Glee stars Lea Michele and Alex Newell both attended the 76th Annual Tony Awards in NYC on Sunday, and fans were quick to point out the past drama that had occurred on set of the hit series.
The Scream Queens alum, 36, who performed Don’t Rain On My Parade from Funny Girl during the unscripted ceremony, played the role of Rachel Berry on Glee while Newell, 30, portrayed Wade ‘Unique’ Adams in later seasons.
Accusations that Michele had bullied others on set came to light in June 2020 from former castmates, such as Samantha Ware, with Newell showing support of the claim at the time by sharing a gif entitled ‘Get her’.
The situation prompted the mother of one to make a public apology for her past ‘behavior’ and expressed that she would ‘be better in the future’ in a statement.
During the Tony Awards that aired on CBS, Lea jumped to the stage as a presenter and performer, while Alex won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their role in Shucked. The win also caused Newell to be the first nonbinary star to earn a Tony.
Glee fan reactions: Glee stars Lea Michele, 36, and Alex Newell, 30, both attended the 76th Annual Tony Awards in NYC on Sunday, and fans were quick to point out the past drama that had occurred on set of the hit series
Special night: During the Tony Awards that aired on CBS, Lea jumped to the stage as a presenter and performer, while Alex won Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their role in Shucked
Claim:Accusations that Michele, who played Rachel Berry on the hit show from 2009-2015 (pictured)- had bullied others on set came to light in June 2020 from former castmates
TONY AWARDS 2023: Winners at a glance
Best Musical — Kimberly Akimbo
Best Play — Leopoldstadt
Best Musical Revival — Parade
Best Leading Actress in a Musical — Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo
Best Leading Actress in a Play — Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Best Leading Actor in a Musical — J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Best Leading Actor in a Play — Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Social media users flocked to Twitter to point out that Alex was sitting just a few rows behind Lea, while also expressing the irony that Newell won a Tony, although Michele has yet to earn the award herself.
One fan wrote, ‘So apparently Alex Newell is the THIRD Glee alumna to win a Tony! Jenna Ushkowitz has two for producing & Ali Stoker has one for Oklahoma. All still more than Lea Michele.’
Another penned, ‘I don’t know but having Lea Michele perform Don’t Rain On My Parade in the Tony Awards-the role Rachel Berry was obsessed with-while not being eligible for a nomination and having her black Glee co-star Alex Newell win a Tony in front of her is…ironic.’
A Twitter user referenced to Beanie Feldstein, who Lea replaced last year as Fanny Brice. ‘they have no shame for what they did to beanie. the only upside is that alex newell just won a tony in front of lea michele.’
‘OMG, the pure poetic justice of Alex Newell winning a Tony in front of Lea Michele is giving me LIFE! This is the moment we all deserve to witness!’ one fan wrote.
Another added, ‘alex newell winning a tony and lea michele performing don’t rain on my parade…GIGANTIC night for gleeks,’ while one penned, ‘the alex newell/lea michele thing is bringing me great joy.’
Three years earlier in June 2020, Lea took to her Twitter to share a message of support for Black Lives Matter, which has since-been deleted, per Entertainment Weekly.
However, her former castmate, Samantha Ware, responded to the actress, writing, ‘LMAO REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?! CAUSE ILL NEVER FORGET.’
Tony winners: One fan wrote, ‘So apparently Alex Newell is the THIRD Glee alumna to win a Tony! Jenna Ushkowitz has two for producing & Ali Stoker has one for Oklahoma. All still more than Lea Michele’
Twitter response: Social media users flocked to Twitter to point out that Alex was sitting just a few rows behind Lea, while also expressing the irony that Newell won a Tony, although Michele has yet to earn the award herself
The ‘irony’: Another Twitter user pointed out the irony of Lea and Alex at the Tony Awards on Sunday
Previous casting: Another fan referenced to Beanie Feldstein, who Lea replaced last year as Fanny Brice
‘Poetic justice’: ‘OMG, the pure poetic justice of Alex Newell winning a Tony in front of Lea Michele is giving me LIFE! This is the moment we all deserve to witness!’ one fan wrote
She had continued, ‘I BELIEVE YOU TOLD EVERYONE THAT IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD ‘S— IN MY WIG! AMONGST OTHER TRAUMATIC MICROAGRESSIONS THAT MADE ME QUESTION A CAREER IN HOLLYWOOD…”‘
Alex Newell had responded to Samantha’s comment with a ‘Get her’ gif, sharing her support for Ware’s statement.
