Lea Michele
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Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, appearing in productions of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' (1995–1996), ''
Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
'' (1997–1999), ''
Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...
'' (2004–2005), and '' Spring Awakening'' (2006–2008). Michele came to prominence playing
Rachel Berry Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot epi ...
on the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
series ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' (2009–2015), for which she received an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination, two
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nominations and won four
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
, three
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
and a
Satellite Award The Satellite Awards are annual awards given by the International Press Academy that are commonly noted in entertainment industry journals and blogs. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards. The award ceremonies take place ...
. Michele and the rest of the ''Glee'' cast earned a
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Comedy Series is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest ensemble acting achievements in comedy series. Winners and nominees 1990s 20 ...
from four nominations and three
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations for music recorded for the series, also spawning multiple hits on the ''Billboard'' charts. Michele subsequently starred as
Hester Ulrich Hester Ulrich (née Doyle) is a fictional character in the horror-comedy television series '' Scream Queens'', portrayed by Lea Michele. Hester is introduced as a pledge of the popular Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University. She faked suf ...
on the Fox series '' Scream Queens'' (2015–2016) and as Valentina Barella on the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
sitcom '' The Mayor'' (2017). Michele made her feature film debut in ''
New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
'' (2011), and was signed to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
in 2012. She released her debut single the following year, "
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
", followed by her debut studio album, '' Louder'' (2014), which debuted at number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart in the United States. Three years later, she released her second studio album, ''
Places Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** Often ...
'' (2017), which debuted at number 28 on the ''Billboard'' 200. In 2019, she released '' Christmas in the City'', her third studio album. Michele has also published two books, '' Brunette Ambition'' (2014) and ''You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life'' (2015). On September 6, 2022, Michele returned to Broadway starring as
Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...
in the musical revival of '' Funny Girl'', where she received widespread critical acclaim for her performance.


Early life and education

Lea Michele Sarfati was born in
The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
. She is the only child of Edith Thomasina (née Porcelli), a retired nurse, and Mark David Sarfati, a
real estate Real estate is property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, (more general ...
agent and former
delicatessen Traditionally, a delicatessen or deli is a retail establishment that sells a selection of fine, exotic, or foreign prepared foods. Delicatessen originated in Germany (original: ) during the 18th century and spread to the United States in the m ...
owner. Her mother is an
Italian American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...
with ancestors from
Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...
and
Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
, while her father is a
Sephardic Jew Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefar ...
with
Judaeo-Spanish Judaeo-Spanish or Judeo-Spanish (autonym , Hebrew alphabet, Hebrew script: , Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: ), also known as Ladino, is a Romance languages, Romance language derived from Old Spanish language, Old Spanish. Originally spoken in Spain ...
-speaking ancestors from
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
,
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. Michele was raised in her mother's
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
faith, and has stated that her father "gladly" attended
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
with them. She spent the first four years of her life living in the Bronx, until she and her parents moved to the more suburban area of
Tenafly, New Jersey Tenafly () is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 census the borough had a population of 15,409,
. The family also rented an apartment in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, where they would live when Michele was performing on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
. Michele was educated at Rockland Country Day School for elementary school in
Congers, New York Congers is a suburban hamlet and census-designated place in the town of Clarkstown, Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Valley Cottage, east of New City, across Lake DeForest, south of Haverstraw, and west of the Huds ...
. Michele started using her middle name at an early age. When she went on her first audition, for the role of Young Cosette in ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'', she gave her name as Lea Michele, and has used it professionally ever since. Michele stated that she intentionally left off her surname because she was teased about its pronunciation. During the audition, she sang "Angel of Music" from ''
The Phantom of the Opera ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierr ...
'' – the only musical she knew at the time. Michele went along to support a friend, but ended up landing the part herself. In 1997, Michele was
homeschooled Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...
while living and working in
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, where she performed in a production of ''
Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
''. For her high school education, Michele attended
Tenafly High School Tenafly High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school in Tenafly in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as the lone secondary school of the Tenafly Public Schools. ...
. During her time there, she was on the volleyball team, the debate team, and participated in choir. In her teens, when she was not working on the stage, Michele had a part-time job at a bat mitzvah dress shop. She also worked at her father's deli. Michele refrained from auditioning for Broadway roles during her freshman, sophomore and junior years so she could focus on her education. In the summers of 2000, 2001, and 2002, Michele attended
Stagedoor Manor Stagedoor Manor is a performing arts training center located in Loch Sheldrake, New York. Since its opening, it has trained thousands of young actors, many of whom have gone on to success in film, television, and theater. Stagedoor Manor is l ...
, a performing arts training center in the
Catskills The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...
. At Stagedoor she was part of the touring troupe Our Time Cabaret, and performed in productions of ''
Side by Side by Sondheim ''Side by Side by Sondheim'' is a musical revue featuring the songs of Broadway and film composer Stephen Sondheim. Its title is derived from the song "Side by Side by Side" from ''Company''. History The musical had its origins when David Kerna ...
'' and ''
The Who's Tommy ''The Who's Tommy'' is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Pete Townshend and a book by Townshend and Des McAnuff. It is based on the 1969 rock opera ''Tommy'' by The Who. Productions The musical opened at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, ...
''. In her final summer at the camp, Michele was to perform in a production of ''
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon alongside John McMartin. It is based on ...
'', but instead booked the role of Wendla Bergmann in a workshop of '' Spring Awakening'', forcing her to drop out. She was later accepted to
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...
's
Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...
, but opted instead to continue working professionally on the stage. When Michele was 19 years old, her mother Edith was diagnosed with
uterine cancer Uterine cancer, also known as womb cancer, includes two types of cancer that develop from the tissues of the uterus. Endometrial cancer forms from the lining of the uterus, and uterine sarcoma forms from the muscles or support tissue of the uteru ...
. Edith received treatment from the
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK or MSKCC) is a cancer treatment and research institution in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital. MSKCC is one of 52 National Cancer Institute– ...
in New York City.


