‘Little Mermaid Live’ Adds ‘Glee’ Alum Amber Riley

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – ABC’s upcoming live staging of “The Little Mermaid” has added Amber Riley to its cast.

Riley will appear as the emcee for the show and will present the Daughters of Triton with a special performance for King Triton and his subjects. She joins previously announced cast members Auli’i Cravalho (Ariel), Queen Latifah (Ursula), Shaggy (Sebastian), John Stamos (Chef Louis), and Graham Phillips (Prince Eric).

Riley is best known for her role on the critically-acclaimed Fox musical series “Glee.” She also previously appeared alongside Queen Latifah in NBC’s live staging of “The Wiz.” Her other TV roles include “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” and the TV movie “One Christmas Wish.” She also won Season 17 of “Dancing With the Stars” in 2013. She made her West End debut in 2016 in the revival of “Dreamgirls.”

She is repped by CAA, SB Projects, and Myman Greenspan.

“The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Little Mermaid Live” will air on Nov. 5 and is produced by Done+Dusted. Done+Dusted’s Hamish Hamilton will executive produce and direct. Katy Mullan, David Jammy, Raj Kapoor, and Ian Stewart of Done+Dusted will also executive produce along with Richard Kraft, who produced and directed the Hollywood Bowl production of “The Little Mermaid,” as well as “Beauty and the Beast.”