Can Lea Michele read?
Hollywood star Keke Palmer believes she can. The actor has reacted with shock to the conspiracy theory that her “Scream Queens” co-star is illiterate. Apparently, Palmer was only learning about the rumor after it surfaced in 2017. She wasted no time in defending her colleague. Read on to find out what she said.
Keke Palmer heard about the story during a recent podcast appearance. She was taken aback by the revelation on the Tuesday, November 19, 2024 edition of The Toast—a podcast. The hosts of the show are comedian and author Claudia Oshry plus media entrepreneur Jackie Oshry.
The hosts had Palmer on the show titled “Dreams Coming True With Keke Palmer.” After they revealed the rumor, their guest was visibly astounded. “I know that she can read, y’all,” the “Akeelah and the Bee” star responded. “I ain’t never seen her reading, but I know that she can read. She’s got to,” Palmer continued.
Although she admitted that she had never seen Michele read on set, she maintained that the 38-year-old actress could. “Damn, that’s crazy. Why do people do this stuff? I mean, don’t nobody see me reading a book on set? Y’all know that girl can read,” Palmer insisted.
Palmer continued by stating that she wasn’t going to be alarmed even if it turned out that Michele couldn’t read. “Honestly, y’all, if she can’t read, so what? S***, some people can’t read. [If] she can’t read, momma can’t read.”
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Is Lea Michele Illiterate?
Rumors suggesting that Lea Michele is illiterate surfaced as early as 2017. It began during an episode of the One More Thing Podcast hosted by Robert Ackerman and Jaye Hunt. During the show, the hosts began discussing the memoir of popular actor Naya Rivera, where she alleged that Lea Michele struggled to read on set.
In the book, Rivera cites an instance during the filming of “Glee.” She alleges that Michele was hesitant to improvise lines when she needed to. This allegation received more fuel when clips resurfaced of Michele battling to read off names at public functions, including award shows.
The rumor soon began to spread like wildfire. Several social media posts began to emerge featuring “evidence” that The Mayor star wasn’t one of the sharpest knives in the Hollywood intellectual drawer. When the theory began gaining ground, Michele publicly addressed the rumors.
“I went to Glee every single day; I knew my lines every single day. And then there’s a rumor online that I can’t read or write? It’s sad. It really is,” she argued during a 2022 interview with The New York Times. “I think often if I were a man, a lot of this wouldn’t be the case.”
Michele addressed the rumors earlier in 2018 when they were fresh and seemed less dangerous. At the time, she responded jokingly to a fan who wrote on X (then Twitter) that she found the rumors amusing and ridiculous.
After the fan wrote that she was “laughing her head off right now,” Michele responded with, “Loved READING this tweet and wanted to WRITE you back? LLiterally laughing out loud at all this? love you!!!”
Was Lea Michele Homeschooled?
If you are wondering, “Can Lea Michele read and write? ” One piece of relevant information is that she was homeschooled at one point in her life. Yes!
Born in The Bronx, New York, to Edith and Marc Sarfati, a nurse and a delicatessen owner, she was later raised in a catholic home in New Jersey. She received elementary education at Rockland Country Day School, New York, before attending Tenafly High School in New Jersey. She got some homeschooling while she worked in Toronto, Ontario.
Lea Michele has paid her dues in the movie industry. She participated in numerous medium-profile projects as she patiently built her talent. For example, she performed in a July 2008 musical by Sheik and Sater called Nero. She also played a role in Hollywood Bowl’s Les Miserables concert of the same year.
Her big break came when she played Rachel Berry on the Fox Television series “Glee.” Her portrayal of the character earned her massive recognition. Among these were one Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations. In addition, she bagged a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, a Satellite Award, and three consecutive People’s Choice Awards.
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Can Lea Michele Actually Read?
One major factor in the “Can Michele read?” debate is the testimony of her industry colleagues. In addition to Keke Palmer, other industry peers who have weighed in on the issue include Emma Roberts and Julie Bowen. Emma Roberts took a less serious approach in responding to the rumors.
“I mean, we have not been in a book club together,” she answered when she appeared on the podcast Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. Andy Cohen had confronted her with the rumor.
In her case, Julie Bowen took the accusation more seriously. “Why is reading so important, goddamnit? Let her not read if that’s what she wants,” the “Modern Family” star responded. Lea Michele hasn’t let the rumors distract her from her blossoming career. She has continued to participate in high-profile Hollywood projects since they emerged.
She has also focused on her marriage with Zandy Reich who was her longtime friend. They tied the knot in 2019 and have produced a son, Ever Leo, and a daughter, Emery Sol.
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