Sheryl Lee Ralph Opens Up About Living Separately from Husband Vincent Hughes

Sheryl Lee Ralph, the Emmy-winning star of “Abbott Elementary,” has revealed the secret to her nearly 20-year marriage to Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes: living apart. The couple, who married in 2005, have maintained a successful relationship despite residing on opposite coasts, with Ralph in Hollywood and Hughes in Philadelphia.

Ralph, 69, shared details of their unique arrangement in a recent interview with PEOPLE. “I’m very fortunate. The man that I am married to is Senator Vincent Hughes, seventh Senatorial district of Pennsylvania,” she said. “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.”

The actress explained that their decision to live separately stemmed from their respective careers and family obligations. Ralph, who shares two children with her ex-husband Eric Maurice, emphasized the challenges of balancing personal and professional lives. “When you have children, it’s very difficult,” she said.

To make their relationship work, the couple established a routine of seeing each other every two weeks. “Every two weeks we saw each other, and it has continued to work out well,” Ralph said. “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.”

Ralph highlighted the benefits of their arrangement, noting that both she and Hughes have thriving careers and independent lives. “He has his own life. I have my own life. He has his own real career, I have my own real career,” she said. “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.”

Communication has been key to their enduring marriage. Ralph credited her ability to address issues directly as a lesson learned from her previous divorce. “I’ve evolved into [saying], ‘Let’s talk about it.’ If you sit in problems, you get anxious, depressed, and all the juiciness in life starts to dry up,” she said. “I can’t have that, because all of that will mess with my good looks!”

The couple will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in July 2025. Ralph compared their relationship to that of Dolly Parton and her husband, Carl Dean, who have been married for over 50 years while maintaining a private life. “Dolly Parton knows how it works,” Ralph said. “She’s been married for 50 years. You have never seen her husband one time. You know why? Because they plan on staying married.”

Ralph and Hughes’ story offers a refreshing perspective on modern relationships, proving that love can thrive even when partners live thousands of miles apart.