Lea Michele

Known for ActingBorn 1986-08-29 (age 39)The Bronx, New York, USA

Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. Recognized for her powerful soprano voice, emotional performances, and extensive Broadway background, she has built a career spanning theater, television, film, and music. Michele has received numerous accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and multiple Grammy Awards. In 2010 and 2023, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. Born and raised in New York City, Michele is of Italian and Sephardic Jewish descent. She began performing professionally as a child actress on Broadway, appearing in productions of Les Misérables, Ragtime, Fiddler on the Roof, and later originating the role of Wendla Bergmann in Spring Awakening alongside Jonathan Groff. Michele rose to international prominence for her portrayal of ambitious high school performer Rachel Berry on the Fox musical comedy-drama Glee (2009–2015). Her performance became one of the defining portrayals of musical television in the 2010s and earned widespread critical acclaim, including a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Through the show’s music releases, Michele also received multiple Grammy Award nominations and contributed to numerous Billboard-charting singles and albums, helping reintroduce musical television to mainstream global audiences. Following the success of Glee, Michele expanded into film and music. She made her feature film debut in New Year's Eve and signed with Columbia Records in 2012. Her debut single, Cannonball, was released in 2013, followed by her first studio album Louder (2014), which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. She later released the albums Places (2017), Christmas in the City (2019), and Forever (2021). Her music combines Broadway theatricality with contemporary pop influences and is often noted for its vocal intensity and emotional delivery. Outside of performance, Michele has authored two books: Brunette Ambition (2014) and You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life (2015). In 2022, Michele returned to Broadway as Fanny Brice in the revival of Funny Girl, delivering a critically acclaimed performance that revitalized the production and became one of the most commercially successful Broadway runs of the decade. Her renditions of songs such as “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “My Man” received widespread praise from critics and audiences alike. In 2025, she stars as Florence Vassy in the Broadway revival of Chess opposite Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher. Widely regarded as one of the leading Broadway performers of her generation, Michele continues to maintain a prominent presence across theater, music, and screen.Read more

Movies & web series

Therapuss

LadyGang

Glee: Keep on Believin'

Teen Choice Awards

People's Choice Awards

Sons of Anarchy

Glee Encore

Scream Queens

Third Watch

The Simpsons

Glee: The Concert Movie

Spring Awakening: Those You've Known

Conan

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Quartet at the Village Vanguard

The Glee Project

American Idol

Who Do You Think You Are?

Glee

Same Time, Next Christmas

Dimension 404

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return

The Daily Show

The Mayor

Carpool Karaoke: The Series

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Cleveland Show

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

New Year's Eve

The Drew Barrymore Show

Buster & Chauncey's Silent Night

A MusiCares Tribute To Barbra Streisand

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Dr. Oz Show

Chelsea

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Chelsea Lately

A Little Late with Lilly Singh

MISCAST26

Ragtime, The Musical: All-Star Reunion Concert

TIME100: The World's Most Influential People

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration

What the World Needs Now

Journey to Regionals

Creating Ragtime