GLEE's Amber Riley Talks DANCING WITH THE STARS

In an interview with Access Hollywood, Amber Riley talked about getting in shape for her upcoming appearance of ABC's 17th season on DANCING WITH THE STARS. The Glee star is currently in rehearsals with Mirror Ball champ and professional dance partner Derek Hough.

"This year, I completely changed my eating habits because of health issues that I had previously," the actress said on Wednesday. "But I guess it was preparation for this. Maybe God knew I was going to do ['DWTS'] and then had me change my eating habits and work out more!"

Continued the 27-year-old, "I really do want to put my money where my mouth is. I'm supposed to be like a role model, I want to take care of my insides as well as my outside. So, this was encouraging for me to get my body moving and just get healthy."

While many may view Riley's dance experience on the FOX musical drama as an unfair advantage, she maintains that she is approaching the experience with great trepidation. "I'm very nervous!" she said. "But it's an exciting nervous, because I'm doing this because it's fun. I love dancing. It's a different kind of expression."

Adds partner Hough, "She's inspiring me as far as her attitude and her performance already, so now I just to make sure that I give her choreography that's going extenuate that."

"Dancing with the Stars" Season 17 premieres on September 16 at 8/7c on ABC.

Amber Riley, best known for her role as Mercedes Jones on FOX's Golden Globe, Peabody and SAG Award-winning musical comedy, "Glee," got her first big break when Ryan Murphy cast her in the pilot "St. Sass." Although the pilot was not picked up to series, Riley was able to use that experience to land a role on the television series "Cedric the Entertainer Presents." She has performed in numerous Theater Productions, including "Alice in Wonderland," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Into the Woods" and "Mystery on the Docks" with the Los Angeles Opera.

In November 2012, Riley made her New York stage debut to rave reviews in New York City Center's "Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade." She has received two individual NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy series for her work on "Glee." In 2011 she was nominated for a second Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Female Scene Stealer, and in 2010 received the Most Popular Geek Award at AOL's 1st Annual Geek Awards. Riley previously served as an Ambassador for VH-1's Save the Music Foundation and as a member of Seventeen Magazine's Body Peace Council.

Photo courtesy of Access Hollywood

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