Lea Michele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lea Michele
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Michele in 2022
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| Born |
Lea Michele Sarfati
August 29, 1986 The Bronx, New York, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
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Works
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| Spouse(s) |
Zandy Reich
(m. 2019) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Columbia |
Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, and author. She started her career as a child on Broadway, the famous theater district in New York City. She appeared in big shows like Les Misérables and Ragtime.
Michele became very famous for playing Rachel Berry on the TV show Glee from 2009 to 2015. For this role, she was nominated for major awards like an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. The music from Glee was also very popular, and Michele earned a Grammy Award nomination for it.
She has also acted in movies like New Year's Eve (2011) and other TV shows, including Scream Queens. As a singer, she has released several albums, including Louder (2014) and Christmas in the City (2019).
In 2022, Michele returned to Broadway to star as Fanny Brice in the musical Funny Girl. Her performance was highly praised by critics. She is also set to star in the 2025 Broadway revival of the musical Chess.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lea Michele Sarfati was born in The Bronx, New York. She is the only child of Edith, a retired nurse, and Mark, a real estate agent. Her mother is Italian American, and her father is a Sephardic Jew with family from Greece. Michele was raised in the Catholic faith.
When she was four, her family moved to Tenafly, New Jersey. Because she was performing on Broadway, her family also rented an apartment in Manhattan. Michele started using "Lea Michele" as her professional name at her first audition. She did this because she was teased about how to pronounce her last name, Sarfati.
For her first audition, she sang a song from The Phantom of the Opera. She was only trying to support a friend but ended up getting a part in Les Misérables herself.
Michele attended Tenafly High School, where she was on the volleyball and debate teams. To focus on her education, she took a break from auditioning for Broadway during her first three years of high school. She was accepted into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts but chose to continue her professional acting career instead.
Career
1995–2008: Starting on the Stage
At age eight, Michele made her Broadway debut in Les Misérables. She later appeared in the original Broadway cast of Ragtime in 1998. In 2004, she was in the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.
Her next major role was Wendla Bergmann in the musical Spring Awakening. She starred in the show when it opened on Broadway in 2006. For this role, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She left the show in May 2008.
2009–2012: Glee and Rise to Fame
From 2009 to 2015, Michele starred as Rachel Berry in the musical TV series Glee. The show's creator, Ryan Murphy, wrote the part of Rachel specifically for her. This role made her a household name and earned her many awards and nominations.
In 2010, Time magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Many songs she performed on Glee became hits. Her cover of "Gives You Hell" made it into the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 2010 and 2011, Michele and the Glee cast went on a concert tour called Glee Live! In Concert!. They performed shows across North America, England, and Ireland. The concerts were very successful and received positive reviews.
In 2011, she made her movie debut in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve.
2013–2016: Solo Music and Scream Queens
In 2012, Michele started working on her first solo album. Her first single, "Cannonball", was released in 2013. Her debut album, Louder, came out in 2014 and reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2014, she also published her first book, Brunette Ambition. The book became a bestseller. She released a second book, You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life, in 2015.
From 2015 to 2016, Michele starred in the horror-comedy series Scream Queens. She played Hester Ulrich, a quirky character who wears a neck brace.
2017–2021: More Albums and TV Roles
Michele released her second album, Places, in 2017. This album had a more theatrical sound, which she said was a return to her roots. To support the album, she went on a small tour called An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele.
In 2017, she also starred in the ABC sitcom The Mayor. In 2018, she went on a co-headlining tour with her former Glee co-star Darren Criss.
She released a Christmas album, Christmas in the City, in 2019. In 2021, she released a cover album of lullabies called Forever.
2022–Present: Return to Broadway
In 2022, it was announced that Michele would return to Broadway. She took on the lead role of Fanny Brice in the musical Funny Girl. This was a dream role for her, and her character on Glee had also dreamed of playing Fanny Brice.
Critics loved her performance, and she received standing ovations on her opening night. Many reviewers said she made the show worth seeing. The show's final performance was on September 3, 2023. In 2023, Time magazine again named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Artistry and Voice
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One of Michele's biggest influences is Barbra Streisand, who she calls her "role model." She also looks up to actresses Natalie Wood and Audra McDonald. She has said that she learned a lot about singing from listening to Audra McDonald.
Michele is a soprano, which is a type of high singing voice. Her voice has been praised by many critics. The Boston Globe called her voice a "mighty soprano." When she performed live on the Glee tour, reviewers noted that her voice sounded even better in person than on the show.
Other Work
Michele has been involved in charity work throughout her career. She supports organizations like Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and PETA, an animal rights group. She has performed at many benefit concerts to raise money for different causes, including cancer research and disaster relief.
She has also been a spokesperson for several brands, including Dove, Candie's, and L'Oréal. In 2010, she appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Chevrolet with her Glee castmates.
Personal Life
Michele began dating her Glee co-star Cory Monteith in 2012. They were together until he passed away in July 2013.
On March 9, 2019, Michele married businessman Zandy Reich. They have two children: a son born in August 2020 and a daughter born in August 2024.
Performances
Film and television
- Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night (1998)
- Glee (2009–2015)
- Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (2011)
- New Year's Eve (2011)
- Scream Queens (2015–2016)
- The Mayor (2017–2018)
Stage
- Les Misérables (1995–1996)
- Ragtime (1997–1999)
- The Diary of Anne Frank (2004)
- Fiddler on the Roof (2004–2005)
- Spring Awakening (2006–2008; 2021)
- Les Misérables (2008)
- The Rocky Horror Show (2010)
- The Little Mermaid (2019)
- Funny Girl (2022–2023)
- Chess (2025)
Discography
- Louder (2014)
- Places (2017)
- Christmas in the City (2019)
- Forever (2021)
Written works
- Brunette Ambition (2014)
- You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life (2015)
See also
In Spanish: Lea Michele para niños
- List of songs in Glee (seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
