[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/250px-Lea1234_4767.jpg]]

->''"I love Broadway World! I'm like such a dork; I wake up, get my cup of coffee, and am like, 'Let's see what's going on on Broadway World!'"''

Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986) is an American actor, singer, and author.

Born in the Bronx, Michele started acting at the tender age of eight as Young Cosette in a production of ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', which she admits she tried out for on a whim. She then continued on to play the Little Girl in the original Broadway cast of ''Film/{{Ragtime}}'', Shprintze on ''Theatre/FiddlerOnTheRoof'', and several parts in various musicals, concerts, and plays, reaping in a bunch of awards and accolades while she was at it. She also played Wendla in the musical and the original Broadway run of ''Theatre/SpringAwakening''.

Then, she auditioned for the part of the obnoxious, talented diva Rachel Berry on ''Series/{{Glee}}''[[note]]She auditioned with a rendition of "[[ActorAllusion On My Own]]" from ''Les Miserables''. Interviews say, though, that it was in fact good friend and [[Creator/JonathanGroff ''Spring Awakening'' co-star Jonathan Groff]] who introduced her to series creator Ryan Murphy, and that the part of Rachel was written with her in mind[[/note]]. To say that [[StarMakingRole playing Rachel made her famous is a huge understatement]]; for the role, she received nominations for an UsefulNotes/EmmyAward and two UsefulNotes/{{Golden Globe}}s and win four People's Choice Awards, three Teen Choice Awards and a Satellite Award.

In 2020, Michele was accused by [[https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/samantha-ware-glee-lea-michele-interview-black-actress-hollywood-1234631015/ actor Samantha Ware]] of "constant micro aggressions" as well as having made the set of ''Series/{{Glee}}'' a "living hell" for her and others. Soon afterwards, several people -- including [[https://people.com/tv/glee-heather-morris-says-lea-michele-was-unpleasant-to-work-with/ Heather Morris]], [[http://www.justjared.com/2020/06/02/glees-alex-newell-reacts-to-lea-michele-allegations-get-her/ Alex Newell]], [[https://goat.com.au/entertainment/glee-cast-members-are-lining-up-to-lay-into-lea-michele-behaviour/ Dabier Snell]], [[https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/cory-monteith-comforted-actress-after-lea-michele-was-allegedly-mean/ Monica Maskatow]], [[https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/former-elle-magazine-editor-justine-cullen-recalls-working-with-lea-michele/news-story/9fc3b2b0f2daa9799c61491f59ecd2b2 Justine Cullen, Chase Edmondson]], [[https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/06/18/lea-michele-willam-glee-samantha-marie-ware-tweet-alex-newell/ Willam]] and [[https://ew.com/tv/amber-riley-lea-michele-controversy-people-dying/ Amber Riley]] -- stepped up to add their own stories of Michele's alleged bad behaviour, prompting [[https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-52903265 her to issue an apology "for any harm caused"]]. She [[https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/lea-michele-hellofresh-dropped-samantha-ware-accusations-1234623622/ was dropped as a spokesperson for [=HelloFresh=] as a result]], and would later [[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/lea-michele-naya-rivera-death-missing-glee-feud-twitter-trolling-a9614721.html delete her Twitter account]] following trolling and criticism from people demanding she make a comment about her former costar Creator/NayaRivera's disappearance and death (Rivera had also [[https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/lea-michele-part-glee-glaad-tribute-naya-rivera.html/ spoken]] previously about their conflicts on set), and also set her Instagram to semi-private. On March 24, 2021, it was [[https://variety.com/2021/awards/news/glee-cast-reunion-glaad-media-awards-1234936870/ announced]] Michele -- as well as Chord Overstreet and Dianna Agron -- would not be taking part in the GLAAD cast reunion/tribute performance to Rivera.

Michele has also worked in film (making her film debut in ''New Year's Eve'' and lending her voice to the titular character in ''WesternAnimation/LegendsOfOzDorothysReturn'') and music (releasing her debut album ''Louder'' in 2014). She is also a vegan and a very strong advocate for gay rights as well as for [=PETA=], and has campaigned very openly against animal cruelty.

She is married to businessman Zandy Reich, and they have one child, a son named Ever Leo, who was born in August 2020.
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!!Tropes commonly used in her roles
* ActorInspiredElement: After Cory Monteith died in real life, Ryan Murphy asked her what they should do with Finn on the show. She said they should [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim have him die on the show as well]].
* ApprovalOfGod: Natalie Imbruglia stated that she loved Lea's cover of "Torn".
* CastingGag: She plays one of Jon Bon Jovi's back-up dancers in ''New Year's Eve''. She had once almost hit him with her car.
* IAmNotSpock: She'll always be Rachel to most television-watching people. But of course, theater circles will always remember her for her performance in ''Spring Awakening''. She seems determined to avoid this though, going heavily [[PlayingAgainstType against type]] in ''Series/ScreamQueens2015'' - as a death-obsessed freak [[spoiler: who is also a manipulative serial killer]].
* RomanceOnTheSet: With her ''Glee'' co-star Cory Monteith until his death in 2013. She even received a tattoo to remember him forever.
* SeparatedAtBirthCasting: She and Creator/IdinaMenzel look as if they could be mother and daughter.
* SugarWiki/SheReallyCanAct: Her singing voice tends to overshadow her acting talents, and she's more often thought of as a voice. In ''Scream Queens'' she not only doesn't sing at all on the show but also goes radically against type from her perceived "wholesome good girl" image, impressing fans.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: She was originally cast as [[Creator/KateUpton Kate Upton's]] friend/[[TheRival rival]] in ''The Layover'' - because of a scheduling conflict, she was replaced by Creator/AlexandraDaddario.
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