Career Timeline of Lea Michele: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Lea Michele built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Lea Michele is an American actress and singer who gained recognition for her Broadway performances as a child, including roles in Les Misérables and Spring Awakening. She achieved mainstream fame as Rachel Berry on the television series Glee, earning Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. Michele also contributed significantly to Glee's musical success, with numerous songs charting and a Grammy nomination. Her career encompasses both stage and screen, solidifying her presence in the entertainment industry.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

December 2007: Performance at Unsung: 'Tis The Season To Be Naughty

In December 2007, Lea Michele supported Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS by performing Off-Broadway at Unsung: 'Tis The Season To Be Naughty at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

2007: Featured in Gap Inc. Marketing Campaign

In 2007, Lea Michele and her Spring Awakening co-stars were featured in a Gap Inc. marketing campaign, including magazine advertisements and billboards in Times Square in Manhattan.

2007: Drama Desk Award Nomination

In 2007, prior to Glee, Lea Michele received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in a production of Spring Awakening.

2008: PETA Advertising Campaign

In 2008, Lea Michele appeared in PETA's advertising campaign "Buck Cruelty! Say No to Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides" to advocate for animal rights.

November 2009: Performance at Human Rights Campaign Dinner

In November 2009, Lea Michele performed at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in support of gay rights.

April 2010: PETA Public Service Announcement

In April 2010, Lea Michele appeared in a PETA public service announcement, speaking out against fur clothing.

September 2010: Honored by PETA

In September 2010, Lea Michele was honored by PETA for her work with animals.

October 2010: Performance at Benefit Concert for The Painted Turtle

In October 2010, Lea Michele performed at a benefit concert for The Painted Turtle summer camp, celebrating the 35th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

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2010: Spokesmodel for Dove

In 2010, Lea Michele became a spokesmodel for beauty company Dove, performing the song "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music in Dove television commercials.

2010: Primetime Emmy Award Nomination

In 2010, Lea Michele was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Rachel Berry in Glee.

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February 2011: Performance at Grammy Award's MusiCares Benefit

In February 2011, Lea Michele performed for the Grammy Award's MusiCares benefit in Los Angeles.

September 2011: Appeared in Hewlett-Packard's HP TouchPad Commercials

In September 2011, Lea Michele appeared in commercials for Hewlett-Packard's HP TouchPad.

2011: Grammy Award Nomination

In 2011, Lea Michele was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for the Glee cast performance of "Don't Stop Believin'" .

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January 2012: Spokesmodel for Candie's

In January 2012, Candie's announced that Lea Michele would be the spokesmodel for their brand, taking over from Vanessa Hudgens.

April 2012: Performance at Taste for a Cure

In April 2012, Lea Michele performed for the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation's 17th annual signature fundraiser, Taste for a Cure, at UCLA with Darren Criss.

July 2012: Hosting Valspar's Hands for Habitat Charity Auction

In July 2012, Lea Michele hosted the launch of Valspar's Hands for Habitat charity auction, donating a signed hand print to be auctioned for Habitat for Humanity's disaster response programs.

September 2012: Spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris

In September 2012, it was revealed that Lea Michele had signed an estimated $1 million deal to be a spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris, appearing in magazine ads and television commercials promoting their products.

October 2012: Performance at Big Brothers Big Sisters Gala

In October 2012, Lea Michele and Darren Criss performed together at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles 2012 Stars Gala.

December 2012: Ambassador for L'Oréal's Women of Worth

Since December 2012, Lea Michele has been an ambassador for L'Oréal's Women of Worth program, which celebrates women who have positively impacted their communities.

June 2013: Co-hosting Launch of Feed America for Target

In June 2013, Lea Michele co-hosted the launch of Feed America for Target, benefiting Feeding America based in Chicago.

August 2013: Donation to Valspar Hands for Habitat

In August 2013, Lea Michele again donated a hand print to the Valspar Hands for Habitat charity auction.

December 14, 2013: Host of Lea Michele's Night of Shopping and Cocktails

On December 14, 2013, Lea Michele hosted "Lea Michele's Night of Shopping and Cocktails," presented by SodaStream, benefiting Chrysalis.

April 2014: Performance at Taste for a Cure

In April 2014, Lea Michele and Darren Criss again performed together at the 19th annual Taste for a Cure event for the Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation.

October 2014: Collaboration with Evian for Breast Cancer Awareness

In October 2014, Lea Michele teamed up with Evian to encourage women to perform their own breast exams to raise awareness of early cancer detection.

April 2015: Recording Second Studio Album

In April 2015, Lea Michele began recording her second studio album, aiming for a more theatrical sound.

