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Cast in Other Roles

Sara2009

By Sara2009
in Glee [V]

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caracas1914

caracas1914

(edited)

I don't disagree in that Amber seems much more focused on a singing career ( and LBR, Amber's pipes) .

Naya claimed that her aspirations for a singing career and songwriting go way back, I do know her and Big Sean did do a Southern Cal radio station road trip while promoting her single, but I can't recall Naya actually doing a series of singing gigs ever.

I recall she showed up and sang at the WH inauguration thing ( along with Amber and Darren) back in Jan 2013; but other than that I can't remember anything the last few years.

Now that Glee is officially over I expect at least a modest tour from Amber this year.

Edited by caracas1914
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Autistic Queer
Autistic Queer

Amber won Best Actress in a Musical at the Oliviers. Well deserved I've not heard anything but wonderful things.  I'm sure it'll be the Tony's next year. 

dizzyizzy01
dizzyizzy01

Consistent television and stage work is nothing to sneeze at.  Those that have been fortunate to land those roles (Lea, Grant, Melissa, Harry on TV, and Amber and Matt on Broadway/West End) pretty awe

caracas1914
caracas1914

Add the New York Times Ben Brantley to the rave reviews of Amber Riley in "Dream Girls" in the West end. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/theater/review-a-souped-up-dreamgirls-roars-in-london.h

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dizzyizzy01

dizzyizzy01

Yea.  I remember what Naya said, but it just seems like she hasn't put a lot of effort to find another avenue/outlet for her music.  Maybe she was discouraged by her experience with Columbia and the single flopping, but I haven't heard her trying to do much on that front.

 

Amber has done a few small shows in LA.  She's pretty fantastic live.  I do suspect she will at least continue to do stuff like that even if there's not a proper tour.

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Ceeg

Ceeg

I feel like Amber probably has to go full force into music though. Let's be real, her voice is her biggest talent. Her acting has improved a lot over the years, but I think her voice is going to be what brings home the bacon in the future, because her voice is incredible. 

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caracas1914

caracas1914

(edited)

True, before Glee she auditioned for "American Idol" and was aiming for a career in music.

She got the Glee gig but Amber has made no bones where her priorities are as far as career. Glee seemed to be both an asset and a crutch for her, she got  visibility; now it's a matter of putting out some music.

Her youtubes are amazing as in the woman is singing live on my tinny computer speakers and its this VOICE. On crappy YouTube.

Fave is her fooling around in the Glee recording studio and starting to just sing "Natural Woman" on a dime.

Edited by caracas1914
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Higgs

Higgs

I've watched many of Amber's live performances on YT. I agree with the following review of the Glee tour:

"Amber Riley, who has done a few diva turns on TV, has a big gospel voice but so do many other church singers the masses have never heard." http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/123008443.html

Sure, Amber can blow someone like Naya out of the water in their duets, but there's a reason her Glee solos sell so relatively poorly.

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caracas1914

caracas1914

Lea's role in Scream Queens I'm assuming is a non singing one, as is the movie she is going to do with Kate Upton.

 

It will be interesting as Lea segues into perhaps more straight comedic or dramatic roles, though I'm hoping she's on the short list for some upcoming big screen musicals.

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Higgs

Higgs

(edited)

I didn't believe "The Layover" movie was real until I just saw this.

http://deadline.com/2015/03/lea-michele-kate-upton-william-h-macy-the-layover-road-trip-sex-comedy-1201398781/

Upton is 5'10", but she'd be even taller if her boobs weren't pulling her down. Lea is competing with her for a man?! Who dat man? Since no male co-star has been announced, will the object of common desire even be seen? Now there's a concept!

Edited by Higgs
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Higgs

Higgs

It will be interesting as Lea segues into perhaps more straight comedic or dramatic roles, though I'm hoping she's on the short list for some upcoming big screen musicals.

Lea has of course sung in a movie, when she reinvented "Auld Lang Syne" in the dreadul "New Year's Eve". Unless it's something like the movie version of her Broadway FG, I would never want her to sing more than once in a movie, as Audrey Hepburn did so memorably with "Moon River" in "Breakfast At Tiffany's". I'm thinking along the lines of a sweet a cappella lullaby to her infant daughter ("Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" or something new Darren writes?), while the abusive man she has gut-shot lies bleeding out on the porch, the flashing red lights of the police cars garishly illuminate the bedroom, and the bullhorn blares, "Come on out Mae Belle, and please, for godsakes, don't harm your baby". Can you say "Oscar", boys and girls?
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spiritof76

spiritof76

 

Her youtubes are amazing as in the woman is singing live on my tinny computer speakers and its this VOICE. On crappy YouTube.

