Jane Lynch Raves Over Lea Michele in ‘Funny Girl’ (Exclusive)

They’ve come a long way since McKinley High. Jane Lynch was backstage at 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards where she raved about her former Glee co-star Lea Michele. 

Michele is set to take the stage in Broadway’s revival of Funny Girl, playing the lead as Fanny Brice tomorrow, September 6 at the August Wilson Theater. She is currently slated to stay with the show through 2023. 

In July, news broke that Michele would be taking over the role of Fanny from Beanie Feldstein. At the same time, the show announced that Tovah Feldshuh would replace Lynch, as Mrs. Brice.

As Glee fans will remember, Lea Michele’s character in the hit musical series, Rachel Berry, was a devoted Barbra Streisand fan and had a life-long dream to play the lead in Funny Girl. As life imitates art, Lynch couldn’t help but gush over the opportunity for Michele, saying “this is the role of a lifetime for her.”

Lynch then went on to share a full-circle moment from the Glee universe when her character, Sue, stormed into the high school auditorium to interrupt Berry while she is performing a Funny Girl song. Sue screams “You’re not funny” at Berry and quickly leaves. 

In July, Lynch opened up to Deadline about her departure from the production. “It was just a really strong idea to have Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That’s the only reason [we won’t appear together],” Lynch said as to why she was departing the production earlier than planned. “I adore [Michele]. She’s just going to take this show and make it her own. I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.”

“I adore her,” Lynch added of Michele, whom she starred alongside on Glee from 2009 to 2015. “She’s just going to take this show and make it her own. I’m so glad she’s getting the opportunity in real life to do the show and not just on Glee.”

Broadway’s revival of Funny Girl mark’s the first time the famed story has hit the stage since its original debut in 1964. 

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