Career


1995–2008: Beginnings and stage roles

Michele made her
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in 1995, at the age of eight, as a replacement in the role of Young Cosette in ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
''. Michele was also the understudy for the role of
Gavroche Gavroche () is a fictional character in the 1862 novel ''Les Misérables'' by Victor Hugo. He is a boy who lives on the streets of Paris. His name has become a synonym for an urchin or street child. Gavroche plays a short yet significant role in ...
. This was followed by the role of the Little Girl in the 1998 original Broadway cast of ''
Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
''. Michele had been portraying the part of the Little Girl for a year in the original
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
cast, before the production was transferred to Broadway. As a child, she voiced a main character, Christina, in the animated film '' Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night'', released on October 13, 1998. In 2004, Michele began portraying Shprintze in the Broadway revival of the musical ''
Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...
'', and understudied the role of Chava. She also performed on the cast recording of the show. Michele next played the role of Wendla Bergmann in
Steven Sater Steven Sater is a Tony Award, Grammy Award, and Laurence Olivier Award-winning American poet, playwright, lyricist, television writer and screenwriter. He is best known for writing the book and lyrics for the Tony Award-winning 2006 Broadway mus ...
and
Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and composer. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single " Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has composed ...
's musical version of '' Spring Awakening'', starring in early workshops and Off-Broadway performances, before finally originating the role in the 2006 Broadway production at the age of twenty. In February 2005, she performed as Wendla at the
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...
. Around the same time that ''Spring Awakening'' was set to go to Broadway, Michele was offered the role of
Éponine Éponine Thénardier (; ), also referred to as the "Jondrette girl", is a fictional character in the 1862 novel ''Les Misérables'' by Victor Hugo. The character is introduced as a spoiled and pampered child, but appears later in the novel as a r ...
Thénardier in the Broadway revival of ''Les Misérables''. She elected to remain with ''Spring Awakening'', which premiered on Broadway in December 2006. For her performance, she was nominated for the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, w ...
. In January 2008, Michele starred in a concert production of the musical ''Alive in the World'' as Phoebe, aiding the Twin Towers Orphan Fund. In April 2008, she performed a Flops n' Cutz concert at
Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette St ...
with her boyfriend at the time, stage actor Landon Beard. She also debuted her solo cabaret '' Once Upon a Dream'' at Feinstein's at the Loews Regency. In May 2008, Michele left the Broadway cast of '' Spring Awakening'' with her co-star
Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
. She then performed as
Claudia Octavia Claudia Octavia (late 39 or early 40 – June 9, AD 62) was a Roman empress. She was the daughter of the Emperor Claudius and Valeria Messalina. After her mother's death and father's remarriage to her cousin Agrippina the Younger, she became ...
in a reading of Sheik and Sater's new musical, ''Nero'', in July 2008 at
Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...
. In August 2008, she portrayed Éponine in the
Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018. The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distin ...
's ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' concert, which was directed by
Richard Jay-Alexander Richard Jay-Alexander (born May 24, 1953) is an American Broadway producer and director. He served as Executive Director of the New York City office of producer Cameron Mackintosh for twelve years, known for productions including ''Les Misérable ...
. She starred alongside
Brian Stokes Mitchell Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American actor and singer. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theater since the 1990s. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2000 for ...
as
Javert Javert (), no first name given in the source novel, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables.'' He was presumably born in 1780 and died on June 7, 1832. First a prison guard, and then a polic ...
and
John Lloyd Young John Lloyd Mills Young (born July 4, 1975) is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's ''Jersey Boys''. He is the only American actor to date to ...
as
Marius Pontmercy Marius Pontmercy () is a fictional character, one of the protagonists of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. He is a young student, and the suitor of Cosette. Believing Cosette lost to him, and determined to die, he joins the revolutio ...
, both of whom would go on to guest star on ''Glee''. While in Los Angeles for the ''Les Misérables'' concerts, she sang at the Upright Cabaret at Mark's Restaurant in Hollywood in August 2008. The next month, she performed at the benefit Broadway Chance Style: Up Close & Personal along with stars such as
Laura Bell Bundy Laura Ashley Bell Bundy (born April 10, 1981) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for originating the Broadway roles of Amber Von Tussle in the musical version of ''Hairspray and'' Elle Woods in the musical version of ''Legally ...
,
Eden Espinosa Eden Erica Espinosa (born February 2, 1978) is an American actress and singer who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles, and San Francisco productions of the musical ''Wicked''. In 2022, she was nominated for ...
and
Kristoffer Cusick Kristoffer Cusick (born March 29, 1974) is an American actor of stage, television and film. He has performed in such musicals as ''Saturday Night Fever'', ''Rent'' and ''Wicked''. Career Cusick originated the role of Kenny as well as swing for t ...
.