September 2015: Collaboration with Pixelberry Studios for High School Story

In September 2015, Pixelberry Studios announced their collaboration with Lea Michele, launching High School Story with Lea Michele, a celebrity takeover update of their popular app.

February 2016: Collaboration with Burt's Bees

In February 2016, it was announced that Lea Michele would collaborate with Burt's Bees in a campaign to raise awareness of the declining bee population.

June 2016: Tribute to Pulse Nightclub Victims

In June 2016, Lea Michele and other celebrities participated in a Human Rights Campaign video paying tribute to the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, by recounting their stories.

January 2017: An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele Mini Tour

In January 2017, Lea Michele embarked on a mini tour titled An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele to support her second studio album, Places.

March 3, 2017: Release of "Love Is Alive"

On March 3, 2017, Lea Michele released "Love Is Alive," which was the lead single from her second album.

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April 4, 2017: Appearance on Dimension 404

On April 4, 2017, Lea Michele appeared as Amanda in the first episode of Dimension 404, a science fiction anthology series on Hulu.

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April 2017: Barnes & Noble Donation to Step Up

In April 2017, Barnes & Noble donated a portion of every purchase of Lea Michele's second album, Places, to the non-profit Step Up.

April 28, 2017: Release of Places

On April 28, 2017, Lea Michele released her second studio album, Places, which debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 chart.

May 2017: An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele Tour Continued

In May 2017, Lea Michele continued her An Intimate Evening with Lea Michele tour with additional shows in the UK and North America.

October 8, 2017: Headlining Elsie Fest

On October 8, 2017, Lea Michele headlined the third annual Elsie Fest in Central Park, which was founded by her Glee co-star Darren Criss.

November 2017: Partnership with eBay to benefit Feeding America

In November 2017, Lea Michele partnered with eBay to design a pin to benefit Feeding America and auctioned off a visit to the set of one of her 2018 projects.

April 2018: LM/DC Tour Announcement

In April 2018, it was announced that Lea Michele and Darren Criss would co-headline a tour called the LM/DC Tour.

June 2018: LM/DC Tour Performances

In June 2018, Lea Michele performed shows in several North American cities as part of the LM/DC Tour with Darren Criss.

December 2018: LM/DC Tour in the UK and Ireland

In December 2018, Lea Michele and Darren Criss brought their LM/DC Tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

December 2018: Teamed with Old Navy and Lyft for Free Car Sharing

In December 2018, Lea Michele, Old Navy and Lyft teamed to announce free car sharing to stores for holidays.

February 2019: Appeared in Commercial for Zola

In February 2019, Lea Michele appeared in a commercial for Zola, a wedding website.

May 2019: Hosting Well, Well, Well with Lea Michele

In May 2019, Lea Michele announced that she would host a health and wellness digital series for the Ellen DeGeneres Network, titled Well, Well, Well with Lea Michele.

October 25, 2019: Release of Christmas in the City

On October 25, 2019, Lea Michele released her third studio album, Christmas in the City.

November 24, 2019: Visit to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital

On November 24, 2019, Lea Michele visited ill children at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital.

December 19, 2019: Live Performances at Adler Hall

From December 19, 2019, Lea Michele performed live in a series of shows at Adler Hall on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

June 2, 2020: HelloFresh Partnership Ended

On June 2, 2020, HelloFresh announced they had ended their partnership with Lea Michele as a result of a controversy surrounding accusations of bullying against her.

November 5, 2021: Release of Forever: A Lullaby Album

On November 5, 2021, Lea Michele released her cover album, Forever: A Lullaby Album.

July 11, 2022: Return to Broadway in Funny Girl

On July 11, 2022, it was announced that Lea Michele would return to Broadway in the stage musical production of Funny Girl.

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September 6, 2022: Debut as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl

On September 6, 2022, Lea Michele replaced Beanie Feldstein in the leading role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway.

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September 20, 2022: Return to Funny Girl After COVID-19

On September 20, 2022, Lea Michele returned to the stage in Funny Girl after recovering from COVID-19.

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2022: Return to Broadway in Funny Girl

In 2022, Lea Michele returned to Broadway, playing Fanny Brice in a revival of Funny Girl, to widespread critical acclaim.

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September 3, 2023: Final performance of Funny Girl

On September 3, 2023, the show Funny Girl had its final performance.

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October 2023: Signed "No Hostage Left Behind" letter

In October 2023, Lea Michele signed the "No Hostage Left Behind" letter, an open letter asking President Joe Biden to ensure the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.