One fan then questioned Newell about a photo that they had taken with Lea in January 2018 after their performance in Once On This Island, and further asked why they returned to Glee for season six if the claims of on-set harassment were true.
Newell responded with, ‘She was there I was being polite!! Like I was with anyone that came to see my show! Also I know youre not talking about the season I wasn’t in… until I had to ask to come back so I could pay my bills… since I was released mid season five… while being a series regular.’
Other Glee stars soon came forward after Ware’s comment, including Heather Morris, who played Brittany Pierce on the series.
Not long after the claims surfaced, Lea took to her social media to issue a lengthy apology.
‘One of the most important lessons of the last few weeks is that we need to take the time to listen and learn about other people’s perspectives and any role we have played or anything we can do to help address the injustices that they face,’ she had written.
She also added that the, ‘responses I received to what I posted have made me also focus specifically on how my own behavior towards fellow cast members was perceived by them.’
Accusations: Three years earlier in June 2020, Lea took to her Twitter to share a message of support for Black Lives Matter, which has since-been deleted and Samantha Ware shared her response
‘Never forget’: Ware had penned at the time, ‘LMAO REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY FIRST TELEVISON GIG A LIVING HELL?!?! CAUSE ILL NEVER FORGET’; Samantha seen in 2019
‘While I don’t remember ever making this specific statement and I have never judged others by their background or color of their skin, that’s not really the point, what matters is that I clearly acted in ways which hurt other people.’
The star later added, ‘I apologize for my behavior and for any pain which I have caused. We all can grow and change and I have definitely used these past several months to reflect on my own shortcomings.’
While explaining that she would soon become a mother, Lea concluded with, ‘I listened to these criticisms and I am learning and while I am very sorry, I will be better in the future from this experience.’
Despite past drama, Lea cheered on Newell as they stepped up to the stage to accept their Tony Award on Sunday, and also joined in to give Alex a standing ovation.
‘Thank you for seeing me Broadway,’ they emotionally gushed to the audience, per Rolling Stone. ‘I should not be up here as a queer, non-binary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts.’
Making history: Newell winning a Tony on Sunday also helped them become the first nonbinary person to ever win a Tony, as well as J. Harrison Ghee; seen earlier this month in NYC
Special performance: Lea performed Don’t Rain On My Parade on the stage during the ceremony although she was not eligible for a Tony Award nomination
‘And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to,’ Alex added. Some Like It Hot’s J. Harrison Ghee, who also identifies as nonbinary, additionally won a Tony during the eventful night.
Lea, who has been portraying Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway since September 2022, has received critical acclaim for her performance, but was not eligible for a Tony Award nomination.
Due to the actress not being originally cast in the revival of the musical and replacing Beanie Feldstein five months after she had starred in the show, Michele did not qualify.
However, that did not prevent the mother of one to perform Don’t Rain On My Parade on the stage during the ceremony. She had previously performed the same song in 2010 at the 64th Tony Awards.
