About this episodeAmber Riley discusses her journey from a religious upbringing to becoming a Glee cast member, highlighting how…AI summary
Amber Riley discusses her journey from a religious upbringing to becoming a Glee cast member, highlighting how the show humanized diverse communities for her. She shares specific anecdotes about her audition process, her role as a villain in 'Single Black Female', and her philosophy on relationships, emphasizing the importance of personal space and high standards.
Key takeaways 5
Glee's impact on Riley's worldview: Riley attributes her openness and allyship to her time on Glee, stating that working with diverse casts humanized people for her, moving beyond stereotypes to see individuals who 'breathe and live, walk, talk, love... just like I do.'
Audition strategy for breaking stereotypes: Ryan Murphy advised Riley to 'throw out the stereotype' by being 'as big and over the top as you possibly can' during her audition, noting that casting directors often expect a 'big black woman with a big voice' and she needed to subvert that expectation to book the role.
Manifestation through public declaration: Riley believes in the power of manifesting roles by publicly stating her desires online, citing the example of posting a photo with Raven Goodwin asking to play sisters, which eventually led to them starring together in 'Single Black Female'.
Relationship standards and space: Riley emphasizes the importance of having one's own space in a relationship, noting that she believes in separate rooms and taking time to be comfortable alone before letting someone else into her 'sacred place'.
Preparation for villain roles: To avoid playing a caricature in 'Single Black Female', Riley studied the original 'Single White Female' and focused on portraying the character as someone who genuinely believes they are right, adding heart and realism to the villainous role.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“I think I have to attribute that to Glee because I have a very religious upbringing... but I think being on Glee just opened my eyes uh to different walks of life and it kind of humanized everyone for me.”
Riley explains how her role on Glee shifted her perspective from a religious background to becoming an ally by humanizing diverse groups.
“First of all, I had no idea you can sing... Just be as big and like over the top as you possibly can, and we'll humanize it as it goes back. But you need to just like throw out the stereotype... how they see you and just do it.”
▶ 21:52Ryan Murphy's advice to Riley during her Glee audition to overcome casting stereotypes by being exaggeratedly big.
“I do think I manifested it. I think I think once you put stuff kind of like out there, that's why I'll say random stuff online all the time of what I want. I just feel like once it's out there, it's it's bound to happen.”
▶ 14:04Riley explains her belief in manifestation after collaborating with Raven Goodwin following a viral Instagram post.
“I need someone that lets me be myself. I need someone who likes me for me at any size. And I need someone who can be around. I have all walks of life. And that was really important to me in dating.”
▶ 27:52Riley outlines her non-negotiable standards for romantic partners regarding acceptance and social comfort.
“I think what people tend to do is like they they they rush into situations with people because of the moments that's going on... That's when it get real. I just lost my job. Oh, you ain't got no money now.”
▶ 34:03Riley discusses why she believes taking time in relationships is crucial to see how partners handle adversity.
Chapters & Sections (19)▼
0:05Amber Riley's Glee Audition and Career Achievementschapter2
2:24Glee Performance and Vocal Warm-up Discussion
4:00Amber Riley's Career Achievements and Acting Origins
6:02Glee's Impact on Openness and Festival Safetychapter2
8:25Handling Drunk Guests and Security Interventions
9:30Protective Instincts and Security Conflict
11:00Online Hate, Friendship, and Manifesting Roleschapter
15:11Preparing for Villain Role and Glee Audition Storychapter1
17:10Glee Audition Story and First Job
20:04Glee Audition and Workout Videoschapter1
22:56Glee Audition and Workout Videos
25:20Dating Standards and Relationship Impactchapter2
26:20Relationship Weight Gain and Dating Standards
28:23Workout Videos and Seduction Humor
30:56Romcom Premise and Relationship Advicechapter1
33:30Need for Space and Bathroom Etiquette
35:09American Horror Story Coven and Banning ASMRchapter2
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