Musical comedy-drama Glee had nearly as much backstabbing off-screen as on, but at least two members of the New Directions have put the past behind them: Lea Michele and Alex Newell.
Michele starred on all six seasons of the hit Fox show as diva perfectionist Rachel Berry, and gained a reputation for being unpleasant to work with, with her behavior toward her Black co-stars being especially fraught. Newell, who is non-binary, played Unique Adams, and while they didn’t share any specific negative experiences with Michele, when stories about her attitude and alleged microaggressions were surfacing, they did chime in with a “get her!” (Michele did issue a general apology.)
On Sunday night, Newell won a Tony award for their performance in the Broadway musical Shucked! (As the Tonys separate acting awards by gender, Newell chose to compete in the best featured actor category), and many viewers noted that on their way to the stage, Newell passed right by Lea Michele (currently starring in Funny Girl on Broadway but, as she did not originate the role in the production, ineligible for a nomination). Comeuppance?
But things seem to be at least cordial. Michele just shared a smiling selfie of the two of them, which Newell re-posted on their Instagram story with the message: “I’m so happy we could share this season together! And thank you for celebrating me! Look how far we’ve come.”
Very sweet, but it’s the comments on Michele’s post that are warming my heart. “Mr Schue would be so PROUD ❤️❤️,” wrote one fan. “Hey, look! 2 people have matured and moved on with life. Good for them, both very talented” added another. Said one hopeful Gleek, “Now this is what you call GROWTH!!!! Congratulations 🎊 👏”