2009–2012: ''Glee'' and mainstream success

From 2009 until its ending in 2015, Michele starred in the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
musical comedy-drama series ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' as
Rachel Berry Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot epi ...
, the show's female lead and star singer. The role was written specifically for Michele by co-creator Ryan Murphy. Michele won a number of awards for portraying Rachel, including the 2009
Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy The Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy is one of the annual Satellite Awards given by the International Press Academy The International Press Academy (IPA) is an American association of professional ent ...
. She was also nominated for the 2009
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding perf ...
, and the 2010
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actresses in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performance ...
. Michele was included on ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' list of the
100 Most Influential People In the World ''Time'' 100 (often stylized as ''TIME'' 100) is an annual listicle of the 100 most influential people in the world, assembled by the American news magazine ''Time''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, po ...
for 2010. In December 2010, she received ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' first-ever Triple Threat Award. Several songs performed by Michele on the show were released as singles available for digital download. Her cover of
The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects is an American rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma, formed in 1999.Gives You Hell "Gives You Hell" is a song by American rock band the All-American Rejects, released as the lead single from their third studio album, ''When the World Comes Down'' on September 30, 2008. The song is The All-American Rejects' most successful son ...
" reached the top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Michele was featured as lead singer for 14 of the top 20 best-selling ''Glee'' cast songs as of 2010. In 2011, she was nominated for two
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("
Don't Stop Believin' "Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey (band), Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape (Journey album), Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Reco ...
") and Best Compilation Soundtrack Album ('' Glee: The Music, Volume 1''). That same year, Michele was nominated again for the
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy The Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding perf ...
. In 2012 and 2013, she won the
People's Choice Award The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for Favorite TV Comedy Actress. In May 2010, Michele and the cast of ''Glee'' embarked on a music tour of the United States, playing 10 shows in
Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
, and
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The final show of 2010 was at
Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...
.
Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
, who played Michele's love interest Jesse St. James on the show, performed with her at the Los Angeles and New York City shows.
Glee Live! In Concert! Glee Live! In Concert! was a 2010—2011 concert tour performed List of Glee characters, in-character by members of the cast of the popular television series ''Glee (TV series), Glee''. The tour, created by series creator Ryan Murphy (writer), Ry ...
then expanded a year later to include 22 shows across
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
and 9 shows in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. The cast acted in character for the concerts, which were met with positive reviews. In October 2010, Michele and co-star
Matthew Morrison Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television show ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2009–2015). He has s ...
performed as Janet Weiss and Brad Majors, respectively, in the 35th anniversary benefit concert of ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
''. The event benefited
The Painted Turtle The Painted Turtle is a Summer camp located near Lake Elizabeth in Lake Hughes, California. The camp is for children who are faced with life-threatening and chronic illnesses. Many of these children would not have the opportunity to have a cam ...
and also starred
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
and
Danny DeVito Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. (born November 17, 1944) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He gained prominence for his portrayal of the taxi dispatcher Louie De Palma in the television series ''Taxi'' (1978–1983), which won him a Gold ...
. In February 2011, Michele performed at
The Grammys The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
'
MusiCares MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, ...
Person of the Year event in Los Angeles, honoring
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
. She sang " My Man" from the Streisand film '' Funny Girl''. Before the
Super Bowl XLV Super Bowl XLV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champi ...
on February 6, 2011, Michele performed "
America the Beautiful "America the Beautiful" is a patriotic American song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey. The two never m ...
" with the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
Tops In Blue Tops in Blue was a touring performance ensemble made up of active duty members of the United States Air Force formed in 1953. For 63 years, Tops in Blue traveled to more than 20 countries to perform more than 120 times each year for airmen and fam ...
. She then starred in
Garry Marshall Garry Kent Marshall (November 13, 1934 – July 19, 2016) was an American filmmaker and actor. He started his career in the 1960s writing for ''The Lucy Show'' and ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' before he developed Neil Simon's 1965 play ''The Odd Co ...
's romantic comedy film ''
New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
'' portraying Elise, a back-up singer and the love interest of
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a S ...
's character. The film was released worldwide on December 9, 2011.


