EXCLUSIVE: No Hollywood Glee for Lea Michele — Why Broadway Star is Finding it Impossible to Escape Tinseltown Grudges
Lea Michele may be having a tough time getting gigs in Hollywood.
May 26 2026, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Hollywood pariah Lea Michele hopes to score a major role in a movie or TV show now that her successful run in Chess on Broadway has ended.
But insiders told RadarOnline.com it's going to be a long shot as the 39-year-old Glee alum was effectively blackballed from the industry after years of prima donna antics, alleged mean-girl behavior, and racist microaggressions.
"Lea has star quality and real talent as an actress and a singer, but sadly for her, she has very little support within the television business that made her famous in the first place," claimed the source.
Lea Michele's Beefs With Co-Stars Revealed
Samantha Marie Ware and Dabier Snell publicly criticized Michele in 2020 after the 'Glee' actress posted support for Black Lives Matter.
In 2020, when Michele shared a tweet supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, Dabier Snell, a Black actor who guest-starred on Glee, responded, writing: "Girl you wouldn't let me sit at the table with the other cast members 'cause I 'didn't belong there.' F**k you Lea."
Samantha Marie Ware, another Glee costar who's Black, also responded to Michele's tweet, posting: "Remember when you made my first television gig a living h-ll?!?!"
Costar Heather Morris, who is white, also weighed in, stating Michele was "unpleasant to work with."
Michele released a statement apologizing for her behavior, "and for any pain which I have caused."
Heather Morris described Michele as 'unpleasant to work with' amid backlash involving former 'Glee' cast members.
Although she's found success in several hit Broadway shows, "Hollywood just doesn't have a lot of room for old-school divas anymore when the focus, especially in TV and streaming, is on cramming as much work into every day as possible," said the source.
"The actors who are thriving in TV right now are people like Noah Wyle and Kathy Bates, who are down-to-earth and famously easy to work with."
Michele's best shot at starring in a hot TV series may be to develop one herself, the insider suggested.
Sources said Michele may have a better chance of finding success on Broadway than returning to television or streaming roles.
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"She's going to have to find a great piece of material and attach herself to it before it gets bought by a network or streaming service," according to the source.
"That's no easy task, and it can potentially take years of hit-and-miss effort to achieve. Maybe she's better off staying in her comfort zone of Broadway productions that show off her amazing gift for live musical performance?"