That has always been my response to her singing! I think what will help her is that she is pretty versatile. She can do the big, belting numbers sure, and Glee went to the well with her on that repeatedly, but she can also do quieter, lighter numbers. I still love her version of "Human Nature". I thought Chord even sounded good in that one. Anyway, I'm glad she seems to be putting her focus squarely on her music. I'm sure if some acting job came up, she wouldn't turn it down, but it's not the goal at the moment. 

 

 

I am super curious about Lea's character on Scream Queens.  What's the deal with the 80's windbreaker and acid wash jeans?

Horror isn't really my genre, and lord knows I don't want to start another Ryan Murphy show, but for Lea and (Keke Palmer) I'll give it a shot. Like all Ryan Murphy projects it will probably start out great, so we've got at least a half a season of decent entertainment. I'm really interested to see Lea out of the Rachel Berry mold. No matter how I sometimes felt about Rachel, I think Lea is an outstanding talent.

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Danielle87

Danielle87

I've watched many of Amber's live performances on YT. I agree with the following review of the Glee tour:

"Amber Riley, who has done a few diva turns on TV, has a big gospel voice but so do many other church singers the masses have never heard." http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/123008443.html

Sure, Amber can blow someone like Naya out of the water in their duets, but there's a reason her Glee solos sell so relatively poorly.

 

One thing I can see hurting Amber in the future is her voice isn't unique at all. You can go to any church choir and find someone with similar vocals. I believe that's a big reason why her solos didn't sell well. When you hear Lea and Naya, you know it's them.

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spiritof76

spiritof76

 

I wanna know what churches yall are going to where they all have Amber-caliber singers.

That's what I want to know?! And I'm a born and raised Baptist and have sung in the church choir myself. Amber caliber singers are not a dime a dozen. And I wasn't aware Amber's Glee songs sold that poorly. But even if they did I'm not sure I would draw a correlation between whose Glee solos sold well and who will go on to have a successful recording career. If that were the case Naya's single, "Sorry" would have sold well. 

 

And for what it's worth as much as I enjoy Lea's voice, and I do, she is not exactly unique sounding. 

 

But to each his own. I think Amber is very talented and has a very good chance of having a successful recording career. and apparently some other very in the know music people agree. Faith Evans, Gladys Knight, they have both complimented Amber on her voice as has Adele.

 

But I get that Amber's sound isn't everyone's cup of tea.

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ComfySweater

ComfySweater

I wanna know what churches yall are going to where they all have Amber-caliber singers.

Pick a few any given Sunday in Chicago. Maybe it's not everywhere, but I've heard that sound before. It's completely awesome, but not new. 

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Ceeg

Ceeg

(edited)

Pick a few any given Sunday in Chicago. Maybe it's not everywhere, but I've heard that sound before. It's completely awesome, but not new. 

 

I don't think Amber has a "new" sound at all. But I also don't think her voice is a dime a dozen, as some people imply. I don't think I could go anywhere to any random church and find someone who sings as well as and with the range that Amber does. Now, if I turn it on BET Gospel, I would definitely find a lot of women who sound like Amber. But, that's on a national television show, and they're the best of the best, making money singing gospel. But, the same can be said for Lea and Broadway. There are a ton of women on Broadway with incredible voices who I think should be much more famous than they are. But, they're still on Broadway, singing for a living. And I couldn't go to any random community theatre and find that caliber of talent.

Edited by Ceeg
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spiritof76

spiritof76

 

I don't think Amber has a "new" sound at all.

There's not much new under the sun. But as you said, "not new" isn't the same as "common" and "anyone can do it." And Amber is more than a big voice. She has displayed much more range than that, but people seem to want to relegate her to "church/gospel" singer.

 

I don't think any of the Glee people who might pursue recording careers are going to find success because they have a "new" or "unique" sound. Lea is awesome but she isn't unique. Naya has a great quality to her voice, but again, there's nothing new there. They will be successful because they put out material that a segment of the public like. I don't see why Amber wouldn't have the same chance. 

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fakeempress

fakeempress

(edited)

I don't go to church so I'm missing out on a lot of awesome voices as it is. I also bet there are awesome voices in the most remote village of Papua New Guinea but I will very likely never hear them. So I have to console myself with the voices I have access to that make an impression on me. Amber may not be unique, but I have come to know and relate to her as a performer on Glee, and I like her voice. That's good enough for me. 

 

Now, I don't know if the material she's working on now is going to be my cup of tea, but I liked Colorblind alright. 

