Lea Michele

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Birthday:

29 August 1986, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name:

Lea Michele Sarfati

Height:

159 cm

Lea Michele Sarfati was born in the Bronx, New York to parents Edith Thomasina (Porcelli), a nurse, and Mark David Sarfati, a delicatessen owner-turned-real estate agent. Her mother is of Italian descent (from Rome and Naples), and her father is of Sephardi Jewish ancestry (from Turkey and Greece). Lea was raised Catholic. She grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, where she eventually attended and graduated from Tenafly High School.At the age of eight, Lea went with a friend to an open casting call for an up-and-coming musical. After spontaneously deciding to audition, she was offered the role and, two weeks later, she was starring on Broadway. She made her debut on Broadway in 1995 as a replacement for the role of Young Cosette in "Les Misérables". Following her theatrical debut, Lea was cast in the role of Tateh's daughter, the Little Girl, in the 1998 original Broadway cast of "Ragtime" and, in 2004, Lea portrayed Shprintze and understudied the role of Chava in the Broadway revival of the musical "Fiddler on the Roof".When she was fourteen, Lea was given the role of Wendla Bergmann in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of "Spring Awakening". She starred in early workshops, off-Broadway and, finally, originated the role in the Broadway production at the age of twenty. Around the same time that the show was set to go to Broadway, Lea was offered the role of Éponine Thénardier in the Broadway revival of "Les Misérables". However, she chose to remain with "Spring Awakening", which debuted on Broadway in December 2006. She was later nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. After two years of starring in "Spring Awakening", Lea left the show with co-star Jonathan Groff, to pursue other opportunities.In late 2008, Lea won the role of Rachel Berry on the comedy-drama series Glee (2009), and since the show's premiere on May 19, 2009, has received worldwide critical acclaim for her performance. She received the 2009 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series - Comedy or Musical, and later won three People's Choice Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Along with her award wins, Lea also received Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations. Show less «

One of my favorite things about Spring Awakening is that it is enjoyable and important for both kids and adults to see.

I consider myself lucky to be an only child because if I had other siblings, my mother would not have been able to take me to every audition...Show more »

I consider myself lucky to be an only child because if I had other siblings, my mother would not have been able to take me to every audition and be so supportive of my career. Show less «

I think it's important in this industry to not just conform to what people want you to do, and instead stand by what you believe in - that's...Show more »

I think it's important in this industry to not just conform to what people want you to do, and instead stand by what you believe in - that's something I'm very passionate about. Show less «

I had so many people telling me 'NO' and giving me these limits in my life. It's so funny what can happen once you just decide to not listen...Show more »

I had so many people telling me 'NO' and giving me these limits in my life. It's so funny what can happen once you just decide to not listen to them. Show less «

I think people should just be proud of who they are. Negative stuff will always be said, but it is the girl that can always wake up in the m...Show more »

I think people should just be proud of who they are. Negative stuff will always be said, but it is the girl that can always wake up in the morning and put a smile on their face and continue to do what they do that has the best time. Show less «

When I first heard those references used towards me, I found it incredibly hurtful. I'm a girl who knows what she wants. I am outspoken. I a...Show more »

When I first heard those references used towards me, I found it incredibly hurtful. I'm a girl who knows what she wants. I am outspoken. I am strong and I think that sometimes a strong woman with an opinion is called a diva. If a man is strong and opinionated, he's considered powerful, but if you're a woman, it's regarded negatively. Show less «

I've always felt good about myself, that is to say, I've always felt beautiful, but I didn't necessarily think other people thought I was be...Show more »

I've always felt good about myself, that is to say, I've always felt beautiful, but I didn't necessarily think other people thought I was beautiful. Glee (2009) opened my eyes. That's what's so great about the show, it includes all different types of beauty. Show less «

Happiness is my greatest invisible accessory.

No one knows you better than you. Except maybe your mother.

It's really important to be kind to yourself and to be complimentary.