On “Glee,” Lea Michele has won over fans and critics alike with her diva-licious portrayal of Rachel Berry. As it turns out, Michele probably didn’t have to dig all that deep for the role. And we’ve got the footage to prove it.
As first seen on MTV’s “The Seven,” a 12-year-old Michele (who had already wowed critics with performances in Broadway productions of “Les Misérables” and “Ragtime”) was interviewed in 1998 by a documentary crew. And, even at a young age, it was apparent she was a star in the making.
“In sixth grade, I tried to going to regular school, which was very difficult, because some days, I’d come late, and they’d be like, ‘Well, why are you late?’ And I’d say, ‘Because I’m tired. I have a show to do,’ ” Michele says in the footage. “And then I have my friends that are like, ‘Wow, you’re on Broadway,’ which I hate to be treated that way. That, I think, has been the worst part of being in the theatrical business.”
She also emphatically states that she considers herself “a normal kid,” but at one point, her diva-tude is in full display as she expertly directs a makeup artist to apply powder to her chin and nose, while her mother rolls her eyes.
Michele also shows that she was destined for fame, explaining how she’s managed to make a go in the cutthroat world of showbiz.
“Being in the business has kind of made me grow up so fast, because I’m around so many older actors that I just learned so much so fast,” she says. “Everyone says, ‘You know, you’re so mature!’ … I can do anything, and that’s how I kind of stay sane in this really tough, dog-eat-dog business.”
