Tia Mowry Celebrates How Sheryl Lee Ralph's Words 'Inspired' Her: 'Her Spirit Truly Shines Through'
Mowry posted an Instagram clip of herself Friday, soundtracked by Ralph's 2023 Critics Choice Awards speech
Sheryl Lee Ralph has a longtime fan in Tia Mowry!
Mowry, 45, shared a touching post in honor of her former Instant Mom costar on Instagram Friday, in which she detailed how Ralph, 67, has continued to inspire her nearly 9 years after their Nick at Nite sitcom ended.
In a video shared, Mowry gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her morning routine, all while soundtracked by Ralph's memorable 2023 Critics Choice Awards speech.
"I had the honor of working with @thesherylleeralph, where she played my mom in the show, Instant Mom, and her spirit truly shines through every moment you are with her," Mowry wrote in her caption. "Her words have inspired me greatly, especially as I’ve been learning to prioritize my self-image over others’ opinions of me."
"At the end of the day, I’ve learned that I need to make peace with myself, and that may involve setting boundaries that other people may not appreciate," she added. "But as long as I can see my growth and be proud of the person I am becoming, that is all that matters 💕."
Related: Tia Mowry Speaks on Whether Her Children Will Follow in Her Footsteps: 'I Don't See it Happening'
The speech that Mowry chose for her Instagram clip was pulled from the January 2023 award show, where Ralph earned the award for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her work as Barbara Howard in Abbott Elementary.
During the heartfelt moment, after Ralph saluted the late Sidney Poitier, she left viewers with a powerful message that seemingly still resonates with Mowry over a year later: "To all of you watching, come close to the screen and listen," she said. "People don't have to like you, people don't have to love you, people don't even have to respect you. But when you look in the mirror, you better love what you see!"
Mowry and Ralph's Instant Mom ran for three seasons on both Nickelodeon's NickMom block and later on TV Land from 2013 to 2015.
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Mowry is a mom of her own, sharing son Cree, 12, and daughter Cairo, 5, with ex-husband Cory Hardrict. Earlier this month, she updated fans about a "healing" family trip to Thailand where she enjoyed "a moment of peace, healing and growth" with her two children.
"I feel like I have learned so much about who I am and who I want to be," Mowry wrote at the time. "As women, we’re taught to be selfless, but I have been unpacking this concept and realize that we will never truly feel whole when we aim to be less of ourselves."
"Despite the challenges of the past few years, I am immensely grateful to my support system, my community, my people for steadfastly standing by me," she added. "They’ve played a huge role in my journey. To all my community, thank you — I love you dearly!"
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