Sheryl Lee Ralph is looking back on her time working with Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and her memories paint a picture of a young performer destined for stardom.
During a recent career retrospective interview with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Ralph recalled meeting Hill while filming the 1993 musical comedy. Hill was just 16 years old at the time, but Ralph said her confidence and talent already stood out among the cast.
“My god, to meet a 16-year-old Lauryn Hill. This was a young woman just overflowing, brimming with talent and confidence,” Ralph said.
“You know, I thought I was confident. No, Lauryn Hill was confident with a capital ‘C.’”
The actress portrayed Florence Watson, the strict mother of Hill’s character, Rita Watson, in the film. The sequel starred Whoopi Goldberg as Deloris Van Cartier, who returns to help a struggling Catholic school and its choir. The movie has since become a fan favorite, especially for its memorable musical performances.
A Standout Moment on Set
Ralph also recalled witnessing a spontaneous musical moment between Hill and fellow cast member Tanya Blount. The pair began singing the gospel standard “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” between takes.
“And I’m like, ‘Wow, this has got to be in the movie, right?’” Ralph said. “And it ends up in the movie.”
The song became one of the film’s most celebrated scenes and remains closely associated with Hill’s early career. Many fans point to the performance as an early glimpse of the artistry that would later define her music career.
Hill’s role in Sister Act 2 arrived before she became a global music star. At the time, she was still balancing acting and music while developing plans for her future.
According to Ralph, Hill was already thinking far beyond the movie set.
Predicting a Future in Music
Ralph said Hill shared her ambitions during a conversation after rehearsal.
“But after the rehearsal, I’m sitting there, and Lauryn says to me, ‘Miss Ralph, I’m gonna have a band, and it’s going to be called The Fugees,’” Ralph recalled.
“And I was — this is me in my head — ‘Sweetheart, I know you’re going to have a band, but that name you might want to rethink.’”
History would prove Hill right.
The Fugees, formed with Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel, became one of the most influential groups of the 1990s. Their 1996 album The Score produced major hits including “Ready or Not” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.” The album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and helped establish Hill as one of music’s most important voices.
Hill later achieved even greater success as a solo artist with The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a landmark release that earned widespread acclaim and multiple Grammy Awards.
More than three decades after Sister Act 2 premiered, Ralph’s reflections offer a reminder that some stars reveal themselves early. Long before the awards, chart-topping albums and cultural influence, Hill had already made an impression on those around her.