Is Lea Michele 'illiterate'? The vicious 'sexist' rumor that has the 'Glee' star fuming
BRENTWOOD, LOS ANGELES: In an interview with The New York Times, American actress, singer, songwriter, and author, Lea Michele Sarfati has confronted accusations of bullying made over the years by her former 'Glee' cast members.
She also talked about the rumors of her being "illiterate" saying that she thinks it's "sad." While speaking on her role as Fanny Brice in 'Funny Girl' before her opening night on Broadway on September 6, 2022, Michele said, "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."
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She told The New York Times, "I think often if I were a man, a lot of this wouldn't be the case," about being the target of such rumors. It has been several years now since the conspiracy theories that Michele can't read or write began to surface. It all started when Glee star Naya Rivera wrote about Michele in her memoir. When prompted by the hosts of the 'One More Thing' podcast, Jaye Hunt and Robert Ackerman, to joke that Michele must not be able to read, she did not comment. The 'Scream Queens' star also discussed the allegations of bullying against her that prompted an “intense time of reflection” regarding the way she works with others as she prepares to star in 'Funny Girl'.
She said, “I have an edge to me. I work really hard. I leave no room for mistakes,” Michele said. “That level of perfectionism, or that pressure of perfectionism, left me with a lot of blind spots.”
The actress continued talking about the allegations that were made against her by co-stars and former colleagues of bullying, including claims from another Glee actress Samantha Marie Ware, who stated that she (Samantha) was the victim of several "traumatic microaggressions" from Michele. Ware also stated in the year 2022 that Lea had threatened to get her fired and made a comment in front of castmates that humiliated her in a deep way.
The 36-year-old Michele went on to say, "I really understand the importance and value now of being a leader. It means not only going and doing a good job when the camera's rolling, but also when it's not. And that wasn't always the most important thing for me." After taking the place of Beanie Feldstein, Michele is super excited to play the role to the best of her abilities much like her 'Glee' character Rachel Berry, who starred on Broadway as Fanny Brice in the show. "I feel more ready than I ever have before, both personally and professionally," Michele said.