Dina Buteyn

Lea Michele Sarfati is an American actress and singer. She rose to fame for her role as Rachel Berry in the TV series Glee. Born in 1986 in The Bronx, New York, to a nurse and a delicatessen owner, Michele grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, and attended Tenafly High School. She won a scholarship to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts but continued working on stage. She is known for her extensive work in Broadway theatre, notably as Wendla Bergman in Spring Awakening. Appearing in Glee since May 2009, Michele had already performed professionally in various productions, including Les Misérables, as a child. After performing in many other musicals, she landed the lead role in the hit musical Spring Awakening, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for her performance. In Glee, she won both a Satellite Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has also been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Teen Choice Award. Michele lost her Glee co-star and long-time boyfriend, Cory Monteith, to a sudden death on July 13, 2013.