As rare as it may be, there are times when the lines between fantasy and reality blur; after all, the notion that art imitates life and vice versa is a well-accepted one. While not many get to experience such crossovers, actress, musician, and author, Lea Michele, gets to live them!
In taking a moment to review her project history, one would be able to find Michele in almost every aspect of entertainment, from film to television, or even from the Broadway stage to concert stages in her own headlining tours. Michele is no stranger to the magic that can be found both within the industry and in life. Looking at one specific project; however, the overlap becomes almost imaginable.
First airing in 2009, Michele starred in the Fox Network hit, “Glee”, where she played young ingénue, Rachel Berry. In an effort to avoid diving too far into analysis of the six seasons show, the relevant information is as follows:
- The show follows a group of teens through the ups and downs of their adolescent life and experiences in their high school glee club.
- In each episode, there are about five to eight musical numbers.
- In the modern setting, audiences recognize both the problematic nature of the
show and characters, while still recognizing the barriers it broke at the time.
- Lea Michele is Rachel Berry.
Before continuing, it’s important to note the specific wording for the last fact. It is not so much that Lea Michele plays a character named Rachel Berry, as much as it is that the lives of Lea Michele and Rachel Berry are incredibly and unimaginably intertwined. In fact, as the writers progressed with creating the character, they drew real-life inspiration from Michele!
Following the loose plot of Glee, audiences understand that Berry wants to be a Broadway star – specifically dreams of eventually reviving the role of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” the Musical. Acting as the peak of season five plot, that dream eventually comes true for Berry – and as of September 6, 2022, it did as well for Lea Michele. Currently, Michele has just experienced her debut in the role of Fanny Brice – something many would have never imagined happening outside the screen and within the plotted episodes of the Ryan Murphy hit show. In an even greater sense, the craziness of it all expands when audiences realize that Michele’s debut just barely missed acting alongside Jane Lynch – who play Sue Slyvestor on Glee.
While it may be too early to share any opinions on Michele’s performance quality, one thing is clear: Lea Michele (or as some will forever see her as, Rachel Berry) is living the dream. Some are confined to separating television and daily life, Michele gets to sit back, relax, and enjoy watching her six season show become a reality – one that ends ultimately in her favor. If truly lucky, and both the stars and Glee plots align, Michele could be looking at a potential Tony nomination – and win – in her future!