Here’s the second part to the Funny Girl/Beanie Feldstein/Lea Michele drama. Beanie Feldstein had been playing Fanny Brice, the lead role in Funny Girl, for several months. The reviews were bad and the writing was on the wall: Beanie would have to go. Beanie ended up quitting/getting fired from the production last week, and her understudy Julie Benko will take over the role to fulfill Beanie’s six-month contract. Then, in the beginning of September, Lea Michele will take over as Fanny Brice. When Beanie was cast, people clowned on Lea pretty hard because the role of Fanny is practically made for Lea, and it’s always been her dream to star in a Funny Girl revival. The fact that producers got Lea after Beanie turned out to be a disaster… well, it’s interesting on a lot of different levels.
Now, at some point, Broadway producers might stop and think: yes, Lea Michele is right for the role of Fanny Brice, but what about all of those well-documented stories about Lea’s racism, aggression, verbal threats and bullying behavior? It was just two years ago (!!) that Samantha Marie Ware came out and said that Lea’s unprofessional behavior included many “traumatic microaggressions,” including threatening to sh-t in Ware’s wig. Lea did offer a really f–ked up and awful apology in 2020 to all of the people she’d bullied and verbally abused over the years. Now with this casting, it seems like Broadway is ready to “forgive” Lea. Samantha Marie Ware is not ready:
Yes, I’m online today. Yes, I see y’all. Yes, I care. 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.
— SAMEYA (@Sammie_Ware) July 11, 2022
Also. My name is not Amber Riley or Alex Newell. Their experience was not mine and mines was not theirs.
— SAMEYA (@Sammie_Ware) July 11, 2022
I feel so bad for Samantha. I feel so sorry for all of Lea’s victims who now have to sit through her “redemption arc.” What’s worse is that it doesn’t even feel like a redemption arc because no one in Broadway or in the mainstream media is acknowledging that Lea has years of problematic, racist and abusive behavior. Like, they really believe that Lea is stepping on the stage clean and unblemished, reputation-wise.
It’s wild that the decision to tell the truth about the people who tormented you at work is a career risk, but you can stay booked and busy as one of the tormentors
— Ryan Ken (@Ryan_Ken_Acts) July 11, 2022
this industry will reward bad behavior time and time again. its good to know that you all can only identify abusers when its a cis yt female getting abused. this industry cares not about black people and our experiences within it. Very sad. https://t.co/sMWMSPn3UZ
— sister (@ucancallmesis) July 11, 2022
If Lea Michele proves anything is that:
Cancel culture is not real
Being white and racist means you can still achieve your dreams! https://t.co/Qo25YT6s9V
— Valerie Complex (@ValerieComplex) July 11, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- WEST HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JUNE 18: Samantha Marie Ware arrives at the UOMA Beauty Pride Month And Juneteenth Celebration Launch Event held at Hyde Sunset Kitchen + Cocktails on June 18, 2021 in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 616689054, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Samantha Marie Ware, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA – JUNE 15: American actress Lea Michele arrives as alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet Celebrates 20 Years held at the Close East Lawn on June 15, 2022 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.,Image: 700268186, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lea Michele, Credit line: Christian Lora / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA – JUNE 15: American actress Lea Michele arrives as alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet Celebrates 20 Years held at the Close East Lawn on June 15, 2022 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.,Image: 700268247, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lea Michele, Credit line: Christian Lora / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- MANHATTAN, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA – JUNE 15: American actress Lea Michele arrives as alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet Celebrates 20 Years held at the Close East Lawn on June 15, 2022 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.,Image: 700268295, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Lea Michele, Credit line: Christian Lora / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Broadway is all about backers making bank. That’s why it’s dominated by revivals and adaptations of hits from film and page.
I was wondering about that. Does the world really need Funny Girl again?
No. The world needs more “Jesus Drives My Hotrod”.
Luckily, Lea got hired for her singing & won’t be adlibbing w/anyone she doesn’t like on stage. She’ll be reciting a script. So what’s the problem? Beanie got terrible singing reviews.
The problem is literally what this article summarized? There are plenty of talented singers who aren’t problematic and racist who could play the role.
I know no actors who would describe what they do as “reciting.”
