Sheryl Hoover

Overview… a working mother who is constantly, and understandably, stressed. Sheryl’s second husband, Richard, spends all his time unsuccessfully trying to make it as a motivational speaker, and depends on her to support the family and raise the children. Sheryl is a firm believer in the importance of family and is doing everything she can to make sure that the Hoovers stay together – but her best efforts don’t seem to be enough. She fights constantly with Richard, her son Dwyane has taken a vow of silence and won’t speak to her, Richard’s live-in father Edwin won’t stop doing heroin, and her brother Frank has just been released into her custody after he tried to kill himself. The difficult work of maintaining peace in the family becomes even harder when she discovers that due to a combination of logistical and financial issues the entire household will have to travel 700 miles to California so Olive can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine Beauty Pageant. The trip will test each member of the family and maybe even give them the opportunity to fix their family – or give up on it for good.

Personality… level-headed, pragmatic, and responsible. Sheryl Hoover is a good but often overwhelmed mom tasked with managing a very unconventional family. But she’s the most normal person in the family and does her best to rein in the powerful personalities that precipitate the constant conflict between the Hoovers.