Inside Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Love Life: Her Two Husbands and Why She Lives Apart From Her Spouse
From her senator husband to her stylish daughter, here's the scoop on her supportive family
Key Takeaways
- Sheryl Lee Ralph has been married twice and has two kids with her first husband.
- Ralph and husband Vincent Hughes live apart but say their biweekly visits keep love strong.
- Daughter Ivy Coco works in fashion and has become Ralph's go-to red carpet stylist.
Everyone knows that Sheryl Lee Ralph, best known for Dreamgirls and Abbott Elementary, is an icon. But what they might not know is that behind her class, sass and talent are a very supportive husband and her two kids. But who are they exactly? And why is there so much conversation surrounding Lee Ralph and her husband? To get the answer to all of those questions, keep reading.
Get to know Sheryl Lee Ralph’s husbands
Over the course of her career, Ralph has been married twice. First to Eric Maurice, then to Vincent Hughes. You can learn more about them below.
Sheryl Lee Ralph’s first husband: Eric Maurice
From 1990 until 2001, Ralph was married to Eric. Details about their relationship do remain a mystery, but what we do know is that during that 11 year period they welcomed two children: Etienne Maurice and Ivy-Victoria Maurice.
Following their divorce, Ralph and Eric continued to co-parent their kids, but there is little information on how that worked.
Sheryl Lee Ralph’s current husband: Vincent Hughes
In the aftermath of her split from Eric, Ralph married Pennsylvania senator Vincent Hughes in July 2005. They currently live apart—he resides in Pennsylvania and she lives in Los Angeles—but according to Ralph, that hasn’t affected their relationship at all.
“Every two weeks we see each other, and it has continued to work out well. When I go to see him, I love to see him. When it’s time to leave, ‘bye-bye. See you soon.’ I’m telling you, life is good,” the actress explained to People magazine in January 2025. “He has his own life. I have my own life. He has his own real career, I have my own real career. He has his light to stand in, I have my light to stand in. He is not looking at me thinking about status or this or that. He’s doing his thing. I get to do my thing, so it’s all good. It is all good.”
Despite that, people are still worried that the separation isn’t great for their relationship. Ralph shut down those rumors, though, telling the outlet, “You fall in love with somebody and you realize he’s not leaving his career. He’s not leaving Philadelphia. I’m not leaving Hollywood.”
Get to know Sheryl Lee Ralph’s kids
As noted, Ralph has two kids—Etienne and Ivy-Victoria—which she shares with her ex-husband.
Etienne was born in 1992, and currently works as the president and founder of the production company WalkGood Productions as well as his nonprofit WalkGood L.A. He’s married to a woman named Stephanie Wash, whom Ralph loves.
“I am so blessed and happy to see my son find and marry such a smart and beautiful partner who has added so much to his life. It fills my heart with overwhelming joy and happiness,” Ralph told People. “It is as if all the love and good vibes in the world have come together in this spectacular moment, blessing their union with boundless hope and endless possibilities. And grandchildren, too!”
Ralph’s daughter, Ivy-Victoria, who goes by Ivy Coco, was born in 1995. She currently works in fashion, and has even styled her mother for a variety of events.
“It started as something we were going to do just a few times,” the actress said, according to People. “But every time I had to hit the red carpet, she just kept getting better and better at it. So, now we work together.”
Along with styling, Ivy Coco serves as the the creative director of her grandmother’s atelier, The House of Ivy, and the president for her brother’s organization WalkGood L.A. She is 31 years old and believed to be single.
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