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Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986), known professionally as Lea Michele is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and author, best known for her performance as Rachel Berry on the Fox television series Glee (2009–15). Michele's portrayal of Rachel has received much critical praise, earning her two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2010 and 2011, and a Prime time Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2010. She has also received a Satellite Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and three consecutive People's Choice Awards for her performance.
Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Les Misérables, Ragtime, and Fiddler on the Roof. In 2006, she originated the lead role of Wendla Bergmann in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination. In 2008, the Spring Awakening soundtrack, on which she was a featured solo artist, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Michele made her film debut in 2011 when she starred in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve, directed by Garry Marshall. In 2014, she voiced Dorothy Gale in the animated film Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return.
Michele signed to Columbia Records as a solo recording artist in 2012. Her first single, "Cannonball", was released on December 10, 2013. Her debut album, Louder, was released on March 4, 2014. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 62,000 copies in its first week of U.S. release. In 2013, Michele signed a deal to write her first book, titled Brunette Ambition. It was released worldwide on May 20, 2014 and made its debut on The New York Times Best Seller list at number 3, and on the U.S. Nonfiction Best Sellers list at number 9. As well as being an actress and singer, Michele is active in supporting a number of charitable organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation.
Michele owns a two-bedroom cottage home in Los Angeles, which she purchased for $1.4 million in 2012. Prior to buying her Hollywood home, Michele lived in an apartment in New York City's West Village. She moved into the apartment at the age of eighteen, after graduating from Tenafly High School in 2004.
A couple of years prior to working together on Glee, Michele briefly dated actor Matthew Morrison. From 2006 to mid 2008, before she moved to California, she was in a relationship with stage actor Landon Beard. From summer 2008 until spring 2009, she dated actor and singer John Lloyd Young. The pair began dating when they were cast as Marius Pontmercy and Éponine in a production of Les Misérables at the Hollywood Bowl. Michele started dating Broadway actor Theo Stockman in November 2009. They were together for nearly two years before breaking up in September 2011. Michele began working alongside Canadian actor Cory Monteith in October 2008, when they were cast as love interests on Glee. They became an official couple in November 2011, but did not reveal their relationship to the media until February 2012. They remained a couple until his death on July 13, 2013. Following his death, Michele co-wrote a song with Australian singer-songwriter Sia Furler about Monteith titled "If You Say So" which is featured on her debut album, Louder. As of June 2014, she is in a relationship with Matthew Paetz, a model and dating/lifestyle coach. The couple met in April 2014, while shooting the music video for Michele's second solo single "On My Way".
Michele is a liberal Democrat and supported Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Race. Obama included Michele on his wish list of celebrity endorsers for his 2012 campaign. In 2010, Michele and her Glee co-stars were invited by President Obama to perform at the second annual Easter Egg Roll hosted at the White House. She then sang for the President at his second inauguration ball on January 21, 2013. Michele's main political interests are the legalization of gay marriage and animal rights issues, particularly the use of fur in the fashion industry and cruelty of horses in the horse-drawn carriage business. For her work with animals, she received a Humanitarian Award from the animal rights group PETA.
Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Les Misérables, Ragtime, and Fiddler on the Roof. In 2006, she originated the lead role of Wendla Bergmann in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination. In 2008, the Spring Awakening soundtrack, on which she was a featured solo artist, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Michele made her film debut in 2011 when she starred in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve, directed by Garry Marshall. In 2014, she voiced Dorothy Gale in the animated film Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return.
Michele signed to Columbia Records as a solo recording artist in 2012. Her first single, "Cannonball", was released on December 10, 2013. Her debut album, Louder, was released on March 4, 2014. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 62,000 copies in its first week of U.S. release. In 2013, Michele signed a deal to write her first book, titled Brunette Ambition. It was released worldwide on May 20, 2014 and made its debut on The New York Times Best Seller list at number 3, and on the U.S. Nonfiction Best Sellers list at number 9. As well as being an actress and singer, Michele is active in supporting a number of charitable organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation.
Michele owns a two-bedroom cottage home in Los Angeles, which she purchased for $1.4 million in 2012. Prior to buying her Hollywood home, Michele lived in an apartment in New York City's West Village. She moved into the apartment at the age of eighteen, after graduating from Tenafly High School in 2004.
A couple of years prior to working together on Glee, Michele briefly dated actor Matthew Morrison. From 2006 to mid 2008, before she moved to California, she was in a relationship with stage actor Landon Beard. From summer 2008 until spring 2009, she dated actor and singer John Lloyd Young. The pair began dating when they were cast as Marius Pontmercy and Éponine in a production of Les Misérables at the Hollywood Bowl. Michele started dating Broadway actor Theo Stockman in November 2009. They were together for nearly two years before breaking up in September 2011. Michele began working alongside Canadian actor Cory Monteith in October 2008, when they were cast as love interests on Glee. They became an official couple in November 2011, but did not reveal their relationship to the media until February 2012. They remained a couple until his death on July 13, 2013. Following his death, Michele co-wrote a song with Australian singer-songwriter Sia Furler about Monteith titled "If You Say So" which is featured on her debut album, Louder. As of June 2014, she is in a relationship with Matthew Paetz, a model and dating/lifestyle coach. The couple met in April 2014, while shooting the music video for Michele's second solo single "On My Way".
Michele is a liberal Democrat and supported Barack Obama in the 2012 Presidential Race. Obama included Michele on his wish list of celebrity endorsers for his 2012 campaign. In 2010, Michele and her Glee co-stars were invited by President Obama to perform at the second annual Easter Egg Roll hosted at the White House. She then sang for the President at his second inauguration ball on January 21, 2013. Michele's main political interests are the legalization of gay marriage and animal rights issues, particularly the use of fur in the fashion industry and cruelty of horses in the horse-drawn carriage business. For her work with animals, she received a Humanitarian Award from the animal rights group PETA.
