Actress Lea Michele has been trending all morning on Twitter after it was announced Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have been cast in the upcoming big-screen version of the hit Broadway musical Wicked. The news comes just a few months after it was announced Beanie Feldstein will star in the highly-anticipated Broadway revival of Funny Girl in 2022.
Related: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to star in movie version of Wicked
Michele is a huge fan of the both shows. In 2017, she told Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live!” that she would love to be in the film versions of both Wicked and Funny Girl, joking that she would “fight” other actresses for the opportunities, if needed.
It’s unclear whether she was even being seriously considered for either of the roles, but if she was, the barrage of bad press she received last summer likely played a part in why she wasn’t cast. As you may recall, in June 2020, Michele had to issue an apology after her former Glee co-stars Samantha Ware, Amber Riley, and Alex Newell came forward to accuse her of cruel treatment on set.
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Related: Former ‘Glee’ co-stars accuse Lea Michelle of terrible on-set behavior
Ware alleged Michele made work on the show “living hell” and “told everyone that if you had the opportunity you would ‘sh*t in my wig.’” Riley and Newell both appeared to corroborate the accusations. Meanwhile, drag queen Willam also hinted at unpleasant behavior by Michele on the set of Glee–behavior so rude, it prompted him to quit the show.
Related: Another one of Lea Michele’s former co-stars just spilled a whole pot of tea
This was followed by scores of other former castmates, colleagues, understudies, and extras also accusing her of being “subhuman,” “terrifying,” “manipulative,” and a “nightmare,” among other things. It didn’t take long before she started losing endorsement deals, like the one she had with Hello Fresh. Then, in July 2020, she deleted her Twitter page for good.
Since then, Michele has kept a relatively low profile, although she did recently announce she’ll be returning to Broadway for a one-night-only concert benefiting The Actors Fund with some of the original cast of “Spring Awakening.” The special event will take place November 15 at the Imperial Theatre.
Related: Beauty industry insiders spill even more hot tea on Lea Michele’s “toxic” behavior
“The theater that we’re going to be performing at was the theater that I did my very first Broadway show when I was 8 years old,” she told Extra. “There’s a lot of emotion, yeah. I’m either going to need a very big drink or a very big box of tissues.”
It’s probably a good thing Michele isn’t on Twitter anymore because here’s what people are saying about her right now…
lea michele finding out she wasn’t cast in the funny girl revival OR the wicked movie this year pic.twitter.com/9ofvWZUaTq
— sheeva (@sheevasmells) November 5, 2021
lea michele in 2013: i want to be fanny brice and elphaba
2021: ?— damien ?? (@bloomzegler) November 5, 2021
Lea Michele walking into the theatre to see the Wicked movie pic.twitter.com/SMer7Ea5l4
— Cody (extra festive) (@mistercodester) November 5, 2021
Lea Michele trending every time there’s a big Broadway casting reveal is never not hilarious
— Andrew Z¡gler (@andrewzigler) November 5, 2021
Lea Michele facetiming the Wicked director as we speak: pic.twitter.com/pSuh2Gzx9B
— CHERRY ? (@twink4harry) November 5, 2021
Could you Imagine how much of an aneurysm this app would have if they actually casted Lea Michele in the Wicked film
— Hey Fagatha (@HeyFagatha) November 5, 2021
me reading all of the tweets about Lea Michele pic.twitter.com/rYHJCo3mbs
— mr. greentea (@shivasdaddy) November 5, 2021
Wouldn’t wanna be Lea Michele’s therapist this year
— Casey Mink (@Casey_Mink) November 5, 2021
Lea Michele looking at Ariana Grande and Beanie Feldstein. pic.twitter.com/hrmL0RFgAU
— sam greisman (@SAMGREIS) November 5, 2021
Somewhere, Jonathan Groff's phone is ringing. Lea Michele is calling. He lets it go to voicemail.
— Harbinger of Queer Joy (@Neil_McNeil) November 5, 2021
Lea Michele getting the Funny Girl THEN Wicked news pic.twitter.com/8HXRpznbW0
— Ben Yahr (@benyahr) November 5, 2021
Maybe Lea Michele should not have shit in that wig.
— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) November 5, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
John
How is this LGBTQ+ related?
ThinkPIease
It has nothing to do with our community, but allows him to be a bully by using other people’s tweets.
ScottOnEarth
Probably because she was on “Glee,” which was very gay…and she’s a major bitch, which is also very gay.
DamienOmen2
@ScottOnEarth, your comment — while I wish it wasn’t true — made me chortle!
Hank31
There’s no such thing as “LGBTQ.” It’s LGB, and no, this is not LGB-related.
jayceecook
@Hank31 Please KYSSRTL, love the lgbTQ+ community.
SDWalker96
Oh hank dude its been LGBT for like thirty years, give up
Hank31
@SDWalker96 We were called “sodomites” for 1700 years, and that changed. I don’t think 20 years of “LGBT” (and yes, it’s only been 20 years since the initialism came into widespread use) is insurmountable. “LGBT” is a lie and lies always, eventually, fall.
jayceecook
@Hank31 the LGBT or GLBT initialism has been used since the late 80s. LGBTQ started to become more popular in the early 2000s. LGBTQ+ in the past ten years. You are a liar. Your ideology is a lie. You will fall phuck face.
