Sheryl Lee Ralph And Diana Ross Ended ‘Dreamgirls” Feud ‘Years’ Ago, Thanks To Ross’ Son

Sheryl Lee Ralph admits to having a past feud with Diana Ross over her “Dreamgirls” role.

Sheryl Lee Ralph admitted to having a feud with Diana Ross over her Dreamgirls role but said the two made amends “years later.”

The Abbott Elementary star got candid with Oprah Winfrey for Oprah Daily’s “The Life You Want’ Class: A Conversation with Sheryl Lee Ralph,” about her one-sided feud with “The Boss” Miss Ross that stemmed over Ralph’s starring role in Dreamgirls in 1981.

Ralph was in the inaugural cast of the storied Broadway musical, which follows a girl group trio’s journey through the music industry in the 1960s.

Twenty-five years before the 2006 musical film with Beyoncé in the lead role of Deena Jones, Ralph was in the starring role, playing a character many likened to the real-life story of Ross and The Supremes.

In 2007, Ross spoke with David Letterman and admitted to never seeing Dreamgirls but had plans to see the film.

“I have not seen it … I’ve heard a lot about it. I’m going to see it with my lawyers,” she quipped. “It has been said to me that there’s a lot of my image and likeness in the movie. What I would like to do is be able to see it. I like to inspire the talent that is out there today,” she said. “If I’ve done that, it’s a good thing.”

While speaking with Winfrey, Ralph revealed she was told not to portray Ross in the 1981 musical or else the production would get “sued.” Many, including Ross, were convinced that the story was based on her music career. It ultimately led to an encounter between Ross and Ralph at the Russian Tea Room in New York City.

“At that moment, she walked into the Russian Tea Room and I was like, ‘There she was,'” Ralph shared. “I just got up and walked over to her. And she turned around in the way that you could smell her perfume. It was beautiful. And the smile left her face looking at me. And I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. She doesn’t like me because of the show.'”

“She said, ‘I know who you are.’ And I was just like, OK. And she turned around and she was gone,” Ralph said.

It was “years later” when Ralph bumped into Ross again. One of Ross’ two sons helped break the ice and get the music icon to speak to Ralph.

“Her son said, ‘She’s right there, mom. Right there.’ He was yelling at the time because we were all in the same place,” Ralph recalled.

“And she didn’t want to see me but then she saw me and she came over and we talked and it was wonderful. It was lipstick and lashes under the bridge. It was gone. She said, ‘Girl, that was such a long time ago. I understand now.’ I was like, ‘Aw, here’s the moment.’ It was great.”