Biography

The actress Lea Michele was born Lea Michele Sarfati in 1986 in New York City. Long before Lea rose to fame in the role of Rachel Berry on the hit television show Glee, Lea spent her childhood performing in a number of productions in New York, with her earliest roles going back to when she was only about ten years old. As a high schooler, Michele opted for a hiatus to focus on her school work, although she continued to attend the performing arts training center, Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills, during the summer.

After graduating from high school, Lea Michele turned down an offer to attend the Tisch School of the Arts to instead focus on professional stage work. With her strong soprano, Lea was an ideal fit for a number of key Broadway roles, in such plays as: Les Miserables, Ragtime, Fiddler on the Roof, and Spring Awakening, for which Lea would receive her first Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

In 2009, Lea Michele landed the role of Rachel Berry in the hit television series Glee, and she has remained with the cast ever since. The role has made Lea a highly recognizable figure, earning her Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy, and Emmy nominations for Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series. Lea recently made her film debut in the comedy New Year’s Eve (2011), and she has plans to continue with roles on the big screen.

Lea Michele’s powerhouse voice has also led to the release of her debut album, Louder, featuring the single “Cannonball.” The album rose to the top of the mainstream charts, peaking at number four. Michele’s first book, Brunette Ambition, has also risen to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. To say that Lea Michele’s star continues to rise is an understatement, and it is expected for her to continue to dominate the stage and screen in the coming years.