Chris Colfer has given a definitive answer as to whether his Glee co-star, Lea Michele, is actually unable to read. And, of course, it was a witty response.
The suggestion that Michele was illiterate has become something of a pop culture staple. Many of her co-stars have been asked about it, with even the star of Scream Queens and The Mayor herself having to discuss the rumours.
Colfer was speaking at the University of California, Berkeley, when asked if he could confirm whether Michele was actually literate.
The two of them were co-stars in Ryan Murphy’s popular high-school show from 2009 until 2015. Colfer played openly gay student Kurt Hummel, while Michele was egotistical theatre kid Rachel Berry.
Answering the question from a member of the audience, Colfer said: “Well, as a literacy advocate, it’s never too late.” After some laughter, he continued: “It’s so funny… I’m dyslexic. I can’t read for s**t and the TikToks are never mean to me.
“But no, [Michele] was very literate, she was reading all the time.”
Fans have pointed out that his comment might be a bit sly because in queer slang “reading” means calling someone out or criticising them. Sometimes, in a way that can go over their head. Michele has been accused of micro-aggressions on set by some former Glee cast mates, including Samantha Ware, Alex Newell, Amber Riley and Dabier Snell.
Among the comments on the TikTok of Colfer’s answer, were: “’It’s never too late’, I’m floored,” and “Oh, he hates her.” Someone else said: “You genuinely can’t convince me she can read.”
The rumours about Lea Michele began in about 2017 and only increased after she reportedly refused to improvise scenes from Naya Rivera’s memoir Sorry Not Sorry.
In 2022, she told The New York Times: “I went to Glee every single day. I knew my lines every single day and then there’s a rumour online that I can’t read or write. It’s sad, it really is.”
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