
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.

as Self - Guest

as Sarah (voice)
1989

as Self - Guest
2014

as Self - Guest
2009

as Self - Guest
2015

as Self
1996

as Self
2014

as Self - Musical Guest
2019

as Gertie
2008

as Self
2010

as Rachel Berry
2009

as Self - Guest
1988

as Sammi
1999
as Self - Performer
2023

2026

as Special Guest
2024

as Self - Performer
2023

as Self - Wendla
2022

as Olivia Anderson
2019

2017

as Dorothy (voice)
2014

as Self
2012

as Elise
2011

as Rachel Berry
2011

as Rachel Berry
2011

as Self - Performer
2011

as Audience
2010

as The Little Girl (segment "Ragtime") (archive footage)
2005

as Christina (voice)
1998

as The Little Girl
1998
as Self - Guest
6 ep.

as Sarah (voice)
1 episodes

as Self - Guest
2 episodes

as Self - Guest
6 episodes

as Self - Guest
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self - Musical Guest
3 episodes

as Gertie
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Rachel Berry
121 episodes

as Self - Guest
1 episodes

as Sammi
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self - Presenter
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self
2 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self - Special Guest
1 episodes

as Hester Ulrich
23 episodes

as Self
1 episodes

as Self
1 episodes