Amber Riley

Amber Patrice Riley (born February 15, 1986), 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 which 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 Glee cast, Riley charted over 200 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2016, Riley originated the lead role of Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls.