What Lea Michele's Longtime Pal Has To Say About The Rumors She Can't Read

Though their characters Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James had a rocky relationship on the Fox musical dramedy series "Glee," actor-singers Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff actually have a strong real-life relationship. Thus, Groff could be considered a leading authority when it comes to addressing any rumors thrown his bestie's way.

In September 2024, Groff appeared on an episode of the "Tactful Pettiness" podcast, which was uploaded on October 10. In the midst of conversations concerning his role in a staged reading of the Bobby Darin-focused  musical "Just In Time" and his friendship with host Andrew Chappelle, the actor, who played King George in "Hamilton," was asked if he'd heard any rumors about Michele's alleged inability to read. Coming to the "Funny Girl" star's defense, Groff said he has, indeed, witnessed Michele read before, and questioned where such claims even originated. "I have seen her read, he said. "Oh, my god. LOL. Wait, do you really think she can't read? How does that even get started?" Groff ultimately shut down the strange rumor. "Let it be known," he said. "We're dispelling it."

Rumors surrounding Lea Michele's supposed illiteracy reach back to 2017, when her late "Glee" co-star Naya Rivera's memoir was read on an episode of the "One More Thing" podcast (via Out), disclosing an instance in which Michele had refused to improvise her memorized lines. Michele has come to her own defense on the subject, telling The New York Times in September 2022 that the proof of her literacy lies in the hard work she put into her performance as a "Glee" cast member. "I went to 'Glee' every single day," Michele said. "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. I think often if I were a man, a lot of this wouldn't be the case."

However, observers have both jokingly and seriously put her claims under scrutiny, given she hadn't willingly provided physical proof. "I love the rumor that Lea Michele can't read because literally all she has to do to disprove it is, you know, read something," comedian Andrew Nadeau said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "But instead she goes, 'It's insane! If I couldn't read would I be able to ice skate like this? If I couldn't read, why do I own so many candelabras?'" In the post's comments, Nadeau acknowledged Michele could read, while still criticizing the evidence she provided. "Like obviously she can read, but nothing has made a stronger case for her not being able to than her explaining she can," he said in one comment. Michele eventually provided her own solid proof when she read the children's story "Rosie Revere, Engineer" in a video for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Storyline Online series in 2022.