What Happened To Lea Michele After Glee?

According to "Glee" actress Samantha Marie Ware, who played Jane Hayward in the show's 6th season, Rachel Berry's immature, aggressive, and power-hungry attitude is an accurate reflection of what Lea Michele is really like when the cameras aren't rolling. As reported by CNN, Michele made Ware the victim of "traumatic microaggressions" during her time on the show, creating a toxic work environment that the latter called "a living hell."

"When I tried to speak up for myself, she told me to shut my mouth. She said I don't deserve to have that job," Ware told Variety in June 2020. "She talked about how she has reign. And here's the thing: I completely understood that, and I was ready to be like, 'This is your show. I'm not here to be disrespectful.' But at that point, we were already past the respect and she was just abusing her power."

Michele's odious actions were confirmed by her costars, leading her to issue a public apology for her behavior (via People). Following the controversy, Michele has kept a low profile acting-wise. However, she's just landed a new role that not even Rachel Berry could tackle. People reported that Michele will replace Beanie Feldstein as leading lady Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl." Another thing Lea and her "Glee" character have in common is their love of Barbra Streisand, who originated the iconic role. Hopefully, Michele's return to the spotlight will proceed without incident.