Den
Jayceecook and SDwalker are correct, LGBT first appeared in media in the late 80’s, which means it was likely used by activists within the LGBT community before that. And I certainly remember discussions about ideological connections with trans folks before that, back as far as the mid 70’s.
Hank31 is incorrect, and like so many regressive minded people seems to mistake his imagination or wishful thinking for fact. If for no other reason, the inability of our foes to see any of us as fully human or worthy of equitable treatment is reason enough for alliance.
barryaksarben
Oh HANK you are such a pos troll. IT is lgbtqia and what ever else it needs to be as inclusive as possible. There are other intolerant assholes out there who refuse to admit there are any Gs at all just perverts and I wont let either hatred pass un-noticed. So you hate trans – tough shit many of us hate bigots like you so FO
Cam
I love how the right wing troll that is using the @Hank31 Screename things that the community is so stupid we don’t realize that the SECOND they are done attacking one group of us, they will turn on the others.
Hank, sweetie, after you bigots finish with the Trans people, let me guess, next it’s bisexuals and asexuals becuase you figure the others won’t jump to defend them, then it’s gay men, then lesbians, etc.
Your troll game, no matter what screename you’re under is sad and weak. Oh, and the fact you are so obsessed with Transgendered people would seem to indicate you have your own unresolved issues and you may be a self hating closet case.
jayceecook
Twitter: Phuck Lea Michele for being a bully!
Also Twitter: Bullies Lea Michele.
tjack47
Cancel culture is getting old, and no, the way to teach a bully is not to bully them. People are becoming more and more monstrous.
barryaksarben
so people becoming more more monsterous so we should NOT cancel them? And NO ONE has been cancelled as far as I can see except COLIN KAPERNICK
Cam
Translation: Nobody who does anything wrong should ever be held responsible because that is “Cancel Culture” and bullying.
It’s cute you try to hide holding people responsible for their behavior behind the term “Cancel Culture”.
Major
IMO, this entire article is bullying. Try to do better.
moretruth
This article is a follow up to previous bullying articles. It’s like stomping a foot on her head after knocking her down. And since when is it okay to call anyone “subhuman?” Another instance where the mob is the real monster.
Openminded
This is the only way Graham knows how to write. Then he, I mean Cam, comes behind and accuses us of being trolls. So routine, you know it’s Graham’s writing by simply reading the article’s title.
Cam
Adorable that whenever there’s an article about Lea Michelle a bunch of new screenames come in, all with the exact same line, that pointing out her abusive behavior is “Bullying”.
Looks like she still has a publicist on payroll and that publicist still has interns that pop in to defend her whenever her name comes up in a Google search.
kareem
If Dave Chappelle is not cancelled why should we cancelled Lea Michele ?
TedV
I don’t see how this celebration and celebration is really any different from some of the behavior Michele was slammed for. It’s actually really ugly.
Jim
It’s sad. She’s very talented. But to succeed one needs more then talent.
ta2t2o
How embarrassing that this article was written by an adult. Try to do better, but if this is the best you can do…then stop doing it. This is just cruel now. If all of these folks had an issue with Lea Michele, perhaps they should’ve taken it up with her directly. I don’t get the concept of character assassination, hearsay, and bullying via media. All I know is that there are no quotes coming from Lea about any of these folks coming after her. Sounds like she’s the bigger person here.
Essie
Well, according to the article, Lea is not on Twitter anymore plus she has a young child to care for so, perhaps she doesn’t know or doesn’t care what people are saying.
I do agree with you that this story was unnecessary. Lea Michele apparently has no career now so maybe it’s time to stop writing about her.
Cam
This is the third screename that has come in with the line that holding somebody responsible for over a decade of abusive behavior, that lead some people to quit jobs is somehow “Bullying”.
1. Try to make your screenames look less like each other.
2. Try to make it less obvious you’re a P.R. troll account.
and lastly, your troll game is sad and obvious.
ttm9
She definitely has an overly inflated opinion of her worth!! Glee was over years ago and so were you, you’re so non-relevant today, you’re getting what you deserve.
Tad
I have always found her to be irritating and loathsome even before all the dirt starting coming out about her being so nasty on the set. She’s just a desperate little princess who craves fame and has delusions of grandeur that come across in her personality and communication style. She’s like the Monica Lewinsky of performers. A one shot wonder who is trying to milk it into a financial windfall.
s b
Although she was once announced for a never-produced production of “Funny Girl” (thanks to her “Glee” connections), she was NEVER going to play Fanny Brice. Just because you can sing the songs (if you want to call it that) doesn’t mean you can play the part.
Cam
For the first time in history, really abusive professions like entertainment, financial, and restaurants are actually holding people responsible for their actions.
Lea had a beautiful voice, but that doesn’t mean she should be allowed to abuse and torment other people who are just there to do their jobs, and no, pointing out her harmful behavior isn’t “Bullying”. It’s a shame some director didn’t straighten her out when she was 12 and tell her to behave better towards others, but for to long, the stars of shows were allowed to torture anyone on set with complete freedom.
That is like telling somebody being mugged, that if they push the attacker away they’re attacking them.