STAGE TUBE: GLEE's Lea Michele Talks Hidden Tattoos

By: May. 21, 2012
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GLEE and Broadway star Lea Michele discusses her 14 hidden tattoos on the Late Show with David Letterman. For Michele, tattooing is a family event. Watch the video!

Lea Michele debuted on Broadway in 1995 as a replacement for the role of Young Cosette in the original New York production of Les Misérables. Following her theatrical debut in Les Misérables, Lea was cast in the role of Tateh's daughter, the Little Girl, in the 1998 original Broadway cast of Ragtime and in 2004, Lea portrayed "Shprintze" and "Chava" in the Broadway revival of the musical Fiddler on the Roof.

When she was fourteen years old, Lea was given the role of Wendla in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of Spring Awakening, starring in early workshops to Off-Broadway and finally originating the role in the Broadway production at the age of twenty. Around the same time that the show was set to go to Broadway, Lea was offered the role of Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables. However, she chose to remain with Spring Awakening, which debuted on Broadway in December 2006. Lea was later nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Spring Awakening in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Musical. After two years of starring in Spring Awakening, Lea left the show with co-star and good friend, Jonathan Groff, to pursue more performing opportunities.

In early 2009, Lea won the role of Rachel Berry on the FOX television smash hit, "GLEE" (2009) and since the show's premiere on May 19, 2009, Lea has since received worldwide critical and public acclaim for her performance on the show. She received the 2009 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical and later won a Screen Actors Guild Award as well. Along with her award wins, Lea has also received Golden Globe, Emmy, and Teen Choice Award nominations.



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