I’ve always side-eyed Lea and honestly I thought she’d disappeared. She has had so many issues the very least being her fake bfs. I feel for her victims. I’d hoped she’d faded but clearly not
For all YOU know even Fanny Brice might have been “not nice” to ambitious nobodies she worked with. You weren’t there, were you? And the show is about FB.
That’s why it’s called *acting*
Still being contrarian in comment sections are we?!
Wow.
On top of the headline I saw earlier that John McEnroe thinks tennis ‘needs’ Kyrgios today is going well so far! Apparently consequences of your actions only exist if you don’t have a talent that some people think is more valuable than being a decent human being. Cancel culture is NOT a thing.
Lea will probably be on GMA or the Today Show a few weeks before opening night saying how sorry she is for her bad behaviour and that she has learned from her mistakes.
100% She’ll play the “I’m a mom now, so like, I totally understand that other people have feelings. Did I mention that I’m a mom now? Because I’m a mom now!” card. And then they’ll quickly pivot to her diaper bag essentials or some nonsense.
I would make a shit in your diaper bag joke, but I’m too much of a lady.
I’d like to think I’m more up to date with American celebrities than most people in my country, but ‘ who?’
Seems not worth getting to know then.
Lea Michele cannot read
The room.
She’s not going to be able to be a dick this time around. Everyone has a phone and an insta, but she won’t be able to help herself. Apparently she has been nothing but a nightmare since her Broadway Spring Awakening days. That’s decades. I believe in forgiving others and giving them second chances, but only if they’re actually contrite. Hint: people are rarely ever contrite so my gossip appetite is always well nourished.
She will not change – she is desperate to make a come back in a big show on Broadway as she has pretty much ruined any tv career she would have had. It seems that Broadway is more forgiving of her diva behavior than HW is.
lmao, I see what you did there.
I have no idea how the ‘lea michele can’t read’ thing got started but it makes me lol every time.
I don’t know how producers think this POS is gonna solve their problems. Relying on Spring Awakening and Glee fans is not a smart move. Most people who go to Broadway shows will be like “who?” because frankly she is a nobody. Beanie too. That’s the real issue. A revival needs A Star, and they aren’t it.
I agree – this show will close within 9 months with Lea as the headliner and it will not be a good look for her. She will ultimately get the blame.
^^ Best outcome. Poor attendance and she gets the blame. The petty side of me wants someone to sh-t on her costume/makeup but perhaps the most effective strat is to extend her grace she doesn’t deserve and her inner nature will out her eventually. It would’ve been better not to give her any more chances.
I’m confused about why Samantha Ware brought Amber Riley and Alex Newell up ….?
I know they tweeted in support of Samantha Ware at the time, or their tweets were implying they’d experienced similar behavior? I’m guessing people are lumping all Black and POC actors from Glee together, which is fair. But it wouldn’t surprise me if most of the actors of color from that show had racist actions done to them by Lea…
I know Amber at least has said in the past that she wouldn’t say that Lea is racist (though I don’t think she’s very fond of her). I think Samantha is saying that anyone else’s experience with Lea does not negate her own.
IIRC, Amber and Alex said their experiences were bad cause of Lea’s respective behavior towards them but that they don’t think Lea is a racist even tho neither supports her for how she behaved towards them.
One thing about Ryan Ken’s tweet… I get what he’s saying and he’s not wrong cause we constantly see that bad behavior rewarded in Hollywood esp with white men (Gibson, Debt, Pitt)…. but I don’t think Lea has actually worked since her ABC show was canceled like 5 years ago.
Nah, she was Ariel in some Little Mermaid Live Concert thing in 2019, and did a made-for-tv Christmas movie the same year. Some musical guest appearances on talk show in 2021, some presenter stuff the same year, a documentary about Spring Awakening the same year. And that one season ABC show was cancelled in 2018, so only 4 years ago…so, very sparse the last four or five years, but still working.
Her behavior is strange. She is a strange, entitled and mean-spirited person. There are plenty of people who are as talented as her. Why does she get the gig? Because she always wanted it? How about hiring a person of color? The understudy? I understand the show needs to make money, and a “name” will make it happen, but how long will she contain her shitty behavior. LM is an awful person who’s face I would like to never see again.
