LEA Michele’s hopes of a Hollywood comeback are hitting a wall after her Broadway stint in Chess ended.
The former Glee star, 39, is finding it tough to secure TV or movie roles thanks to lingering grudges from her past behaviour.
Insiders say Michele was blackballed over years of alleged diva antics and accusations of racist microaggressions.
A source revealed, “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.”
The backlash dates back to 2020 when Michele’s Black Lives Matter tweet sparked public criticism from former Glee co-stars Samantha Marie Ware and Dabier Snell.
Ware accused Michele of making her first TV gig “a living h-ll,” while Snell claimed she wouldn’t let him “sit at the table with the other cast members ‘cause I ‘didn’t belong there.’”
Even Heather Morris, another former cast member, described Michele as “unpleasant to work with.”
Though Michele apologised for her past behaviour, the damage seems to have stuck in Hollywood.
The source added, “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.”
Actors like Noah Wyle and Kathy Bates, known for being easy to work with, are thriving instead.
Michele’s best bet might be to develop her own TV project, but that could take years.
Meanwhile, Broadway remains her safe haven, where her live musical talents continue to shine.
“Maybe she’s better off staying in her comfort zone of Broadway productions that show off her amazing gift for live musical performance?” the insider concluded.