{"id":962,"date":"2025-03-05T20:42:12","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T21:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/?p=962"},"modified":"2025-03-06T18:26:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T18:26:20","slug":"tv-star-sparks-backlash-after-claiming-sex-sells-when-winning-oscars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/tv-star-sparks-backlash-after-claiming-sex-sells-when-winning-oscars\/","title":{"rendered":"TV star sparks backlash after claiming \u2018sex sells\u2019 when winning Oscars"},"content":{"rendered":"
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class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\twindow.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2022\/04\/07\/abbott-elementary-star-says-she-was-fired-for-not-being-black-enough-16427264\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2022\/04\/07\/abbott-elementary-star-says-she-was-fired-for-not-being-black-enough-16427264\/\">Sheryl Lee Ralph<\/a>, one of the stars of hit show Abbott Elementary, has earned a wave of backlash after seemingly taking a dig at <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/mikey-madison\/\">Mikey Madison<\/a>’s Best Actress win for Anora.<\/p>\n<p>Madison, a relative unknown before her starring role in Sean Baker’s sex worker drama Anora, beat out <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/demi-moore\/\">Demi Moore<\/a> and others for the prestigious award. <\/p>\n<p>Moore was the decided favourite to win, and some took issue with Madison snagging the gong instead. <\/p>\n<p>Ralph was candid about her thoughts when speaking to On The Red Carpet’s Joelle Garguilo.<\/p>\n<p>‘I have told people over and over and over again… The fastest way to an Oscar is either on a pole or have\u2026 I’m telling you, sex sells baby. Sex sells,’ the 68-year-old said. <\/p>\n<p>The clip soon made the rounds on X, sparking heated debate. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"445\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22675888 lazyload\" alt=\"Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ariana Ruiz\/PI via ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock (15165397hr) Sheryl Lee Ralph at the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held on Sunday February 23, 2025 at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles California. ARIANA RUIZ\/BNS\/PI 31st SAG Awards - Arrivals, Los Angeles, California, USA - 23 Feb 2025\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_241324554-7cfa.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>The actress said: ‘I’m telling you, sex sells baby.’ (Picture: Ariana Ruiz\/PI via ZUMA Press Wi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>@the_jerrymanuel wrote: ‘This is insensitive especially after Mickey\u2019s win for playing a stripper\/ pole dancer in Anora. Her acting was superb IMO, she deserved that Oscar win.’<\/p>\n<p>@Alibenzkr put it even more scathingly, posting: ‘Imagine being this ignorant and misogynistic. Mikey Madison won because she was the best out of the 5 nominees and this should be celebrated as it rarely occurs in this specific category.’<\/p>\n<p>Others just flat out disagreed with the take, with @alibomaye writing: ‘I don’t know, it’s usually a “transformation” or making yourself less attractive or playing a historical figure that tends to win Oscars.’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"516\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22675890 lazyload\" alt=\"This image released by Disney shows Sheryl Lee Ralph, left, and Quinta Brunson in a scene from "Abbott Elementary." (Gilles Mingasson\/Disney via AP)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_232613390-9549.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Ralph plays Barbara Howard on the hit show (Picture: AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But plenty of others supported the actresses statement, with @wesleys_theory1 writing: ‘Y\u2019all are mad because she is speaking the truth. We literally saw two back-to-back wins that support this.’<\/p>\n<p>@CallMeDSharp agreed: ‘She spoke facts. Probably should’ve said sex worker and\/or domestic, but still\u2026 Why are people upset?’<\/p>\n<p>@LOKISPACEGEMS wrote: ‘I don\u2019t like how y\u2019all are being disrespectful in the quotes towards THEE Sheryl Lee Ralph for saying nothing but the damn truth. Sex sells that\u2019s how the industry works.’<\/p>\n<p>@chunghanji chimed in: ‘Sheryl Lee Ralph has been in that industry longer than most of the nominees this year have even been alive and y\u2019all wanna try and shame her for this\u2026she is telling her lived truth. y\u2019all need to shut the hell up \ud83d\ude2d’<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22656176 lazyload\" alt=\"Mandatory Credit: Photo by Burt Harris\/PI via ZUMA Press Wire\/Shutterstock (15176143ak) Mikey Madison, winner of the Best Actress award for ''Anora'' poses in the press room of the 97th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday March 2, 2025 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California. BURT HARRIS\/BNS\/PI 97th Oscars - Press Room, Hollywood, California, USA - 02 Mar 2025\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_242289275-b274.