Lea Michele went through quite the transformation for her new role in "Scream Queens," compared to her perky Rachel Berry character on "Glee" that made her a household name. In the latest Fox series from "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy, Michele plays the socially awkward Hester Ulrich who wears a neck-brace and tries to pledge for a sorority.
The 28-year-old actress immediately jumped at the chance to work with Murphy again after finishing six seasons of "Glee" earlier this year. The Emmy-winning producer wrote the role of Hester for her and she took the job without knowing much more than the show would also star Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Roberts.
"Scream Queens" is a horror comedy about a sorority house under siege by a vengeful killer who will claim one victim per episode until the devil-clad murderer is revealed in the end.
Michele spoke with Headlines & Global News and a small group of reporters after the "Scream Queens" presentation at the Television Critics Association summer press tour on Thursday. Read what she had to say about her scary new role, her great cast members and a possible collaboration with Ariana Grande.
What about the role made you say yes?
Well, I knew nothing about the role when I said yes. All I knew was that it was Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis and that I would be wearing a neck brace! Ryan called me and he said, 'I love you and I want us to keep working together,' and I said, 'Absolutely!' Then a week or so later I see in the press that there is a new show from Ryan Murphy called 'Scream Queens' and he texts me and says, 'Girl, you see our new show?!' I was like, 'Oh my God!' It is amazing, I would have said yes to anything. And for Ryan to write this role for me is such a blessing to shoot something right out of the gate from 'Glee' and to play a different character and having to use a totally different skill set is a real honor because I always wanted to keep working with them!
What will we see on 'Scream Queens' from you that we've never seen you do before?
You are not going to see anything that you have ever seen before, I'll say that! Starting with the physicality of the character to begin with - I wear no makeup. I wear my hair straight out of bed, that is my natural curly hair, and then of course the wardrobe is so unique. It's like a 90s Janeane Garofalo, as a reference. I mean, I have this neck brace. It's such a major difference from Rachel Berry and from anything that I have done as an actor. Wearing the neck brace really helps me and challenges me in such a different way as an actor. I grew up watching women like Molly Shannon, Cheri Oteri on 'SNL,' all these women who used their physicality in their comedy and I have used [the neck brace] and had the most fun on this show!
Did wearing the brace make you feel like Artie (Kevin McHale's wheelchair bound character in 'Glee')?
I remember at the end of Glee everyone was like, 'What are you taking home?' Kevin was like, 'I am taking my wheelchair!' I helped him take it to his car at the end of the night. It didn't fit so we had to put it in my truck! So he took the wheel chair... Rachel really didn't have anything like that but now I have the neck brace! In some ways it was challenging. It helps to create a uniqueness for the character that I am very excited about it!
You're working with Ariana Grande on this show. Would you ever consider doing any singing duets with her?
Oh my god, I want to sing with her so bad! Just not on this show. [laughs] Maybe in a concert!
And how was it to work with Ariana and Emma Roberts?
It was amazing. Ari's so fun and it's so great having her... She's an incredible singer, but she's a great actress. I had to do this hilarious scene with her the other day and we were just cracking up.
Emma's my girl. I think Emma is honestly one of the greatest actresses out there right now. We had to do a scene yesterday [where] we were in a haunted basement in some old New Orleans home. I was like, 'Oh my god, please don't let anything happen to me in this house!' And [Emma and I] had to go at it. I was like, 'Whoa, I'm going at it with someone really good.' She challenges me as an actress. To have someone who every day comes prepared, knows her lines, and really gives it to you on every take, you have to be at your absolute best. And so she's challenged me and pushed me to be better.
You went through so much on 'Glee,' professionally and personally. Coming into this show, did you feel like a different kind of actress and person? Do you feel grown up even though your still in a college sorority on the show?
Well, I'm very happy that I can still play young, that I went from high school to college! [Laughs] So far so good! No, I definitely feel personally in my life right now so happy and so strong. And I'm so grateful to Ryan for giving me this amazing opportunity. And I'm so grateful to these girls, and I don't say that like oh yay, we're whatever, I really mean it. We flew to Comic-Con on a private plane, and it was so cool. And it was just me, Abigail, Skylar, Keke, and Emma, and Billie Lord who isn't here today, we miss her, and we just shared a lot about our lives. They were so wonderful and I feel so supported by them and I couldn't be happier in my life right now, honestly.
"Scream Queens" will air its two-hour series premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m.
