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Amber Riley

Amber Riley

Actor, also producer · Born February 15, 1986 (40) · Los Angeles, California, USA

Amber Patrice Riley (born February 15, 1986) is an American actress and singer best known for her role on the series Glee as Mercedes Jones.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 15, 1986 (40)
From
Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 22 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 6% in 30 days

What are Amber Riley's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 26th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Bonds
25%
Society
23%
Morality
18%
Ideas
6%
Survival
2%
Power
1%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 7 · Serious 3 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 7 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 5 of 9 analyzed roles.

Shadow
5 of 9
Hero
2 of 9
Ally
2 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
9
Warm
7
Tense
5
Hopeful
4
Melancholic
4
Other
11

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Amber Riley's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Amber Riley's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

22 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Savvy Sheldon(2025)

    as Savannah 'Savvy' Sheldon

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Single Black Female 3: The Final Chapter(2025)

    Executive Producer · as Simone

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Disney Jr.'s Ariel(2024)

    Show 59 episodes · as Ursula (voice)

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all shows

  • Single Black Female 2: Simone's Revenge(2024)

    Producer · as Simone

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Single Black Female 2: Simone's Revenge(2024)

    Producer · as Simone Harris

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Monster High(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Catty Noir (voice)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all shows

  • The Jennifer Hudson Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Single Black Female(2022)

    as Simone Hicks

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Déjà Vu(2021)

    as Kandi

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Infamous(2020)

    as Elle

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Little Mermaid Live!(2019)

    as "Daughters of Triton" Emcee

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • A Black Lady Sketch Show(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · as Britnaye · as Fantasia · as Lori

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • The Masked Singer(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Harp

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Nobody's Fool(2018)

    as Kalli

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Drop the Mic(2017)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • Straight Outta OZ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • The Wiz Live!(2015)

    as Addaperle

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • One Christmas Wish(2015)

    as Jackie Turner

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Ex-Girlfriend(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Dream Ghost #2

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Glee: The 3D Concert Movie(2011)

    as Mercedes Jones

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Glee(2009)

    Show 113 episodes · as Mercedes Jones

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Aiesha (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 21 titles from 1989 to 2025; peak year 2019.

Biggest box office

Nobody's Fool (2018)

$34M worldwide

Highest rated

The Wiz Live! (2015)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

Glee (2009)

Film career

19892025

Peak 2019 · at the high point of their film career. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting21 of 21: 20 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score38thProducing1 of 21: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · acting2000s1 · acting2010s10 · acting2020s9 · 9 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Amber Riley's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 38th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive6
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Disney Jr.'s Ariel (2024)

99th percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Wiz Live! (2015)

Midcredits 82nd · 72% liked

Reviewers score the acting 48/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 70, detractors 28. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Amber Riley's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 28 · mildMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 42 · moderateMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 71 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 54 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 20 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Amber Riley work with?

People who share at least 2 of Amber Riley's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Sa'Rah Jones shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers