Lea Michele will return to GLEE reboot as Rachel Berry

Variety reported that Lea Michele will reprise her role as Rachel Berry in the Disney+ and Hulu reboot of Glee, the musical comedy-drama created by Ryan Murphy. BroadwayWorld previously reported that the reboot had officially been greenlit. A source shared: “It’s still early, but it feels good and we’re happy to get the group back together.”

About Glee

Glee is a musical comedy-drama television series created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. Set at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, the series follows the members of New Directions, a glee club competing on the show choir circuit, as they address social issues surrounding sexuality, gender, race, family, relationships and teamwork. Each episode features on-screen musical performances chosen by Murphy and produced by Adam Anders and Peer Åström, ranging from show tunes to chart hits.

The pilot episode aired on May 19, 2009, with the first season officially premiering on September 9 later that year. In 2013, Murphy announced that the sixth season would be the series’ last. Glee ended on March 20, 2015, after 121 episodes and over 729 musical performances.

The series launched the careers of many young actors, including Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Darren Criss, Harry Shum Jr. and Mark Salling. Subsequent seasons added Chord Overstreet, Melissa Benoist, Alex Newell, Becca Tobin and more. Matthew Morrison starred as Will Schuester, alongside Jane Lynch as the hilarious Sue Sylvester.

Lea Michele is a New York Times bestselling actress, singer and author best known for her iconic role as Rachel Berry on the critically acclaimed, Golden Globe and SAG Award-winning series “Glee.” In 2010, she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Television Comedy. The same year, she was recognized in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list for her incredible performance.

From September 2022 to September 2023, Michele took on her dream role, playing Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl. Her performance received rave reviews and broke several box office records. Her success in this role led to her inclusion on TIME’s 100 list in 2023. Michele has performed at the Time 100 Gala, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the 2023 Tony Awards, where she performed the iconic “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” In October 2023, she made her Carnegie Hall debut, filling the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage in New York as she performed some of her most beloved songs.

Michele’s Broadway journey began at age 8 as young Cosette in Les Misérables, followed by the original Broadway cast of Ragtime. She then played Shprintze in the 20th anniversary revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Her performance as Wendla in the Tony Award-winning Spring Awakening earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. The show also received a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. In 2021, Michele reunited with her Spring Awakening cast for a special one-night-only concert, captured in the HBO documentary “Spring Awakening: The Ones You Knew.”

Other television and film credits include “Scream Queens”, “The Mayor”, New Year’s Eve, Same Time, Next Christmas and Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return. Beyond acting, Michele’s passion for music has defined her career. She had the honor of performing at the White House for President Barack Obama and took the stage at a major Democratic fundraiser attended by Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Michele also delivered a powerful performance at the Super Bowl, released four albums and embarked on international tours, captivating audiences around the world. In 2014, Michele became a bestselling author with her first book, Brunette Ambition, followed by You First in 2015. With over 10 million followers on social media, she is a leading figure in fashion, beauty and wellness. Michele is repped by Untitled and WME. Michele recently returned to Broadway in 2025 as Florence Vassey in Chess.