Dramatic Facts About Lea Michele, The Ultimate Theater Kid
Lea Michelle stood at the center of it all when the hit television show Glee lit up screens in 2009. She played the Broadway-obsessed, ridiculously type-A Rachel Berry, and rose to fame with the wildly popular show.
In all honesty, her onscreen character wasn’t the most likable; and as it turns out, she didn’t turn out to be too likable in real life either.
1. She Had Humble Beginnings (Sort Of)
Lea Michele’s life began in the Bronx, where she lived with her parents until moving to the suburbs of New Jersey at the age of four. Her mother worked as a nurse, and her father owned a business and worked in real estate. It looked nothing like Michele’s life of stardom now, which she might not even have if not for an unexpected trip.
2. Her Big Break Was Unexpected
Lea Michele's first big opportunity came as a total surprise. When her mother agreed to take her friend’s child to a Les Miserables audition, Michele tagged along. In a move that seemingly foreshadowed the tone of her career, she ended up walking away with the part the other girl auditioned for. But her childhood wasn't all smooth sailing.
3. She Used A White Lie
At that very first audition, she used her middle name, “Michele," as her last name instead of her actual birth surname, “Sarfati”. She hated the way her last name drew attention and teasing. She decided to drop it, continuing with Michele for the rest of her career. She made a successful run in musical theater from that time on, but the pressure changed her forever.
4. She Became Obsessed With Perfection
The world of performance isn’t short on stories of the struggles of being a child performer, and sadly, Michele’s story is no different. She consistently dealt with the weight of performing perfectly night after night, and noted it caused her to be in a “semi-robotic state”. As she got older, the roles started to require even more, arguably too much.
