“It’s really unbelievable to think that I’ve been working through all of these different phases of my life,” Lea shared.
Actor Lea Michele has more than paid her dues in the entertainment industry.
After numerous stage, TV, and film credits, she chose to step back and focus on the beautiful family she crafted during her fame.
Lea and her husband, Zandy Reich, welcomed their first child, Ever Leo, in 2020. In 2024, she announced she was expecting a second bundle of joy.
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As the multitalented star prepares for her more personal role as a mother of two, she told Distractify how she plans to have it all while being present with the people she loves most.
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Lea Michele is doing whatever she wants now as she balances motherhood with her career and husband.
While Lea’s fame began with an instant hit TV show, she’s managed to avoid getting pigeonholed into one specific job. The Scream Queens alum has pivoted multiple times, which is why she isn’t as concerned about what her next big project will be.
For now, she’s enjoying her time at home in New York and returning to her theater kid roots.
“I feel so blessed and just so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to try out so many different lanes throughout my life,” Lea exclusively shared with Distractify while promoting her partnership with Children’s Tylenol. “And I think the best thing I’ve learned is not to plan. It is always so wonderful when something just comes my way.”
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Although Lea no longer has to prove herself as an actor or performer, she’s continuing to foster new dreams. Only now her family is along for every minute of it.
“It’s really unbelievable to think that I’ve been working through all of these different phases of my life,” Lea reflected. “And honestly, I think that this is just the absolute best. Being able to do what I love and then come home to my family every evening.”
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She experienced her worlds colliding in real-time during her Funny Girl run on Broadway. Lea said she doesn’t think she’s “ever been happier” than she was when her son Ever could see her perform during her final performances. She plans on having a similar experience with Ever’s younger sibling, telling us motherhood is her “greatest gift.”
“Becoming a mother has been the most incredible experience of my life,” Lea said. “Getting to do what I love and having my husband and my child by my side has just been the greatest gift.”
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Lea says a “Broadway album” has been on her mind after her ‘Funny Girl’ debut.
Lea’s New York state of mind began when she received her life-altering role in Funny Girl. She starred in the Broadway revival for an entire year, starting in September 2022, and had her final performance in September 2023.
Lea said she still pinches herself, realizing she “lived out a dream that you’ve been wanting and holding on to for so long.”
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She told us her plans to return to the stage once her baby is born and is open to creating a “Broadway album” one day. In 2021, Lea released her project, “Forever,” a lullaby album she made for her son.
She would also be open to doing it again. However, Lea is waiting to be inspired as much as she was with the project she made for her baby boy.
“I think that you really need to have something to say,” she said. “And you really need to make sure that you have a very clear message that you want to deliver. I’ve been gaining a lot of inspiration lately, and I’m sort of feeling out what that vibe might be for the next album.”