2013–2016: ''Louder'' and ''Scream Queens''

On September 18, 2012, it was announced that Michele would be working on her first solo album. She began recordings for the album soon after on October 19, 2012. Michele stated that it was a "pretty slow process" and the album would be more "pop/rock driven" rather than Broadway influenced. On November 27, 2013, it was announced that the first single from her debut album '' Louder'' would be "
Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
", which was released on December 10, 2013. "Cannonball" debuted at number 75 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making her the first main ''Glee'' cast member to chart as a lead soloist. The single sold over 51,000 copies in its first week of sale. The music video was released on January 9, 2014. Michele subsequently released four
promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
s in the lead-up to the album: "Battlefield", "Louder", "What Is Love?", and "You're Mine". ''Louder'' was released on February 28, 2014, and debuted on the ''Billboard'' 200 at number four, selling over 62,000 copies in its first week. The second single from the album, " On My Way", was released on May 4, 2014, with the music video premiering on May 19, 2014. Michele next voiced the lead role of
Dorothy Gale Dorothy Gale is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum as the protagonist in many of his ''Oz'' novels. She first appears in Baum's classic 1900 children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' and reappears in most of its ...
in the animated musical film '' Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return'', which opened in North American theaters on May 9, 2014. In May 2013, it was announced that Michele had signed a deal with
Harmony Books Harmony Books is an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, itself part of publisher Penguin Random House. It was founded by Bruce Harris, a Crown executive, in 1972. The imprint has been used for such books as: *Jill Freedman, ''Circus Days'' ( ...
and Random House to pen a part memoir, part how-to book titled '' Brunette Ambition''. The book was released on May 20, 2014. Michele had multiple book signings in the United States, including a signing and Q&A event hosted by
Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
. The book debuted at number nine on the U.S. Nonfiction Best Seller list a week after it was released, and made its debut on The New York Times Best Seller list, ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list at number three. Michele released a second book, ''You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life'', on September 22, 2015, which was also published by Random House. In July 2014, it was announced that Michele would guest star in the final season of FX (TV channel), FX's drama series ''Sons of Anarchy'', playing the role of Gertie, a truck stop waitress who connects with Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal). Michele's episode, "Sons of Anarchy (season 7), Smoke 'em If You Got 'em", aired on October 14, 2014. From 2015 to 2016, Michele starred in the Fox horror-comedy series '' Scream Queens'', alongside original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, portraying the quirky, neck brace-wearing
Hester Ulrich Hester Ulrich (née Doyle) is a fictional character in the horror-comedy television series '' Scream Queens'', portrayed by Lea Michele. Hester is introduced as a pledge of the popular Kappa Kappa Tau sorority at Wallace University. She faked suf ...
. She was nominated for the
People's Choice Award The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for Favorite Actress in a New TV Series, and two
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United S ...
for Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Comedy, Choice TV Actress: Comedy and Teen Choice Award for Choice TV – Villain, Choice TV: Villain for her performance in the role. On March 15, 2016, the charity single "This Is for My Girls", on which Michele was one of eight featured singers, was released as a charity single. The song, written by Diane Warren, benefited the White House's #62MillionGirls campaign and the Presidency of Barack Obama, Obama administration's Let Girls Learn initiative, set up by the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.


