Amber Riley

Amber Riley, born on February 15, 1986, is a multifaceted American talent known for her work as an actress, singer, and songwriter. She gained widespread recognition for her role as Mercedes Jones on the acclaimed Fox series Glee, which aired from 2009 to 2015. Her performance earned her three nominations for the NAACP Image Awards and a shared Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. During her time on Glee, Riley contributed to over 200 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and received a Grammy Award nomination.

In 2016, Riley made her mark in the theatre world by originating the lead role of Effie White in the West End production of Dreamgirls. Her outstanding performance garnered her the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical Performance in 2017. This achievement solidified her status as a leading figure in musical theatre.

Riley's talents extend beyond acting and singing; she showcased her dancing skills by winning the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2013. In 2017, she formed a musical theatre supergroup called Leading Ladies, alongside Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson. Their album, Songs from the Stage, was released on November 17, 2017, and successfully debuted within the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.

Additionally, Riley has participated in both the American and British versions of The Masked Singer, triumphing in the eighth season of the American show and finishing as a finalist in the fourth season of the British version. She also lends her voice to the character Ursula in the Disney Jr. animated series Ariel, earning a nomination for the Children's and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice Performer in a Preschool Program.