Sherri Shepherd turned 54 this month, and to celebrate a new year of life, she decided to do a Hollywood glam-inspired photo shoot that she shared with PEOPLE, paying homage to Black women icons.
“This photo shoot was influenced by some of the powerful & trailblazing women that paved the way for women of color in Hollywood,” she says. “These women were risk takers and forever cemented as icons. In a moment of gratitude and in an effort to pay homage to so many of the leading ladies I stand on the shoulders of, for my birthday this year, I decided to do this classic Hollywood-themed photo shoot in the spirit of Dorothy Dandridge, Hattie McDaniel, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll and so many others.”
She adds, “Black Girl Magic started long before social media and well before that hashtag was trendy, and I’m grateful for all the women who paved the way for me to make the magic continue.”
But her birthday and the legends who came before her weren’t the only thing the comedian, radio personality and actress was celebrating. As previously mentioned, Shepherd revealed that she’s lost 20 pounds, five more than the goal she set when she partnered with weight-loss company Healthy Wage. She did all of this during the pandemic.
She said of her wellness journey, it’s been one of “mental self talk… believing in my worth… knowing my son Jeffrey needs his Momma healthy & whole and wanting to live a life filled w joy. I’ve shed tears because I relied on sugar & carbs (the bad ones), cookies & candy to get me through but In changing my lifestyle and my relationship to food, I love the way I feel.”
An added perk of living well, Shepherd also loves the way she looks. Check out the stunning images of the star in her old Hollywood shoot below.
