ALEX Newell has given Glee fans something to rejoice about after walking right past her former co-star to receive a Tony Award.

The 76th annual Tony Awards aired on Sunday, June 11, which featured Alex, 30, as a nominee for her performance as Lulu in the Broadway musical Shucked.

Alex Newell took home the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical at the 76th annual awards on Sunday, June 11Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Fans commented on the ‘poetic’ moment Alex walked by her former Glee co-star Lea Michele to receive her award after formerly speaking out about her abusive behavior on setCredit: CBS
Lea Michele, 36, was also present for the prestigious night of theatre awards and was conveniently seated in close proximity to her former co-star.

Both Alex and Lea appeared on the hit FOX series Glee, where several co-stars previously called out Lea for her abusive behavior on set.

Lea took over the role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway last year and performed the show’s hit number, Don’t Rain On My Parade, at the end of Sunday night’s awards.

However, earlier in the night, Alex took home the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical – making them the first openly out, non-binary performer to be given the award.

It was also Alex’s first Tony Award nomination and win.

As Alex walked down the aisle to head to the stage of the United Palace, she walked right by Lea as she cheered and applauded.

Fans of Glee, otherwise known as Gleeks, have been vocal about the moment, saying it was monumental that Alex won the Tony after the former claims against Lea’s behavior and because her character on Glee, Rachel Berry, dreamed of receiving the award.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

“The WAY Alex Newell just WALKED BY Lea Michele… Kicked up that DUST,” one viewer tweeted.

A second wrote: “Something so poetic about Alex Newell winning a Tony in front of Lea Michele.”

“I don’t know but having Lea Michele perform Don’t Rain On My Parade in the Tony Awards – the role Rachel Berry was obsessed with – while not being eligible for a nomination and having her black Glee co-star Alex Newell win a Tony in front of her is…ironic,” a third noted.

A fourth similarly wrote: “For those of you who don’t know the glee cinematic universe: yesterdays cultural significance can never be repeated. Lea Michele singing don’t rain on my parade in a year she’s ineligible for nomination while having to watch former Glee cast member Alex Newell win is insane.”

A fifth noted: “Lea Michele not being nominated and Alex Newell winning tonight is Glee racial justice.”

“Tony Winner Alex Newell is in the same room as replacement Fanny Brice not Tony winner Lea Michele,” a sixth shaded.

Another tweeted: “Alex Newell won a Tony while racist transphobic Lea Michele was in the room and Alex walked past her. YAY A BIG WIN.”

While Lea has made a big return to Broadway since appearing in the fictional FOX series, the 2020 accusations have resulted in some people not supporting the actress’ success.

ON-SET SLANDER

During the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, Samantha (Sammie) Ware, and many of Lea’s other Glee co-stars, spoke out about her abusive behavior on set.

It started with Lea posting a message in regards to George Floyd, which resulted in a few Glee stars, including Samantha, Amber Riley, Heather Morris, and Dabier Snell, calling her out for how unpleasant she was behind the scenes.

Dabier claimed: “Girl you wouldn’t let me sit at the table with the other cast members cause ‘I didn’t belong there’ f**k you Lea you don’t give a f**k.”

Imia Edwards, an extra on the show, said that Lea referred to her and others as “cockroaches” and asked them to not even “look at her” when cameras weren’t rolling.

Imia also claimed that Lea burped in her face as she walked by – and two people saw what had happened and apologized for Lea’s alleged behavior.

Samantha said Lea made her life a “living hell” during Season 6 of Glee, and claimed Lea made traumatic micro-aggressive comments to her while on set.

She wrote to Lea on Twitter at the time: “LMAO REMEMBER WHEN YOU MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL?!?! CAUSE I’LL NEVER FORGET. I BELIEVE YOU TOLD EVERYONE THAT IF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD S**T IN MY WIG.”

Alex was also vocal on Twitter by sharing subtle memes to back up Sammie’s claims.

Samantha’s thoughts resurfaced in 2022 when Lea returned to Broadway as the lead in Funny Girl.

“Yes, I’m online today. Yes, I see y’all. Yes, I care. Yes, im affected. Yes, I’m human. Yes, I’m Black. Yes, I was abused. Yes, my dreams were tainted. Yes, Broadway upholds whiteness. Yes, Hollywood does the same. Yes, silence is complicity. Yes, I’m loud. Yes, I’d do it again,” she wrote on Instagram in a since-deleted post.

Lea has since publicly apologized and taken accountability for her actions on the set of Glee.

“When I tweeted the other day, it was meant to be a show of support for our friends and neighbors and communities of color during this really difficult time, but the responses I received to what I posted have made me also focus specifically on how my own behavior towards fellow cast members was perceived by them,” she wrote on Instagram.

She continued: “While I don’t remember ever making this specific statement and I have never judged others by their background or color of their skin, that’s not really the point, what matters is that I clearly acted in ways which hurt other people.

“While I don’t remember ever making this specific statement and I have never judged others by their background or color of their skin, that’s not really the point, what matters is that I clearly acted in ways which hurt other people,” she finished.

Alex previously appeared as the character Unique on Glee and worked alongside Lea Michele after competing on the Glee ProjectCredit: Getty

Lea was accused by former co-star Samantha Ware of mistreating fellow stars of the show and making her life ‘a living hell’ behind the scenesCredit: Getty

Lea Michele performed the hit song from Funny Girl during Sunday night’s Tonys after taking over the role of Fanny Brice last summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty