Plus Size Role Model: Amber Riley

Hooray for plus size role model Amber Riley, who joins Glee co-stars Lea Michele and Dianna Agron on the May 2011 cover of Marie Claire magazine.  Amber Riley also got a solo cover. Here’s a few tidbits from her interview:

You guys work a lot. What’s the secret to keeping your sanity during 14- to 16-hour workdays?
First Wives Club. It’s just the girls. It usually takes place on a long day when we need a break. All the girls go to Lea’s trailer and talk. Off set, we go to Cory Monteith’s house — he was the first one who got a bigger place — or last weekend a bunch of us got sushi. Tabloids don’t want us to get along, but what they don’t understand is music brings a different dynamic to our set; it brings people closer.

Your love prediction for Mercedes?
Being that she lives in Ohio and there are only six black kids in the whole school, it would be great for her to have a biracial relationship. Back in high school, I went on dates, but I was too focused on my career. My parents were like, “It’s nice to have a boyfriend, but it’s even nicer to own your house when you’re 21.”

I guess that means that we all need to sing with our coworkers so we’ll get along better What do you think about Mercedes having a biracial relationship? And do you agree that Amber Riley is a great young plus size celebrity who can act as a role model for plus size women?