Amber Riley has joined the latest viral conversation around Gaydar, the online quiz series hosted by comedian, actor and drag performer Anania. The TikTok and YouTube show puts celebrities and other guests through a series of questions about queer history, culture and pop culture, with Anania attempting to determine whether they are 'gay, straight or a homophobe'.
Created by Amelia Montooth at Mutuals Media, Gaydar launched on TikTok in 2024 before expanding to YouTube with longer episodes. The series has since featured a growing list of high-profile guests, with Gaydar becoming one of the Anania's best-known projects.
Regarding Ursula
Riley's appearance has drawn particular attention online, analysing familiar fictional characters, including figures from Disney's extensive catalogue. Rather than presenting the discussions as official interpretations of the characters, Gaydar uses humour and cultural references to explore how audiences have read certain characters through a queer lens.
The discussion has resonated with viewers, particularly because Riley is already closely connected to Disney through her work as the voice of Ursula in Disney Jr.'s Ariel. Disney's official biography confirms that Riley voices Ursula in the animated series, which reimagines the Little Mermaid world for younger audiences.
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One of the most fitting moments came when Riley was asked about Ursula, a character she knows particularly well. Riley voices Ursula in Disney Jr.'s Ariel, Disney's animated series centred on a younger version of Ariel and her friends in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica.
The question also created a neat full-circle moment for Gaydar host Anania. Before working with Riley, Anania had already spoken publicly about being a fan of the actress, telling Elite Daily that Riley was their 'Frank-N-Furter' after they first discovered The Rocky Horror Picture Show through Glee. Riley's Mercedes Jones was among the characters Anania particularly loved on the series.
On Queer Culture
The exchange gave the Disney discussion a personal angle, while keeping the distinction between established character details and the playful interpretations that are central to Gaydar. The series centres on queer culture and pop-culture questions, with Anania describing it as a way of making queer history and culture more accessible through humour.
The actress joined the cast alongside Taye Diggs, who voices King Triton, and Mykal-Michelle Harris, who voices Ariel. The series follows an eight-year-old Ariel and her friends in the Caribbean-inspired kingdom of Atlantica.
Her work has subsequently included musical theatre, television films and competition programmes. Disney's biography notes that Riley played Effie White in the West End production of Dreamgirls, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2017.
Riley's connection to queer pop culture also extends beyond her association with Glee. The series featured LGBTQ+ characters and storylines throughout its six-season run, making Riley's Mercedes part of a television ensemble that became closely associated with discussions surrounding representation.
The Importance of Glee
Anania has spoken about the importance of Glee to their own relationship with pop culture. In a 2026 interview with Elite Daily, Anania said the series had changed their life and specifically recalled being drawn to characters including Santana Lopez and Mercedes. The host also described Amber Riley as their version of Frank-N-Furter after first encountering The Rocky Horror Picture Show through Glee.
Gaydar has expanded beyond its original social-media format as Anania's profile has grown. According to Elite Daily, the series has featured guests including Chappell Roan, Reneé Rapp and Zohran Mamdani. The programme's format combines celebrity interviews with quizzes and discussions designed around queer cultural knowledge.
For Riley, the appearance adds another chapter to a career that already includes Glee, Dreamgirls, The Masked Singer, Dancing with the Stars and Disney's Ariel. She made history in 2022 by becoming the first celebrity to win both The Masked Singer and Dancing with the Stars, according to Disney's official biography.