2017–2021: Further television work and albums

Michele began recording for her second studio album in April 2015. She stated that the album would be less pop-influenced than her debut, and would "[go] back to [her] roots" with a more theatrical sound. In January 2017, Michele played three shows on a mini tour titled An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele, to support her second studio album, ''
Places Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** Often ...
''. The tour continued with additional shows in the UK and North America in April and May 2017. The lead single from the second album, "Love Is Alive (Lea Michele song), Love Is Alive", was released on March 3, 2017. Three promotional singles were subsequently released in the lead-up to the album: "Anything's Possible", "Run to You", and "Getaway Car". ''Places'' was released on April 28, 2017, and debuted at number 28 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart with over 16,000 units sold in its first week. On April 4, 2017, Michele appeared as Amanda in the first episode of Hulu's science fiction anthology series ''Dimension 404'', alongside Robert Buckley and Joel McHale. She subsequently portrayed political advisor Valentina Barella in
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's sitcom '' The Mayor'', created by Jeremy Bronson and executive produced by Daveed Diggs, starring opposite Brandon Micheal Hall and Yvette Nicole Brown. On October 8, 2017, Michele performed as a headlining act at the third annual musical theatre festival Elsie Fest, founded by her ''Glee'' co-star Darren Criss. In April 2018, it was announced that Michele would venture on a co-headlining tour with Criss. The LM/DC Tour included shows in several North American cities in May and June 2018. The tour continued from October to December 2018 in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In May 2019, it was announced that Michele will host a health and wellness digital series for the Ellen DeGeneres Network, titled ''Well, Well, Well with Lea Michele''. Michele's third studio album, '' Christmas in the City'', was released on October 25, 2019. She also starred as the lead in a holiday television film, ''Same Time, Next Christmas'', for ABC. From December 19, 2019, Lea Michele performed live with a series of shows in The Concert Hall at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. Michele released her cover album, ''Forever: A Lullaby Album'', on November 5, 2021.


2022–present: Broadway return

On July 11, 2022, it was announced that Michele would return to Broadway Theatre, Catford, Broadway in the stage musical production of '' Funny Girl''. Michele replaced Beanie Feldstein in the leading role of
Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...
on September 6, 2022 after Feldstein announced an exit from the production two months earlier than originally planned. She is scheduled to perform seven shows a week, excluding Thursday evenings. The parallels between Michele taking on the role and her ''Glee'' character's story line where she lands her dream role in the musical's first Broadway revival have been widely discussed in the media. Her character's obsession with the musical was written into ''Glee'' in part because of Michele's own interest in it since she first saw Funny Girl (film), the movie adaptation in 2007. On September 11, 2022, four days into her run as Fanny Brice, Michele announced that she had tested positive for COVID-19, requiring her to isolate for at least ten days. She returned to the stage on September 20, 2022. Critics widely praised Michele's performance. On opening night, Michele received multiple standing ovations for her performance, which had been highly anticipated. Jackson McHenry writing for ''Vulture'' stated, "With every eye roll toward the audience and every belt, Michele seems to face the pressure to not just be good, or great, but the greatest. This is less a star vehicle than gladiatorial combat. She makes it through with blood on the sand." Jesse Green, writing for ''The New York Times'', initially gave the musical a poor review when it starred Beanie Feldstein. After seeing Michele's iteration, he praised her performance, while maintaining his criticisms of the overall production, stating, "Both vulnerable and invulnerable, kooky and ardent, [Michele] makes the show worth watching again. She can't make it good, though. Michael Mayer's production is still garish and pushy, pandering for audience overreaction."


Artistry


Influences

One of the most significant influential figures in Michele's life is
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
whom she cites as her "role model". Her mother Edith would play her films when she was a child. Michele dedicated a chapter in her book ''Brunette Ambition'' to Streisand, noting that it is important for people to have someone to look up to. Michele wrote, "I really love her, she's always been such a role model to me. She's someone who has built her career on focusing on what makes her unique and what makes her special." An actress who influenced Michele was Natalie Wood. Michele said that she would watch ''West Side Story (1961 film), West Side Story'' as a child and want to play the role of Maria. Actress and singer Audra McDonald has also been an influence on Michele. She told ''The Fresno Bee'', "Audra is probably the best singer in the world – up there with Barbra. I don't think she has any idea what an influence she had on me. I would say 80% of my singing knowledge came from Audra... How to warm up. How to breathe. How to take care of my voice. All of my beliefs are because Audra instilled them in me." Recording artist Alanis Morissette has been an inspiration throughout Michele's career. Morissette's album ''Jagged Little Pill'' was the first album Michele purchased, and in a 2014 interview has said she still owns. She said, "I love Alanis Morissette... All of her songs are lyrically so beautiful and vocally she's so strong." Celine Dion has also influenced her as a singer.


