Amber Riley swears she began singing at age 2 and hasn't stopped since. She auditioned at 17 for American Idol but was rejected. Ironically, she landed at FOX as diva Mercedes Jones on Glee and belted out the National Anthem (again on FOX) before Game 3 of the 2009 World Series. The La Mirada, CA, native honed her craft appearing in numerous theater productions, including Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Into the Woods, and Mystery on the Docks with the Los Angeles Opera. Riley first worked with Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy in 2002 when he cast her in his WB sitcom pilot St. Sass. Although the pilot wasn't picked up, the experience helped Riley land a part in the ensemble cast of Cedric the Entertainer Presents. She made her big-screen debut with the 2011 documentary Glee Live! In Concert! ~ Tim Holland, Rovi