Sherri Shepherd, 59, made a striking appearance at the red carpet premiere of her new Lifetime movie, "Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story," in New York City on Wednesday night. The actress showcased her 50-pound weight loss from 2021 in a strapless, beaded royal blue gown featuring floor-grazing tassels.
She coordinated her makeup with the ensemble, opting for blue-toned eyeliner. The dress hugged her slim figure, complemented by pointed-toe blue heels.
Shepherd's new film centers on Genelle Guzman-McMillan, the final survivor rescued from the World Trade Center following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Guzman-McMillan was reportedly buried for 27 hours under 13 feet of debris.
"It was truly an honor bringing to life Genelle Guzman-McMillan’s journey of being buried alive for 27 hours to finding her purpose and an unshakeable faith," Shepherd told Hello Beautiful. She added that the film explores how Guzman-McMillan found God after her ordeal.
Shepherd has previously spoken about her weight loss journey, detailing her efforts in an Instagram post five years prior. At that time, she attributed her significant weight loss to finding "peace" and making other life changes. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2007, Shepherd began prioritizing her health more seriously in 2018. This shift followed two custody battles for her sons.
She described her self-improvement process as including removing negativity, getting consistent sleep, meditating, and seeking therapy to process emotional pain and foster forgiveness. Increased water intake and walking were also credited as contributing factors, with Shepherd stating, "Peace makes the weight fall off."
Earlier in the year, Shepherd's talk show concluded after four seasons. Lionsgate's Debmar-Mercury released a statement indicating the decision was due to the evolving daytime television landscape, emphasizing that it did not reflect on the show's quality or Shepherd's talent. The statement also expressed an intention to explore alternative platforms for the show. Shepherd's talk show premiered in the fall of 2022, taking over the time slot previously occupied by "The Wendy Williams Show."