Edited by fakeempress
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heyerchick

heyerchick

I have to admit, I haven't bought many of Amber's songs on iTunes because I hate lots of runs and the wailing on the big notes, and Glee has had her do too much of both. That doesn't mean I don't respect her talent or enjoy her voice. Just that the tracks of hers that I have bought have tended to be the ones where she busted out of that particular vocal box Glee tended to keep her in. And having had the privilege of seeing her perform live twice now in large venues, I can testify how brilliant she is.

 

Lea is too. It was amazing how someone so tiny could hit the rafters in a venue like the 02 in London.

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Higgs

Higgs

Great vocalism extends far beyond technique and distinctiveness ("newness") of sound. It's about the ability to communicate meaning, to create a separate world for three minutes which the listener willingly joins. That is what Alex Newll does for me here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n4nPYtR2nBo

and which Amber doesn't do often enough, if ever. That Amber might have greater range or power is irrelevant to their comparative artistry.

Lea places her vocal technique in service to her acting ability to communicate meaning first, emotion second. The latter derives in large part from the former. That is why I commented that her "To Love You More" was performed in a manner that led me to imagine she could just as easily have been speaking the lyrics. She also has the advantage of a very distinctive voice, which has nothing to do with quality, but can have a commercial payoff. (Pavarotti owes a great deal of his enormous advantage in fame over The Two Other Tenors to the fact that his voice was immediately recognizable to the broad public, a rare ability for an opera singer.) In Glee's group songs, I almost never have to wonder which (White-voiced) girl is Lea.

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camussie

camussie

(edited)

To each their own because while Amber is a great vocalist I also think she is very talented at communicating meaning in her songs.  As talented and both Lea and Alex.  Where the glee music producers messed up with both Lea and Amber was defaulting way too often to belting thus taking away some of its power and meaning.  

Edited by camussie
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spiritof76

spiritof76

 

Where the glee music producers messed up with both Lea and Amber was defaulting too often to belting thus over using it and taking away some of its power.

I agree, Amber has often told the story of how she auditioned for Glee. She went in and sang a softer song (her description) because that is what she prefers. She said, they were like, that's nice, but can you sing, "And I'm Telling You" (from Dreamgirls). Well that song is the go to big, belting song. I am probably reading too much into it, but I think that is how the show saw her. The big voice. But through the years she was at times given a chance to show that she was capable of more. I have no doubt if Glee and lasted longer and he'd been on more they would have used Alex the same way. 

 

But what moves us musically and artistically is all subjective. 

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Watt

Watt

This has been a fascinating conversation. That isn't sarcasm, either. I've really enjoyed the last few pages.

Lea will be fine, because if all else fails, she can just go back to Broadway. She has that talent to back her up, no matter what.

Amber should just go ahead and make herself a gospel record.

I care less about the rest of them. Dianna is the one who I think has the most viability to be the best actress.

The rest are meh. I like Becca Tobin. I don't think really any of them have too much viability outside trying to get another TV show.

But success is measured differently by all.

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methodwriter85

methodwriter85

(edited)

She can borrow Darren's.

 

Is he really that much shorter than Chris? I thought Chris was about 5'9" or 5'10" and Darren was about 5'7" or so.

 

Unless you've pissed him off, you're basically guaranteed a role in some future Ryan Murphy production. I'm sure we'll be seeing a bulk of this cast for years to come, especially his pets like Lea and Darren. Probably Chord as well.

 

 

Edited by methodwriter85
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Ceeg

Ceeg

Here's Naya in a promo still for Devious Maids. They announced today the third season will premiere June 1.

 

hero-devious-maids-wedding-closeup.jpg

LOL I love awkwardly placed bags and other props to hide obvious pregnancies. Soap operas are super adept at it. My favorite was using an actual big potted plant to hide someone's bump. She just awkwardly stood behind the plant for the entire scene, no big deal.

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Ceeg

Ceeg

That still seems like it was shot last week, based on the wardrobe. She hasn't said how far along she is, but there have been pap pics where you can clearly see a decent-sized bump. I'd guess she's 4 or 5 months, but everyone carries pregnancies differently so who knows.

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truthaboutluv

truthaboutluv

I imagine she's definitely in her second trimester at least because people typically don't announce their pregnancies then and especially famous women. And many doctors suggest they don't because the risk of miscarriage is so high during the first trimester.

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jaytee1812

jaytee1812

Just watched Becca's ep of NCIS:LA, she was really good, and at least she's graduated to playing a college student now. But I did remember why I stopped watching that show, their approach to both women and relationships makes Ryan Murphy's look almost healthy. 

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