Biography
Who is Amber Riley?
Early life and schooling
Amber Patrice Riley was born on February 15, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, Tiny Riley and Elwin Riley, divorced during her childhood. She grew up in Los Angeles with her two older sisters, Toiya and Ashley, and was raised primarily by her mother.
For her education, Amber attended La Mirada High School located in La Mirada, California. She successfully completed her secondary education there and graduated in 2004.
Glee and rise to fame
In 2008, Amber Riley was cast as Mercedes Jones in the Fox comedy-drama Glee. She remained a main cast member for five of the show's six seasons, receiving guest star credit during the fifth season. Her performance on the series included numerous solos such as Respect, Hate on Me, and a tribute version of I Will Always Love You.
While working on Glee, she earned nominations for three NAACP Image Awards and three Teen Choice Awards. She shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Her work on the show also led to a Grammy Award nomination as part of the cast.
Stage and television career
Amber Riley expanded her career into theatre, originating the lead role of Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls in 2016. Her performance earned her the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical Performance in 2017. She also appeared in Little Shop of Horrors at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2019.
Television audiences saw Amber compete on the seventeenth season of Dancing with the Stars in 2013, which she won while partnered with Derek Hough. She also won the eighth season of The Masked Singer in 2022 as the character Harp. Also, she provided the voice for the character Ursula in the Disney Jr. Series Ariel, earning a nomination for a Children's and Family Emmy Award.
Personal life and music
Amber Riley has released music under the mononym RILEY, including her self-titled EP released in 2020. She has also collaborated with other artists, forming the musical theatre supergroup Leading Ladies with Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson in 2017. Their album, Songs from the Stage, reached the top 20 of the UK Albums Chart.
Regarding her personal life, Amber announced an engagement to businessman Desean Black in 2020, but the pair ended their relationship in 2022. She has been in a relationship with photographer Scoobz since October 2022. She continues to work in film, including roles in Christmas Deja Vu and the Single Black Female trilogy.
Birthday and age
Amber Riley was born on February 15, 1986, which makes Amber 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Amber shares the date with 66 other famous people.
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