Amber Riley Is Sick And Tired Of People Calling Her "Mercedes," The Name Of Her "Glee" Character

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Most of us know Amber Riley — actor, recording artist, celebrated stage performer, and Grammy nominee to boot with quite an expansive resume and also the voice of an angel. Back in the day, you probably watched her on Glee.

  Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Amber, who periodically uses her stage name RILEY for contemporary credits, initially rose to fame when the musical comedy-drama series debuted in 2009.

  Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images
Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

She was cast as Mercedes Jones, a lead role on the show and frontrunner in its fictional glee club. Amber appeared in Glee throughout all six seasons, until the finale in 2015.

  Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images
Fox / FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

Since then she's landed the iconic part of Effie in the West End's production of Dreamgirls, won Dancing With the Stars, and launched a solo music career. But for some reason, people still refer to Amber by her former Glee character's name.

  Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Nbc / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

This apparently happens often enough for Amber to address it outright. She recently took to Twitter to share her frustration and urge anyone who's thinking about calling her Mercedes to, please, reconsider.

  Paul Archuleta / Getty Images
Paul Archuleta / Getty Images

"I despise when ppl call me Mercedes. Put some respect on my name," Amber wrote. "Call me AMBER or RILEY. It's wild that I even have to say that." (It really is.) "No shade to the show/character that gave me a career, but please stop this shit," she continued. "I don't answer to it, and if you do it facetiously I'll block you."

"I've done too much in my career to be reduced to one role," she added.

"Whether you respect the work I've done or not, I don't really care, BUT basic human decency is to recognize me as a person and use my actual name. Boundaries."

  Gregg Deguire / Getty Images
Gregg Deguire / Getty Images

Amber's initial set of tweets prompted wider conversation on Twitter, and she continued to make her point in direct exchanges with fans. When one user suggested that some folks might address her as Mercedes because they're excited about Glee, she replied: "I'm emotionally intelligent enough to know the difference between someone being genuinely excited, and someone being an Asshole."

"People hate when black ppl advocate for themselves and it shows. I don't even think what I said was wild," she wrote, before adding in another reply, "As a black woman I've learned I have to advocate for myself and set clear boundaries because no one else will do it for me!"

Amber ended the series of tweets by thanking her followers. "I love y'all for respecting what I had to say!" she wrote. "It's always all love and I appreciate the support!"