Lea Michele's Former Co-Stars Are Fuming Over The Star's Huge New Role

When Beanie Feldstein announced that she would be leaving her starring role in the Broadway musical "Funny Girl," the internet was immediately abuzz about who her replacement would be. The 29-year-old actress wrote in her Instagram statement that her departure is a response to the production team choosing to "take the show in a different direction."

Lea Michele, a Broadway-trained singer and the former star of the hit show "Glee," was immediately suspected to be her replacement — with mixed reactions. "Lea Michele being highly rumored to replace Beanie after she exits is honestly so insulting," said one Twitter user. Others were simply sick of the speculation and attention on the star, with one voicing, "Everything I have ever learned about Lea Michele has been against my will."

The mystery was solved once and for all when Michele made her own Instagram post about the situation. She posted a graphic which showed that she would indeed be taking over the role of Fanny Brice, the lead role in "Funny Girl," on September 6. Her caption stated in part, "A dream come true is an understatement." For some of Michele's former co-stars, however, the news felt more like a nightmare.

In 2020, "Glee" star Samantha Ware put Lea Michele on blast for racist actions and hypocrisy. As Refinery 29 recaps, Michele tweeted in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, which Ware saw as performative. "Remember when you made my first television gig a living hell?!?!" Ware replied in an all-caps quote-tweet. "I believe you told everyone that if you had the opportunity you would 's*** in my wig!' amongst other traumatic microaggressions." Other Black members of the "Glee" cast were quick to react with their support.

Now, as Michele's career dreams continue to come true, her former co-stars are once again expressing distaste for the actor. Yvette Nicole Brown, who worked with Michele on "The Mayor," wrote simply, "The Broadway news" and a puke emoji. As Us Weekly reported, Brown had previously sided with Ware's 2020 message to Michele, saying, "I felt every one of those capital letters."

Many were also curious to see Ware's reaction, which she eventually provided. "Yes, im affected. Yes, I'm human. Yes, I'm Black. Yes, I was abused. Yes, my dreams were tainted. Yes, Broadway upholds whiteness. Yes, Hollywood does the same. Yes, silence is complicity. Yes, I'm loud. Yes, I'd do it again," she tweeted. Fans also voiced their concerns, with one writing, "We are living in a glee episode and as someone who actually watched all of glee through the end, I'm scared."