Emmy award-winning Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph is ecstatic that her HIV/AIDS documentary Unexpected has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, marking 51 years of the awards.
Produced by Ralph and directed by Zeberiah Newman, it was a documentary on women of color in the South living with HIV/AIDS.
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Hulu’s streaming service premiered Unexpected on December 1, 2023, World Aids Day.
It is up for nomination in the excellent daytime special category alongside the following programs: recipe for Change: honoring black males (Springhill), Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (ABC), and Culture Quest – Ukraine (CBS).
The theme tune, “Unexpected Truth,” is up for Outstanding Original tune in the nomination process. Shine (from General Hospital on ABC) and We’re Home (from Reconnecting Roots on PBS) are the other candidates in this category.
Ralph shared a photo on her official Instagram page, saying: “Our documentary short Unexpected has just been nominated for 2 Daytime Emmy Awards! Best Daytime Special and Best Song! God is Good! I am so grateful to my director Zeberiah Newman, and to the amazing women we profiled, CiCi Covin and Masonia Taylor, two black women living with HIV in the rural South, who have channeled their struggles into purpose and activism. Thank you to B Slade, who crafted the score Unexpected Truth for the film, we did it!!”
The post further noted: “For decades I’ve dedicated my platform to shining a light on HIV awareness. And Unexpected is an important story about the health disparities, especially those affecting vulnerable communities, that we strive to tell.”
Ralph has always been the recipient of praise. She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination earlier this year for her work in Abbott Elementary under the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
In 2022, she took home the category’s prize. Unexpectedly had its world premiere at the 2023 Essence Film Festival, and took home the Silver Telly Award, an Award of Excellence from the IMPACT Docs Awards and The Accolade Global Film Competition. Additionally, it has screened at the Cleveland Film Festival, The Women’s Film Festival, the Detroit Black Film Festival, the Black Women Film Network, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, and the DC Black Film Festival.
On June 7, the Westin Bonaventure in Los Angeles, California, will host the Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony. The CBS broadcast will be live.
