Entertainment

'Glee' star Amber Riley exposes dark side of Broadway: 'It's not healthy'

Amber Riley opens up about why she does not perform on Broaddway despite people raving about it

Published April 04, 2026
'Glee' star Amber Riley exposes dark side of Broadway: 'It's not healthy'
'Glee' star Amber Riley exposes dark side of Broadway: 'It's not healthy'

Amber Riley recently opened up about why she is not willing to take the Braoadway stage.

A post on Threads claimed that New York theatre actors are run “ragged like they in the Marines,” which made a user write, “It can’t be sustainable nor healthy!”

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Endorsing the post, Riley also articulated her thoughts by writing, “It’s not. That’s why when people hassle me about it, I say when the culture changes maybe I’ll do it.”

“But as of now, asking people to sing at the top of their range 8 shows a week without proper support or compensation, absolutely not,” the 40-year-old American actress and singer-songwriter noted.

She went on to state that “you can have all the training in the world, which I do, and you can STILL injure.”

“It’s not sustainable or healthy. Any ENT doctor will tell you that,” the Glee star concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Riley has not yet performed on Broadway, but being on stage is now a new experience for her, as she acted in the London revival of Dreamgirls.

Her top-notch performance earned her an Oliver Award, which is considered the United Kingdom’s version of a Tony.

Notably, Glee starred Riley as Mercedes Jones and it felt like a stage show, though it was a television series.

Talking to PEOPLE magazine about the show in March 2024, she reflected on the preparations, particularly the intense amount of practice they did for Glee.

“That good ol’ Glee sleep training, you better know how to function on four hours,” Amber Riley said at that time.

Areeba Sheikh
Areeba Sheikh is a reporter specialising in trending topics, with a focus on music, entertainment culture, and viral moments. For the past two years she has been covering wide artists, releases, and digital conversations, blending storytelling with trend analysis to capture how online buzz, fandom, and pop culture shape global audience engagement.
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