Voice

Michele possesses a soprano Voice type, vocal range. As of 2013, her voice reportedly spans 2.7 octaves and one semitone. Michele's vocals have been repeatedly praised; however, Christopher Weingarten of ''Rolling Stone'' critiqued that Michele's voice is "a little too perfect" for pop music charts. ''The Boston Globe'' stated that her voice is a "mighty soprano" and that Michele's vocals are most comfortable when she "straddles the line between Katy Perry and Celine Dion." Hanh Nguyen wrote of Michele's voice on the
Glee Live! In Concert! Glee Live! In Concert! was a 2010—2011 concert tour performed List of Glee characters, in-character by members of the cast of the popular television series ''Glee (TV series), Glee''. The tour, created by series creator Ryan Murphy (writer), Ry ...
tour, "One can truly hear the quality of the live vocals, which in the case of Lea Michele is the real deal. She sounds even better than on the show... Her "Don't Rain On My Parade" live is an amazing and thrilling treat." ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' called her live performance of "Love Is Alive (Lea Michele song), Love Is Alive" on ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' an "emotional performance [that] showcased Michele's strong vocal ability."


Reception and public image

Michele has received List of awards and nominations received by Lea Michele, multiple accolades throughout her career. Her breakthrough role, breakthrough performance as
Rachel Berry Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot epi ...
in the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
musical series ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' received widespread recognition, for which she was nominated for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Beginning with the 18th Primetime Emmy Awards, leading actresses in comedy have competed alone. However, these comedic performance ...
in 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards, 2010 and twice consecutively for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy; and once in 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, 2011 for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for the cast performance of "
Don't Stop Believin' "Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey (band), Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape (Journey album), Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Reco ...
". As a member of List of Glee characters, the series' ensemble cast, Michele won a
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Ensemble) in a Comedy Series is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest ensemble acting achievements in comedy series. Winners and nominees 1990s 20 ...
once in 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards, 2010 out of four consecutive nominations. Prior to ''Glee'', Michele received some recognition on stage, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in a 2007 production of '' Spring Awakening''. In 2022, Michele returned to Broadway theatre, Broadway playing
Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedienne, illustrated song model, singer, and theater and film actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. S ...
in a revival of '' Funny Girl'', to widespread critical acclaim. In June 2020, actress Samantha Marie Ware accused Michele of bullying her and causing "traumatic microaggressions" while they worked together on the sixth season of ''Glee''. Ware made her comments in direct response to Michele having posted a message on social media saying "George Floyd did not deserve this. This was not an isolated incident and it must end. Black Lives Matter, #BlackLivesMatter". Other actors, including former ''Glee'' co-stars Heather Morris, Alex Newell, and Amber Riley, among others, agreed that Michele had been hostile and rude to others on set, and had had a Prima donna#Personality, prima donna attitude. Riley and Morris disputed the implication that Michele's behavior had been racist. Michele responded with an apology, noting that the comments from numerous cast members in response to Ware's accusation had made her aware that her general treatment of all cast members during those years was "insensitive or inappropriate", a sign of "immaturity", and that she was "unnecessarily difficult" toward others around her, and she would "keep working to better myself and take responsibility for my actions." Michele has been the subject of rumors, conspiracy theories, and jokes that she is illiterate since 2017, with the rumor becoming a popular Internet meme in March 2018 and again in 2022. The rumor started with Jaye Hunt and Robert Ackerman of the podcast ''One More Thing'' as they were discussing a scene from Naya Rivera's memoir ''Sorry Not Sorry'' in which Michele refused to improvise scenes with Tim Conway. Michele responded in an interview with ''The New York Times'' in September 2022, saying, "I went to ''Glee'' every single day; I knew my lines every single day, and then there's a rumor online that I can't read or write? It's sad. It really is. I think often if I were a man, a lot of this wouldn't be the case."


