Jane Lynch is thrilled her Glee co-star Lea Michele is finally getting the opportunity to star in Funny Girl "in real life".
In the musical TV show, Lynch played cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester alongside Michele as Rachel Berry, a student who dreams of playing Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway, something which comes true in the fifth season.
On Monday, it was announced that Michele would be stepping into the role of Fanny in the production's Broadway revival in September.
Lynch, who currently stars in the show alongside Beanie Feldstein, told Deadline on Tuesday that she was thrilled for her former co-star.
"We have been in touch about it," she said. "I adore her. 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."
Lynch and Michele will not appear in the show together as Lynch's replacement Tovah Feldshuh will begin as Mrs. Brice on the same day as Michele's debut as Fanny.
A number of social media users made jokes that Lynch was avoiding Michele, who was accused of diva-like behaviour on the Glee set back in 2020, but the 61-year-old explained to Deadline that wasn't the case.
"You know, it was just a really strong idea to have Feldshuh and Lea premiere together. That's the only reason (we won't appear together)," she stated.
Michele's former co-star Samantha Ware, who accused her of behaving with "traumatic microaggressions" on the Glee set, had a very different reaction to her Funny Girl casting. She told her followers she was "affected" and added, "Yes, Broadway upholds whiteness."
Feldstein announced on Sunday that she would be leaving Funny Girl earlier than expected on 31 July as the producers wanted to "take the show in a different direction". Her standby Julie Benko will play the lead role until Michele takes over on 6 September.
