Amber Riley
USABiography of Amber Riley
Amber Patrice Riley was born on February 15, 1986, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. She is an American actress and singer, best known for her role as Mercedes Jones in the series "Glee." In the show, her character is a stylish high school student who aspires to be a star.
Early Years
Amber Riley auditioned for the talent competition "American Idol," but her candidacy was rejected by the producers. She graduated from La Mirada Roadhouse High School in La Mirada, California, in 2004.
Acting Career
In 2007, Riley auditioned for the role of Effie White in the musical "Dreamgirls," but she was deemed too young for the part. She appeared at the annual MTV Video Music Awards ceremony on September 12, 2010. Currently, she portrays the character of Mercedes in the hit series "Glee." She has performed solo numerous times on the show, singing songs such as "Bust Your Windows," "Hate on Me," "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "Beautiful," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "I Look to You."
Family and Other Projects
Amber's mother, Tiny, made an appearance in the 15th episode of the first season of "Glee," where Mercedes dances in the song "Like A Prayer." Alongside the ensemble cast of the show, Riley received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
In addition to her role in "Glee," Amber can be seen as Toby in the sitcom "St. Sass" by Gerry Cohen. She has also lent her voice to the character Aisha in an episode of "The Simpsons" titled "Elementary School Musical" (2010).