Other projects


Philanthropy

Michele supported Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, performing in December 2007 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre for Unsung: 'Tis The Season To Be Naughty. She has also participated in Broadway Barks, Broadway Bares, the Easter Bonnet Competition, and the Flea Market and Grand Auction. Michele has been active in campaigning for animal rights; in 2008, she appeared in the PETA advertising campaign "Buck Cruelty! Say No to Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides". In 2008, Michele performed in a benefit concert production of ''Alive in the World'' to aid the Twin Towers Orphan Fund. In support of gay rights, she performed at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in November 2009. In the same month, Michele and
Jonathan Groff Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer . He began his career on Broadway, rising to prominence for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in the original production of '' Spring Awakening'' (2006-2008), for which h ...
performed for True Colors Cabaret, a fundraiser in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. In April 2010, Michele appeared in a public service announcement for PETA, speaking out against fur clothing. In September 2010, Michele was honored by PETA for her work with animals. In 2010 Lea Michele was introduced in Time 100 list for her artistic talent and the ability to influence student participation in school activities. In October 2010, Michele performed at a benefit concert for
The Painted Turtle The Painted Turtle is a Summer camp located near Lake Elizabeth in Lake Hughes, California. The camp is for children who are faced with life-threatening and chronic illnesses. Many of these children would not have the opportunity to have a cam ...
. The concert celebrated the 35th anniversary of ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
'', with Michele playing the lead role of Janet Weiss. In February 2011, she performed for the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
's
MusiCares MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, ...
benefit in Los Angeles. In April 2012, Michele performed for the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation's 17th annual signature fundraiser, Taste for a Cure, at UCLA with her ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' co-star Darren Criss. In October 2012, she and Criss performed together at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles 2012 Stars Gala. In July 2012, Michele hosted the launch of the Valspar Hands for Habitat charity auction, donating a signed hand print to be auctioned off. Money raised from the auction benefited Habitat for Humanity's disaster response programs. Michele has been an ambassador for L'Oréal's Women of Worth program since December 2012, celebrating women who have positively impacted their communities. In June 2013, she co-hosted the launch of Feed America for Target Corporation, Target stores. Proceeds from the lifestyle collection benefited Feeding America. In August 2013, Michele once again donated a hand print to the Valspar Hands for Habitat charity auction. She was then the host of the fundraiser "Lea Michele's Night of Shopping and Cocktails" on December 14, 2013, presented by SodaStream, which benefited Chrysalis, a non-profit organization helping homeless people find work. In April 2014, Michele and Darren Criss once again performed together at the 19th annual Taste for a Cure event for the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation. In October 2014, she teamed up with Evian to encourage women to perform their own breast exams in an attempt to raise awareness of early cancer detection. In February 2016, it was announced that Michele would collaborate with Burt's Bees in a campaign to act on the declining population of bees. In June 2016, the Human Rights Campaign released a video in tribute to the victims of the 2016 Orlando gay nightclub shooting, in which Michele and other celebrities told the stories of the people killed there. Michele continues to support the Los Angeles-based non-profit Step Up and attends their annual Step Up Inspiration Awards event. In April 2017, Barnes & Noble donated a portion of every purchase of ''Places'' to Step Up. In November 2017, Michele partnered with eBay to design a pin to benefit Feeding America; she also auctioned off a set visit to one of her projects in 2018. In April 2019, she performed for the "A Grand Night" fundraising gala held at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. On May 1, 2019, Michele joined Former First Lady Michelle Obama at Reach Higher's 2019 College Signing Day. On November 24, 2019 she visited ill children at Children's Health Care of Atlanta.


Product endorsements

In 2007, along with her '' Spring Awakening'' co-stars, Michele was featured in a Gap Inc. marketing campaign. The campaign included magazine advertisement spreads and billboards in Times Square. In 2010, Michele became a spokesmodel for beauty company Dove (toiletries), Dove, performing the song "My Favorite Things (song), My Favorite Things" from ''The Sound of Music'' in television commercials for the brand. The following year, she appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Chevrolet, along with most of her ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' co-stars. She performed the song "See the USA in Your Chevrolet" as
Rachel Berry Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot epi ...
. Also in 2011, Michele became a spokesperson for a Nike, Inc., Nike workout application. In September 2011, she appeared in commercials for the HP TouchPad. In January 2012, Candie's announced that Michele would be the spokesmodel for their brand, taking over from Vanessa Hudgens who was the face of the brand for the previous year. In September 2012, it was revealed that Michele had signed an estimated $1 million deal to be a spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris. She has appeared in magazine spreads and television commercials promoting their products. In September 2015, Pixelberry Studios announced their collaboration with Michele, launching High School Story with Lea Michele, a celebrity takeover update of their popular app. In December 2018 Michele teamed with Old Navy and Lyft to announce free car sharing to stores for holidays. In February 2019, Michele appeared in a commercial for ZOLA, a wedding planning website. Michele had a partnership with meal kit delivery service HelloFresh until June 2, 2020, when the company announced they had ended their partnership with her as a result of a controversy surrounding accusations of bullying against Michele.


