Amber Riley is an American television actress and singer who has a co-starring role on the FOX television series, Glee, a musical show about a high school glee club. Born Amber Patrice Riley in Los Angeles, California on February 15, 1986, Riley was raised in the town of La Mirada, California.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3232025/ http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20367254,00.html

Riley attended La Mirada High School where she sang in the choir. The school did not have a glee club.http://www.fancast.com/people/Amber-Riley/2224776/biography/about Riley was working at Ikea during the day and singing backup vocals at Los Angeles area nightclubs at night when she was given the chance to audition for Glee and won her role on the show.http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20367254,00.html

Amber Riley began singing at the age of 2. Once her mother deemed her old enough to receive professional voice training, she signed Amber up for voice lessons. http://www.fancast.com/people/Amber-Riley/2224776/biography/about Amber gained acting and musical experience performing with the Los Angeles Opera in such productions as Alice in Wonderland, Into the Woods, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Mystery on the Docks.http://www.womensconference.org/amber-riley/

Riley’s first chance at a professional career began when she auditioned for American Idol at the age of 17. However, he did not make it past the first rounds of auditions. In 2002, Ryan Murphy cast Amber in the television pilot for his show, St. Sass.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3232025/ The pilot was never picked up, but Riley was then cast with a role on Cedric the Entertainer Presents.http://www.tv.com/amber-riley/person/639834/summary.html

In 2008, she auditioned for Ryan Murphy again, this time for a role on the television show, Glee. She was cast as Mercedes Jones. Riley and the rest of the cast were awarded a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2010 for their work on the show.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3232025/awards

"We had a musical family. We'd put on plays and sing songs."— on her familyhttp://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20367254,00.html

"I heard about Glee at the end of the audition process, I went in initially thinking the role was more of a background gig and soon learned it was a co-starring role! Everything happened so fast and I'm blessed to be a part of something so influential to young people and to be having so much fun living a part of my dream!"— on her role on TV's Gleehttp://www.youngfatandfabulous.com/2009/10/exclusive-interview-with-amber-riley.html

"I actually noticed it more when I was younger which is why I stopped, it was getting to my self-esteem. But once I learned I am not my dress size and to never let anyone put me in a box, I was more content with being myself and letting the world see my light shine."— on pressure regarding her weighthttp://www.fancast.com/people/Amber-Riley/2224776/biography/about

"I believe Mercedes and I share the same love of color! I love being bright and vibrant and colorful! I like to say I'm Mercedes all grown up, she's more hip hop than me for sure."— on her character, "Mercedes Jones"http://www.youngfatandfabulous.com/2009/10/exclusive-interview-with-amber-riley.html