Lea Michele has experienced something of a comeback in recent months, which was partially sparked by the revelation in July that she would succeed Beanie Feldstein in the title role of the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
She hasn’t been able to completely shake off the controversy surrounding her name, though. There have been claims of bullying and discrimination made against her in 2020, and rumors have circulated about what happened when she was cast in the well-known musical in which Barbra Streisand played Fanny Brice. But only a few days before she’s supposed to start playing Fanny on September 6, the 36-year-old artist addressed each one individually in a new interview with The New York Times.
When Samantha Marie Ware called her out for supporting Black Lives Matter while allegedly mistreating Black employees on site, allegations that Michele was rude to her costars on the set of Glee initially appeared. In the current interview, Michele said that her earlier bad behavior was a result of her obsessive, tunnel-visioned attention to her work.
The allegations made by Ware and other coworkers, according to Michele, forced her to reflect on herself and help her realize the value of leadership. She told the newspaper, “It means going and doing a good job not only when the camera’s rolling, but also when it’s not.” And for me, that wasn’t necessarily the most crucial factor.
Michael Mayer, the director of the musical, said that Michele was really “at the top of the list” for the character when he originally started casting the Broadway production of Funny Girl. Some people were not satisfied with the decision, including Ware, who once again seemed to speak out.
Instead, he went with Feldstein, whose performance, despite some negative reviews, he claimed to have appreciated. Michele disclosed that she had informed Mayer she would be “proud” to take over as the lead if her stint ever came to an end. It finally happened in June, at which point everything was ready for the Scream Queens star to assume what she has always described as her ideal job.
Last but not least, Michele addressed an odd internet allegation that she is illiterate. “I went to Glee every day, and I knew my lines every day,” she insisted. The internet hoax that I am uneducated is another. That is sad. It is. I frequently consider how different a lot of things would be if I were a man.