Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Plans for Her 20th Wedding Anniversary with Husband Vincent Hughes: 'It'll Be Wonderful' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vincent Hughes attend the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Photo:Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

Sheryl Lee Ralphis feeling “blessed and happy” as she and husbandVincent Hughesapproach their 20th wedding anniversary next year.

On Friday, Sept. 13, theAbbott Elementarystar, 67, spoke with PEOPLE at the 76th Emmy Awards Performers Nominee Celebration in Los Angeles about what the couple has planned for their milestone anniversary in 2025.

Ralph and the Pennsylvania state senator, also 67, will mark the special occasion on July 30, 2025 — 20 years after tying the knot in 2005. “I’m married to the senator and I’m so blessed and happy as we get ready to celebrate 20 years next year,” Ralph says.

“Well, his state is Pennsylvania, his city is Philadelphia. Maybe [we’ll celebrate] in the courtyard of city hall or on the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. That would be wonderful,” she adds. “I don’t know, but it’ll be fabulous.”

Asked if she has a larger celebration in mind for the anniversary, Ralph replies, “Absolutely.”

“Why go small?” she says. “Big party.”

Sheryl Lee Ralph attends the 76th Emmys Performer Nominee Celebration on Sept. 13, 2024 at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills.Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty

Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty

Ralph and Hughes tied the knot in 2005 during a ceremony at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles. Previously, the Emmy winner spoke with thePhiladelphia Inquirerabouthow she frequently goes to Philadelphia to spend time with her husband given his line of work.

“First of all, 20 years, keeping this marriage together, you have to be together some time,” she told the outlet in 2022.“Vincent is not able to leave the state the way I can leave the state. In fact, in 20 years of our being together, I’m going to say my husband has been in California maybe 25 times. That means I’m in Philadelphia every two weeks.”

Sheryl Lee Ralph and Vincent Hughes in 2013.Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty

Speaking with PEOPLE in July 2024,Abbott Elementarycostar Lisa Ann Walter said she admires Ralph’s family and relationship with Hughes. “Sheryl has a beautiful familyand a beautiful support system in her entire family,” Walter, 61, said. “Her husband is a doll. He’s very smart, and she has a great relationship with him.”

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Also this week, Ralph attended the PEOPLE x IHG Hotel & Resorts Conversation withAbbott Elementaryat the Kimpton Everly Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, Sept. 12, and she dished on the series and the future of characters Janine Teagues and Gregory Eddie.

“They need therapy, therapy, therapy!” said Ralph — who stars as Barbara Howard — before later revealing what went through her mind when she watched the season 3 finale kiss between actorsQuinta BrunsonandTyler James Williams.

“I was just like, ‘I can’t watch it!I can’t watch it!’ I had to move away from the screen because it was like a mother looking at your grown children doing grown things," Ralph joked to PEOPLE. “And I can’t see it! I remember thinking they’re going to do the zambohoochies. It’s going to be something. And I just think about that and I’m just like, ‘Oh my God, my kids are growing up.’ It made me nervous.”

Season 4 ofAbbott Elementarypremieres on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 9:30 pm on ABC.

source: people.com