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Some people interpreted Ralph’s comment as a dig at Mikey Madison’s Oscar win for Anora <br \/> (Picture: Burt Harris\/PI via ZUMA Press Wi)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Looking at the facts, it is true that Madison has now become the 14th actor to win an Oscar for playing a sex worker, with the first being Janet Gaynor in Street Angel in 1928.<\/p>\n<p>In the years since, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Kim Basinger, and Mira Sorvino have all won Oscars for roles in which they’ve played a sex worker. <\/p>\n<p>Charlize Theron in Monster in 2003 and Emma Stone in Poor Things in 2023 also won awards for their roles in films in which their characters engaged in sex work at some point. <\/p>\n<p>Ralph is currently starring in the hugely popular ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary alongside the likes of Quinta Brunson, Janelle James, and Tyler James Williams, which is enjoying rave reviews from fans and critics alike.<\/p>\n<p>But the actress has been in the industry for years. In addition to winning an Emmy for Abbott, Ralph won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance in the 1990 comedy-drama film To Sleep with Anger. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"430\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22675887 lazyload\" alt=\"BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 02: Sheryl Lee Ralph attends the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 02, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone\/VF25\/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_242321708-e9ec.jpg\">\t<\/div><figcaption>Some fans argued that Ralph made an excellent point about the way the industry treats women (Picture: Phillip Faraone\/VF25\/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>She’s also starred in films like The Mighty Quinn in 1989, Mistress in 1992, The Distinguished Gentleman the same year, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in 1993, and The Comeback Trail in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, Ralph admitted her career hasn\u2019t been easy, recalling one particularly shocking rejection where she was told she \u2018wasn\u2019t Black enough\u2019 for a role.<\/p>\n<p>The incident in question occurred in the 1980\u2019s, but Sheryl says that, even decades later, she can \u2018still remember the way I felt.’<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to <a href=\"https:\/\/people.com\/tv\/abbott-elementary-sheryl-lee-ralph-says-she-was-fired-from-tv-pilot-for-not-being-black-enough\/\">People<\/a>, Sheryl explained: \u2018I was fired from a pilot because the producer told me I was \u201cnot Black enough\u201d\u2018.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Those were his words. It was horrible. I can still remember the way I felt.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>She went on to say that, at the time, people\u2019s way of thinking was \u2018not very inclusive\u2019 and directors were trying to tell Black women \u2018how to be Black.’<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\">Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/submit-stuff\/\">Submit Stuff<\/a> page – we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>{“@context”:”https:\/\/schema.org”,”@type”:”VideoObject”,”name”:”Metro.co.uk”,”duration”:”T28S”,”thumbnailUrl”:”https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2025\/03\/05\/19\/95880807-0-image-a-20_1741202780620.jpg”,”uploadDate”:”2025-03-05T19:25:12+0000″,”description”:”A bold claim from the Abbott Elementary star.”,”contentUrl”:”https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2025\/03\/05\/7945386490251395329\/480x270_MP4_7945386490251395329.mp4″,”height”:270,”width”:480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’); var placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’); container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’); }); Sheryl Lee Ralph, one of the stars of hit show Abbott Elementary, has earned a … <a href=\"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/tv-star-sparks-backlash-after-claiming-sex-sells-when-winning-oscars\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> “TV star sparks backlash after claiming \u2018sex sells\u2019 when winning Oscars”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=962"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":968,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions\/968"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.isshicare.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}