Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986), known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress, singer and author, best known for her performance as Rachel Berry on the Fox television series Glee. Michele's portrayal of Rachel has received much critical praise, earning her two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2010 and 2011, and an Emmy Award nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series in 2010. She has also received a Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, a Screen Actors Guild Award and three consecutive People's Choice Awards for her performance. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Les Misérables, Ragtime, and Fiddler on the Roof. In 2006, she originated the lead role of Wendla in the Broadway musical Spring Awakening for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination. In 2008, the Spring Awakening soundtrack, on which she was a featured solo artist, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
Michele made her film debut in 2011 when she starred in the romantic comedy New Year's Eve, directed by Garry Marshall. She voiced the character of Dorothy Gale in the animated movie Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014). She will voice the character of Pinki in the upcoming animated film Mumbai Musical (2017). Michele signed to Columbia Records as a solo recording artist in 2012. Her first single, "Cannonball", was released on December 10, 2013. Her debut album, Louder, was released on March 4, 2014. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 and sold over 62,000 copies in its first week of US release. The second single from Louder, "On My Way", was released on May 4, 2014. In 2013, Michele signed a deal to write her first book, titled Brunette Ambition. It was released worldwide on May 20, 2014. The book made its debut on The New York Times Best Seller list at number 3, and on the U.S. Nonfiction Best Sellers list at number 9. As well as being an actress and singer, Michele is active in supporting a number of charitable organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation.