Personal life

Michele began working with actor Cory Monteith in 2008, when they were cast as love interests on ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''. In February 2012, the media reported that they had begun dating. They remained together until his death in July 2013. On April 28, 2018, Michele announced her engagement to businessman Zandy Reich. They were married on March 9, 2019, in Napa, California. On May 2, 2020, Michele announced that she and Reich were expecting their first child. Michele gave birth to a son on August 20, 2020. In September of 2019 Michele revealed she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She had been diagnosed around the age of 30. After growing up with several skin issues as a teenager, having received medical prescriptions for accutane three times. Another doctor after diagnosis, recommended her a diet plan. Changing from carb heavy foods to adding staples like meat, which Michele disliked prior, and soups. The turnaround from the initial diagnosis allowed for her to conceive her first child.


Performances


Film and television

* '' Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night'' (1998) * ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' (20092015) * ''Glee: The 3D Concert Movie'' (2011) * ''
New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
'' (2011) * '' Scream Queens'' (20152016) * '' The Mayor'' (20172018)


Stage

* ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' (19951996 and 2008) * ''
Ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
'' (1997 and 19981999) * ''The Diary of Anne Frank (play), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (2004) * ''
Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia in or around 1905. It is based on ''Tevye and his Daughters'' (or ''Tevye the ...
'' (20042005) * '' Spring Awakening'' (20062008) * ''The Rocky Horror Show'' (2010) * ''The Little Mermaid (musical), The Little Mermaid'' (2019) * '' Funny Girl'' (2022present)


Concert tours and residencies

* Once Upon a Dream (2008) *
Glee Live! In Concert! Glee Live! In Concert! was a 2010—2011 concert tour performed List of Glee characters, in-character by members of the cast of the popular television series ''Glee (TV series), Glee''. The tour, created by series creator Ryan Murphy (writer), Ry ...
(2010–2011) * An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele (2017) * LM/DC Tour (with Darren Criss) (2018) * Christmas in NYC: Live in Concert (2019) * ''Spring Awakening'' Reunion Concert (2021) * Life in Music Tour (2022)


Discography

* '' Louder'' (2014) * ''
Places Place may refer to: Geography * Place (United States Census Bureau), defined as any concentration of population ** Census-designated place, a populated area lacking its own municipal government * "Place", a type of street or road name ** Often ...
'' (2017) * '' Christmas in the City'' (2019) * ''Lea Michele discography#Studio albums, Forever'' (2021)


Soundtracks and cast recordings

* Spring Awakening (musical)#Musical numbers, ''Spring Awakening'' original Broadway cast recording * Glee (TV series)#Music, ''Glee'' soundtrack * New Year's Eve (2011 film), ''New Year's Eve'' soundtrack * Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return#Music, ''Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return'' soundtrack * Funny Girl (musical)#Broadway revival, ''Funny Girl'' revival Broadway cast recording


Written works

* '' Brunette Ambition'' (2014) * ''You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life'' (2015)


See also

* List of songs in Glee, List of songs in ''Glee'' (List of songs in Glee (season 1), seasons 1, List of songs in Glee (season 2), 2, List of songs in Glee (season 3), 3, List of songs in Glee (season 4), 4, List of songs in Glee (season 5), 5 and List of songs in Glee (season 6), 6) * List of animal rights advocates


Notes


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Michele, Lea Lea Michele, 1986 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from New Jersey Actresses from New York City American child actresses American child singers American women pop singers American film actresses American musical theatre actresses American people of Greek-Jewish descent American people of Italian descent American sopranos American television actresses American voice actresses American women activists Child pop musicians Columbia Records artists HIV/AIDS activists LGBT rights activists from the United States New Jersey Democrats People from Brentwood, Los Angeles People from Tenafly, New Jersey People from the Bronx Singers from New Jersey Singers from New York City Tenafly High School alumni