Yesterday, we reported on the slew of Lea Michele’s former co-stars who have come forward with accusations of bullying.
Now, two of her former Glee cast mates, and a third who wishes to remain anonymous, have defended her.
First up there’s Australian Idol star Dean Geyer who played her boyfriend on Glee’s fourth season in 2012.
According to Daily Mail Australia, the actor said Lea was the “most welcoming” cast member when he joined the hit Fox show, and that he never witnessed her making anybody feel uncomfortable.
“Lea is still one of my favourite co-stars that I have had the pleasure of working with. She is extremely hard working and super fun to be around,” he said.
“Her work ethic is so strong it forces you to always be on top of your game, and that’s something I looked forward to everyday on set. I definitely learned a lot.”
Dean added: “When jumping onto a hugely successful and established show like Glee, I went into it expecting to be known as the ‘new guy’ for at least a month, but that wasn’t the case at all. I almost immediately felt welcomed, and to be totally honest, out of everyone, Lea was the most friendly to me.”
Dean went on to say that he didn’t agree with the backlash against Lea.
“I can only speak for myself and my own experience, but from what I saw during my time on set, there was nothing but professionalism and a genuine sense of community amongst the cast and crew,” he said.
“No one showed any signs of discomfort while Lea was on set. If I’m basing my opinion off my season, there definitely shouldn’t be a reason for a backlash.”
He concluded by saying he was “grateful for the experience and opportunity to be involved with such an iconic show” alongside Lea and the rest of the cast.
Another Glee star Iqbal Theba also defended her, after several other folks labelled her a “nightmare” and “very unpleasant.”
The actor portrayed Principal Figgins for the show’s entire run from 2009 to 2015.
Lot of people r assuming that @LeaMichele mistreated me. Let me state it clearly that I was never mistreated by her. And if some of the cast were treated badly then she has apologized for it which is wonderful. But being called a racist is too heavy & unfair a burden 4 most.. 1/2
— iqbal theba (@iqbaltheba) June 4, 2020
2/2 of us, specially in these troubled times. So, please be compassionate, careful & responsible before we accuse anyone of this horrible thing called racism. I love each & everyone of my fellow cast members from our great show @OfficialGLEEtv Be safe & be well. Much love ❤️
— iqbal theba (@iqbaltheba) June 4, 2020
Meanwhile an insider spoke to Us Weekly, claiming that Michele was “self-obsessed” but did not discriminate.
“Though she was completely self-obsessed toward everyone, she did not discriminate,” a source who worked with Michele, 33, tells Us Weekly exclusively. “It didn’t matter if you were young or old, black or white — it’s just kind of her world.”
According to the insider, the actress did not hide her feelings about those around her. “Things are seen through a lens, and it comes from a very protective place where obviously she’s been on guard. She’s fiery and she has more of an aggressive personality where most people would play weak or vulnerable or ask for sympathy and Lea does not do that,” the source alleges. “You know where you stand — for the most part — with her.”
The source claims that Michele’s behaviour stemmed from her standing in the industry and the types of roles she portrayed. “In television, they hire really strong personalities because they create drama,” her former coworker says. “You don’t expect them not to be dramatic off set and in their own lives. That’s quite a switch to turn off.”
A few nights back, Lea posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, where she explains that her initial tweet was meant to be a “show of support for our friends and neighbours and communities of colour during this really difficult time,” but the responses made her focus on her own behaviour.
“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 wrote.
After adding that she didn’t remember the specific actions Ware had referenced and that she’s “never judged others by their background or the colour of their skin,” she acknowledged, “that’s not really the point, what matters is that I clearly acted in ways which hurt other people.”
“Whether it was my privileged position and perspective that caused me to be perceived as insensitive or inappropriate at times or whether it was just my immaturity and me just being unnecessarily difficult, I apologise for my behaviour and for any pain which I have caused,” she continued. “We all can grow and change and I have definitely used these past several months to reflect on my own shortcomings.”
