‘You Have Never Seen Her Husband One Time’: Sheryl Lee Ralph Says She’s Like Dolly Parton In Comparing Her Marriage to Country Star’s
While the world expects celebrities to live their entire lives in the spotlight, some choose a different path. For actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, that path involves a marriage that thrives on understanding, and a deliberate choice to keep some aspects of her life beautifully private.
Ralph and Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes have been married for nearly 20 years despite living on opposite sides of the world.
With pressures all around hoping to persuade the “Abbott Elementary” actress to share more of her personal life with her husband with fans, Ralph is noting another trailblazing woman who’s mastered the art of a low-profile marriage: Dolly Parton.
At the recent Out100 Event, Ralph opened up about her marriage to Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes, a partnership that has continued to develop despite her living in California.
“My husband and I are technically very married,” the Emmy winner told People. ““And people always say, ‘Well, how does that work? How does that work?”
During the chat, she shared that Parton’s 50-year marriage to Carl Thomas Dean, which has been famously shielded from the public eye, is an excellent example of how her type of marriage can not only work but thrive.
“Dolly Parton knows how it works,” Ralph explained. “She’s been married for 50 years. You have never seen her husband one time. You know why? ‘Cause they plan on staying married. And guess what we plan on? Staying married.”
Parton herself has shared her strategy for marital longevity while discussing her relationship with Dean in an interview with AXS TV.
“We met 50 years ago this May. We’ve been married for 48 years,” she said in September 2024. “That’s a long time. He’s a good guy and we have a great understanding of each other. We’re great friends.”
Parton added, “We’re different, but we’re so compatible.”
The country legend has even joked about her husband’s elusive presence, saying some doubt his very existence. The “9 to 5” singer told the story of when Dean accompanied her to a dinner to celebrate her BMI award for the Song of the Year. While there, she said Dean declared he wasn’t interested in attending Hollywood functions again.
“He was absolutely miserable, and on the way to the car from the dinner … he said, ‘I want you to do really well, and I really do, and I don’t mind what you do. But I ain’t never going to more of them damn things, so don’t even ask me,’” she said.
Parton has said that distance also keeps her marriage to Dean thriving, telling E! News’ Keltie Knight that the key to having a successful marriage is to not spend too much time together.
Meanwhile, Hughes often appears alongside his wife at red carpet events and he proudly praises Ralph’s accomplishments on social media. Their marriage works because they’ve embraced their unique circumstances. Their bi-coastal relationship demands compromises, with Ralph regularly traveling to Pennsylvania.
“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,” Ralph revealed to The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2022.
Hughes and the “Moesha” star, who tied the knot in 2005, are preparing for a major milestone — 20 years of marriage in July 2025. Ralph is already envisioning a grand celebration in Hughes’ home state.
“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 shared.
When asked about the secrets behind their enduring bond, Ralph doesn’t hold back, saying, “Our business is in the bedroom. Thank you!”
In a world obsessed with celebrity relationships, Ralph and Parton’s unions defy traditional norms.
As the “Sister Act 2” actress prepares for her milestone anniversary, her marriage, like Parton’s, challenges outdated notions of what a successful marriage should look like, proving that love doesn’t always have to be on display to thrive.