TONY AWARD WINNERS 2023
Best Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo’
Between Riverside and Crazy
Cost of Living
Fat Ham
Leopoldstadt — WINNER
Best Musical Revival
Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
Camelot
Into The Woods
Parade — WINNER
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Best Revival of a Play
A Doll’s House
The Piano Lesson
The Sign In Sidney Brustein’s Window
Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog — WINNER
Best Leading Actress of a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Sara Bareilles — Into The Woods
Victoria Clark — Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER
Lorna Courtney — & Juliet
Micaela Diamond — Parade
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House
Best Leading Actress of a Play
Jessica Chastain — A Doll’s House
Jodie Comer — Prima Facie — WINNER
Jessica Hecht — Summer, 1976
Audra McDonald — Ohio State Murders
Best Leading Actor of a Musical
Christian Borle — Some Like It Hot
J. Harrison Ghee — Some Like It Hot — WINNER
Josh Groban — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Brian D’Arcy James — Into The Woods
Ben Platt at the Met Gala 2023
Ben Platt — Parade
Colton Ryan — New York, New York
Best Leading Actor of a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — Topdog/Underdog
Corey Hawkins — Topdog/Underdog
Sean Hayes — Good Night, Oscar — WINNER
Stephen McKinley Henderson — Between Riverside and Crazy
Wendell Pierce — Death of a Salesman
Best Book of a Musical
& Juliet — David West Read
Kimberly Akimbo — David Lindsay-Abaire — WINNER
New York, New York — David Thompson & Sharon Washington
Shucked — Robert Horn
Some Like It Hot — Matthew López & Amber Ruffin
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper — Ain’t No Mo’
Samuel L. Jackson — August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
Arian Moayed — A Doll’s House
Brandon Uranowitz — Leopoldstadt — WINNER
David Zayas — Cost Of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Del Aguila — Some Like It Hot
Kevin Cahoon — Shucked
Justin Cooley — Kimberly Akimbo
Jordan Donica — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Alex Newell — Shucked — WINNER
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding — Life Of Pi — WINNERS
Miriam Buether — Prima Facie
Rachel Hauck — Good Night, Oscar
Richard Hudson — Leopoldstadt
Dane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon — A Christmas Carol
Best Costume Design of a Play
Brigitte Reiffenstuel — Leopoldstadt — WINNER
Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell — Life Of Pi
Dominique Fawn Hill — Fat Ham
Emilio Sosa — Ain’t No Mo’
Emilio Sosa — Good Night, Oscar
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin — Leopoldstadt
Natasha Chivers — Prima Facie
Jon Clark — Jon Clark
Bradley King — Fat Ham
Tim Lutkin — Life Of Pi — WINNER
Jen Schriever — Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman
Ben Stanton — A Christmas Carol
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali — Fat Ham
Jo Bonney — Cost Of Living
Jamie Lloyd — A Doll’s House
Patrick Marber — Leopoldstadt — WINNER
Stevie Walker-Webb — Ain’t No Mo’
Max Webster — Life Of Pi
Best Sound Design of a Play
Carolyn Downing — Life Of Pi — WINNER
Joshua D. Reid — A Christmas Carol
Ben & Max Ringham — A Doll’s House
Ben & Max Ringham — Prima Facie
Jonathan Deans & Taylor Williams — Ain’t No Mo’
Best Choreography
Casey Nicholaw — Some Like It Hot — WINNER
Steven Hoggett — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Susan Stroman — New York, New York
Jennifer Weber — & Juliet
Jennifer Weber — KPOP
Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre
Joel Grey
John Kander
Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre
Victoria Bailey
Lisa Dawn Cave
Robert Fried
Best Original Score (music and/or lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Kimberly Akimbo — David Lindsay-Abaire/Jeanine Tesori — WINNER
Almost Famous — Tom Kitt/Cameron Crowe & Tom Kitt
KPOP — Helen Park & Max Vernon
Shucked — Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally
Some Like It Hot — Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford — Fat Ham
Crystal Lucas-Perry — Ain’t No Mo’
Miriam Silverman — The Sign In Sidney Brustein’s Window — WINNER
Katy Sullivan — Cost Of Living
Kara Young — Cost Of Living
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester — Into The Woods
Ruthie Ann Miles — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Bonnie Milligan — Kimberly Akimbo — WINNER
NaTasha Yvette Williams — Some Like It Hot
Betsy Wolfe — & Juliet
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt — New York, New York — WINNER
Mimi Lien — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Scott Pask — Shucked
Scott Pask — Some Like It Hot
Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes — Some Like It Hot — WINNER
Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi — KPOP
Susan Hilferty — Parade
Jennifer Moeller — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Paloma Young — & Juliet
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington — New York, New York
Lap Chi Chu — Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Heather Gilbert — Parade
Howard Hudson — & Juliet
Natasha Katz — Some Like It Hot
Natasha Katz — Sweeney Todd: THe Demon Barber Of Fleet Street — WINNER
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden — Parade — WINNER
Lear deBessonet — Into The Woods
Casey Nicholaw — Some Like It Hot
Jack O’Brien — Shucked
Jessica Stone — Kimberly Akimbo
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada — New York, New York
Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann — Into The Woods
Gareth Owen — & Juliet
John Shivers — Shucked
Nevin Steinberg — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street — WINNER
Best Orchestrations
Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter — Some Like It Hot — WINNERS
John Clancy — Kimberly Akimbo
Daryl Waters & Sam Davis — New York, New York
Bill Sherman & Dominic Fallacaro — & Juliet
Jason Howland — Shucked
Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award
Jerry Mitchell
Regional Theatre Tony Award
Pasadena Playhouse
