ralph appeared together in the Original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, where Ralph played the role of Deena Jones and Devine performed as Lorrell Robinson.

Loretta Devine, 75, who has performed various roles both onscreen and on stage, is mostly known for her performance as Lorrell Robinson in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls. According to Wikipedia, the fictional character Lorrell was based on Mary Wilson.

Though Lorrell Robinson is indeed a notable performance by Loretta Devine, she is not limited to just Lorrell. Her other notable performances include Gloria Matthews in Waiting to Exhale (1995), Juanita Sims in For Colored Girls (2010), Marla Hendricks in Boston Public, etc. Her recurring appearance as Adele Webber in Grey's Anatomy earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011.

Loretta Devine recalls her moments with Sheryl Lee Ralph from their Dreamgirls era

Devine began her speech by saying Ralph invited her to speak a few words about their time during their Dreamgirls years. She began with them auditioning for Project 9 (which later became Dreamgirls) and their show in Boston.

"It was a four- six week workshop that got us prepared for Boston, the trials. And Boston was extreme. We had no idea what eight shows a week felt like. We loved the music, but we didn't know how much we had to love the music to make it work."

Loretta Devine also talked about their time as roommates during Broadway and shared that in the four years they were roommates, they only had two big fights. She ended her speech praising Ralph for her determination,

"She was strong then, and she still is strong."

Sheryl Lee Ralph honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Sheryl Lee Ralph, 68, who rose to prominence with her performance in the Original Broadway production of Dreamgirls, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Many of her co-stars, like Levitte Devine and Quinto Brunson (Abbott Elementary), were all present for the ceremony.

According to Page Six, Ralph, during the ceremony, said in her speech that,

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I’m not just part of the fabric that is Hollywood, I’m part of the cemented foundation that is Hollywood, and I’m surrounded by people that I love and respect...I want generations to see what’s possible, that their dreams are valid. That their voice is powerful and their potential limitless.

Sheryl's performance as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls earned her a Tony nomination. And for Abbott Elementary, where she played the role of Barbara Howard, she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2022.

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