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Amber Riley
American actress and singer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Amber Patrice Riley[1] (born February 15, 1986)[2] sometimes known mononymously as Riley (stylized in all caps), is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee (2009–2015). For her performance on the series, she was nominated for three NAACP Image Awards, and won a shared Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. As a member of the cast, Riley charted over 200 entries on the Billboard Hot 100,[3] and was nominated for a Grammy Award.[4]
In 2016, Riley originated the lead role of Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls.[5] For her work, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical and Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical Performance in 2017.[5][6]
She's the winner of the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars (2013).[7] In 2017, Riley appeared as a judge on BBC One musical theatre talent show Let It Shine and formed a musical theatre supergroup with Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson, known collectively as Leading Ladies and signed to East West Records/Warner. Their debut album, Songs from the Stage, was released on November 17, 2017. She also participated on the American and British versions of The Masked Singer, winning the 8th season of the American version, and being a finalist in the 4th season of the British version.
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Early life
Riley was born in Los Angeles County, California. Her parents, Tiny Riley (née Hightower) and Elwin Riley, divorced when she was a child. She was raised primarily by her mother, along with her two older sisters, Toiya and Ashley.[8] Riley auditioned for American Idol when she was 17 years old, during the show's second season, but was turned down by the producers.[9] She graduated from La Mirada High School in La Mirada, California in 2004.[8][10]
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Career
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2009–2019: Breakthrough with Glee, Dreamgirls and other appearances
In 2008, Riley was cast in the role of Mercedes Jones on the comedy-drama television series Glee, and appeared as a main cast member for all but one of the six seasons—she received guest star credit during season 5.[11] Riley performed numerous solos throughout the series' run, including "Respect", "Bust Your Windows", "Hate on Me", "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", "Beautiful", "Bridge over Troubled Water", "I Look to You", "Ain't No Way", "Try a Little Tenderness", "Spotlight", "All I Want for Christmas Is You" and, three days after Whitney Houston's death, performed a tribute version of "I Will Always Love You". She also played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the episode "The Rocky Horror Glee Show", singing the lead on the song "Sweet Transvestite" to generally positive reviews from critics.[12][13]
For her role as Mercedes Jones, Riley won a Screen Actors Guild Award and received nominations for a Grammy Award, three NAACP Image Awards and three Teen Choice Awards.
Riley appeared at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards and later sang the national anthem at the 2012 Democratic National Convention.[14] She also co-wrote a track titled "Leave a Light On" for British group The Saturdays, which is featured on their album Living for the Weekend.[15] Riley's debut single, "Colorblind", premiered live on April 3, 2014, on The Queen Latifah Show. The song was written by Emeli Sandé, Claude Kelly and Steve Mac. It was expected to be the lead single off her debut album.[16] The song was performed by Riley in the fifth season episode Bash of Glee and was released on the episode’s EP on April 8, 2014. In 2015, it was reported that Riley would star in a Christmas television film, her first movie role, and her first acting role, since Glee.[17] In December 2015, she portrayed Addaperle, the Good Witch of the North, in NBC's live performance of The Wiz.[18] In 2016 Riley recorded two tracks for Todrick Hall's visual album Straight Outta Oz.[19][20] Also in 2016 she performed the national anthem at the second game of the 2016 NHL Stadium Series featuring the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field. In 2019, she took on the role of Audrey II, the carnivorous singing plant, in Little Shop of Horrors at Pasadena Playhouse.[21]
Dancing with the Stars
In 2013, Riley won the seventeenth season of ABC's dancing competition Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with the show's one and only six-time champion, Derek Hough.[22] Riley and Hough tied the record for highest first-week score of 27, received 5 perfect scores of 30, and only received a score lower than 8 one time. Riley is the first and only African-American woman to win Dancing with the Stars.[23]
- Performances
Dreamgirls and other works in London
In February 2016, it was announced that Riley would portray the lead role of Effie White in Dreamgirls at Savoy Theatre, marking the West End's first production of the musical and beginning performances in November 2016. The adaptation included a duet version of “Listen” with revised lyrics.[24] Riley received widespread critical acclaim for her performance,[25][26][27] earning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2017,[28] as well as the Evening Standard Theatre Award[29] and a WhatsOnStage Award.[30]
