It is hard to think of any other show whose cast members have gone through as much controversy and tragedy as those from Glee.
The teen musical comedy-drama aired on Fox for six seasons between 2009 and 2015, with Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison and Cory Monteith among the main stars. Monteith tragically died before the end of the show, while former colleagues Mark Salling and Naya Rivera also passed away in 2018 and 2020 respectively. Before his death, Salling had pleaded guilty to charges of possessing child pornography.
In the last year or so, Michele has been caught up in a controversy of her own, albeit not as grim as that of Salling. The actress has instead found herself accused by her former co-workers of being toxic on set.
The allegations have had a significant impact on Michele’s personal life and career, and she is still recovering from the fallout.
8 What Did Lea Michele Do Before Glee?
Lea Michele started acting at the age of 9, when she played a young Corsette in an Imperial Theatre production of Les Misérables. She would go on to star in Ragtime, another musical play between 1997 and 1999.
Her first live action screen role was in an episode of Third Watch on NBC, where she played a character called Sammi.
7 Lea Michele Has Done Most Of Her Acting Work On Stage
In 1998, Lea Michele also voiced a character in the animated Christmas movie, Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night. After that and her cameo on Third Watch, she returned to stage, where she worked for another decade or so before she got the call to join the cast of Glee.
Even in the aftermath of the show, the actress has continued working mostly in plays.
6 Rachel Berry On Glee Was Lea Michele’s Breakout Role
Although she enjoyed a good amount of success on Broadway, it wasn’t until she started playing Rachel Berry on Glee that Lea Michele’s career really took off globally.
Her face and voice are now almost synonymous with the show, although she has also featured in other prominent roles in various plays, films, and TV programs.
5 Did Lea Michele Win Any Awards For Her Role In Glee?
As the biggest job of her career so far, it is not surprising that most of Lea Michele’s accolades are for her work in Glee. Overall, she has been nominated once for a Primetime Emmy Award, and twice for Golden Globe Awards in light of her performances in the Fox musical drama.
She also managed to win four People’s Choice Awards thanks to her portrayal of Rachel Berry.
4 The Cast Of Glee Revealed That Lea Michele Was “A Bully” On Set
In June 2020, Lea Michele posted a message in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, following the death of George Floyd. Actress and singer Sameya (from Season 6 of Glee) called Michele out, however, accusing her of “traumatic microaggressions” and making her life on set a “living hell”.
Other cast members followed suit in supporting Sameya with their own accounts, including Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Alex Newell and Melissa Benoist.
3 Naya Rivera Was “The Only Cast Member Who Stood Up To Lea Michele”
While a good number of Glee actors concurred on Lea Michele’s behavior, Heather Morris would later reveal that it was only Naya Rivera who initially stood up for herself.
“We absolutely could have stepped up and gone to the Fox execs and said how we felt about the situation, but no one did,” Morris said in a podcast last year. “The only person who was honest about [Michele's on-set conduct] was the late Naya Rivera.”
2 Did The Glee Controversy Affect Lea Michele’s Career?
In the immediate aftermath of her cast mates' revelations, Lea Michele was dropped from a brand partnership by meal kit company HelloFresh. At surface level, it appeared to be the only major consequence to hit the artist’s career.
In terms of acting jobs, it is not possible to tell what potential roles Michele might have lost out so far. She is, however, expected to take on the leading part of Fanny Brice in a Broadway revival of the musical Funny Girl starting September.
1 What Has Lea Michele Said About The Allegations Of Bullying?
Lea Michele’s casting in Funny Girl has caused consternation from various people, although her former Glee co-star Jane Lynch has spoken up in support.
Michele did apologize for her behavior towards her colleagues on Glee, saying in a statement on Instagram: “Whether it was my privileged position and perspective that caused me to be perceived as insensitive or inappropriate at times or whether it was just my immaturity and me just being unnecessarily difficult, I apologize for my behavior and for any pain which I have caused.”
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