WHY HER???!!!!!!
So many actors and actresses who can sing. She gets rewarded for being an asshole. Lovely.
If they think an asshole is going to make money, then they support assholes.
They had a wonderful fill-in for Fanny who attracted rave reviews in Julie Benko and who will be 1 day a week. They could have given it to Benko full time but no they gave it to this racist, anti-Black arsehole.
From what it says above, sounds like Julie Benko will be in the role from now until Lea starts in early September, before dropping down to once a week. So for a good six weeks the part will be hers. Have also read she’s good, hope this gives her the chance to make her mark.
Everyone deserves a second change I firmly believe this, but Michele has proven to be a consistently terrible person through her entire career. I just think that this is unfair but it is what it is.
There is even an American Doll meme about this. I hope Beanie is okay. This whole production has been a fiasco. The producers know what they are doing by hiring Lea. I bet this mess closes soon.
I’m really grateful you highlight these types of stories, but it makes me feel so helpless. How can we help Samanatha?
I think a lot of people (wrongly) dismiss the Lea Michele stories as just ‘typical diva behavior’ but even *IF* that’s what it is, it’s still pretty bad?? Like, I think it speaks volumes that Jane Lynch is leaving the show early too so that her performances never cross over with Lea’s. Absolute best case scenario she’s just an a**hole as opposed to a racist a**hole. Great job, casting!
Also, I’ve read that people who attended the Glee tour said that her voice really struggled with Don’t Rain on My Parade on the touring schedule. Belting it out one night at the Tony’s or pre-recorded and mixed on Glee is much different than performing it night after night… this might not be the redemption Lea’s looking for.
Well, if her pipes can’t handle an eight show a week schedule, AND the understudy Julie Benko does well enough, we might just see her get dropped for the understudy. If that happens I will CACKLE with glee.
LM is so gross she looks like a greedy toad to me now. I’m so tired of entertainment industry acting like being a monster is necessary to great talent. It is not.
There are actually a lot of very kind people with loads of talent.
They’re probably banking on the hate alone to fuel viral moments like Meghan My Father McCain did for the View for so long. I hope it flops and they have to cast someone else.
I said this on the recent Dakota Johnson post, and I’ll say it again: cancel culture isn’t real, especially if you’re white. The people who are so scared of it have said or done something in the past they’re scared will resurface. I’d say focus on apologizing and being a better person, but clearly you don’t even have to do that. The Myth of Cancel Culture is an article I’m looking forward to reading at some point.
PREACH IT! I feel the same way. It’s such bullshit and just brings out the bullies who LOVE to talk about how “THEY ARE CANCELLED”. They use it like a badge of courage. Look at stupid Dave Chappelle saying if “They tell me not to say it, it;’s VITAL THAT I SAY IT” ( I know I am paraphrasing). That’s just the stupidest, MRA, Internet troll bullying thing to say. They are al children crying, “I HAVE TO SAY THE N WORD AND TALK ABOUT HOW TRANS PEoPLE ARE icKY, It’s MY INALIENABLE RiGHT !!”
Why not let the understudy take over? I’m sure ticket sales will go up due to Lea Michele but man, this production team really effed up. First they cast someone who probably shouldn’t have been cast in the first place and not right for the role and then they cast one of the most controversial Broadway actors of all time. Sure, Lea is talented but she isn’t a versatile singer and is sort of one note with her belting.
The understudy isn’t a big name, is why.
Sorry, not sorry, but I hope the show folds with her.
I regularly see B-way musicals, but this show will not get my money specifically due to Lea.
Would have loved to see a person of color in the role, too. Bad reviews, meh script, a few great songs……pass.
I hope others share your distaste and boycott the show.
I will be in NY for a long weekend at the end of the month and while I have never missed a Ramin Karimloo on Broadway performance, will be giving this a pass.
I love the way Samantha Ware is solidly doubling down on calling out Lea Michele for rudeness and alleged backstabbing. She’s refused every opportunity to change her original 2020 ALL CAPS message and I gotta respect her commitment. Loved the first few seasons of Glee and eventually got through all the episodes, but I don’t really recall Samantha Ware’s character. Haven’t seen her in anything else either.