Due to its success, the Dreamgirls run at the Savoy Theatre was extended through October 2017,[31] and a live cast recording of the West End production was released in May 2017.[32]
While still in London, in 2017, Riley teamed up with British singers Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson to form the musical theatre supergroup Leading Ladies. Their debut album, Songs from the Stage, was released on November 17, 2017 and features cover songs from Cats, Beautiful, Rent, and other stage productions.[33]
2020–present: EP RILEY and other works
On February 28, 2020, Riley confirmed she had finished recording songs for her debut extended play (EP).[34] She announced that she would be performing under the name "Riley" (stylized in all caps as "RILEY") and released the single "A Moment" on September 4, 2020.[35][36] "BGE" (initialism for big girl energy) was released as the second single from the EP on September 18, alongside its music video.[37] Her self-titled EP, RILEY, was released on October 2, 2020, featuring a total of six tracks. On October 8, 2020 she released a music video for the track "Creepin'".[38]
In 2021, Riley starred as the lead character in the BET+ film Christmas Déjà Vu, in which she plays "a woman with a downtrodden life who hates Christmas and longs for the life she could have had as a singer. She meets an angel who grants her wish."[39] Riley also starred in the Lifetime thriller trilogy Single Black Female, inspired by the 1992 film Single White Female. She plays Simone Hicks, an assistant who becomes an obsessive and dangerous stalker. The films were released in 2022, 2024 and 2025, and Riley also served as an executive producer in the two sequels.[40][41][42]
In 2022, Riley competed in season eight of The Masked Singer as "Harp" and won the season.[43] In 2023, she competed as "Jellyfish" on the fourth season of The Masked Singer UK and finished in fourth place.[44]
In February 2023, Riley announced that her solo debut album would be released later that year.[45] As of October 2025, the album is yet to be announced. In October 2023, she featured as a judge on the British reality talent competition Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, which was filmed in Corfu, Greece.[46][47]
Since 2024, Riley has voiced the character Ursula in the Disney Jr. animated series Ariel.[48] The series was renewed for a second season in June 2025.[49]
In September 2025, The CW announced a slate of original films based on Harlequin romance novels. Riley stars as the title character in Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell, set to premiere on November 30, 2025.[50]
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Personal life
In November 2020, Riley announced her engagement to businessman Desean Black.[51] After 2 years, in April 2022, she confirmed the end of the relationship.[52]
As of 2025, Riley has been in a relationship with photographer known professionally as Scoobz for three years.[53]
Filmography
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Stage
Discography
Extended plays
Singles
Guest appearances
Soundtrack appearances
- Glee: The Music, Volume 1 (2009)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 2 (2009)
- Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna (2010)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers (2010)
- Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals (2010)
- Glee: The Music, The Complete Season One (2010)
- Glee: The Music, Best of Season One (2010)
- Glee: The Music, The Rocky Horror Glee Show (2010)
- Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album(2010)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 4 (2010)
- Glee: The Music, Love Songs (2010)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 5 (2011)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 6 (2011)
- Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2011)
- Glee: The Music, Dance Party (2011)
- Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2 (2011)
- Glee: The Music, Volume 7 (2011)
- Glee: The Music, The Graduation Album (2012)
- Glee: The Music, The Complete Season Two (2012)
- Glee: The Music, The Complete Season Three (2012)
- Glee: The Music Presents Glease (2012)
- Glee: The Quarterback (2013)
- Glee: The Music, The Complete Season Four (2014)
- Glee: The Music - Celebrating 100 Episodes (2014)
- Glee: The Music, Bash (2014)
- Glee: The Music, Tested (2014)
- Glee: The Music, Opening Night (2014)
- Glee: The Music, The Back Up Plan (2014)
- Glee: The Music, Old Dog, New Tricks (2014)
- Glee: The Music, The Untitled Rachel Barry Project (2014)
- Glee: The Music, Homecoming (2015)
- Glee: The Music, What the World Needs Now is Love (2015)
- Glee: The Music, Transitioning (2015)
- Glee: The Music, A Wedding (2015)
- Glee: The Music, 2009 (2015)
- Glee: The Music, Dreams Come True (2015)
- The Wiz Live! (2015)
- Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Season 1, Vol. 2) (2016)
- Dreamgirls (Original London Cast Recording) (2017)
- The Little Mermaid Live! (2019)
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Awards and nominations
- Shared with Cory Monteith, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Mark Salling and Naya Rivera
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References
External links
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