The “Funny Girl” alum has been starring on Broadway stages since she was 8 years old.

Lea Michele still has zero Tony Award nods after getting left out of 2026 nominations for Chess

The "Funny Girl" alum has been starring on Broadway stages since she was 8 years old.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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May 5, 2026 11:49 a.m. ET

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Lea Michele in 'Chess'. Credit:

- The 79th Annual Tony Award nominations are in.

- While several *Chess* stars got some love from the nominating committee, *Glee* alum Lea Michele was not among them.

- Despite a long history with Broadway, Michele has yet to be recognized by the Tonys.

The 79th Tony Award nominations are in, and Lea Michele is not among the honorees.

In a surprising snub from the Tonys' nominating committee, the *Glee* alum — who has been performing on Broadway stages since she was eight years old — was not recognized for her role as Florence Vassy in the latest Broadway staging of *Chess*.

Michele's absence was notable as the Emmy nominee has been receiving rave reviews for her performance. She's also been campaigning hard, making the rounds to emphasize her lifelong commitment to theater by reminiscing about her prior Broadway productions, from *Ragtime* and *Les Misérables *to *Fiddler on the Roof *and *Funny Girl.*

Aaron Tveit and Lea Michele in 'Chess'.

The combined star power of Michele and her costar Aaron Tveit made *Chess* one of the hottest tickets of the season. It certainly helped that the musical itself is a much-loved cult favorite, which has garnered a dedicated fanbase over the years thanks to the impeccable score from EGOT-winning theater lyricist Tim Rice and songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA fame).

But despite the box-office success and general fervor surrounding the show, neither Michele nor Tveit was recognized among the nominees. That said, *Chess* didn't go entirely unnoticed.

Michele and Tveit's costars Nicholas Christopher, Bryce Pinkham, and Hannah Cruz made the grade, earning nominations for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, and Best Featured Actress in a Musical, respectively. Brian Usifer was also recognized for his orchestrations.

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Nicholas Christopher in 'Chess'.

This isn't the first time that fans have been surprised to see Michele's name missing from the list of nominees. In 2023, Michele stunned with her performance as Fanny Brice i*n Funny Girl*, a role she seemed born to play, but was ultimately not eligible for a nomination.

This was because Michele did not originate the leading role in the Broadway revival — she replaced original star Beanie Feldstein five months after her debut. For a replacement to be considered Tony eligible, the producing team would have to petition the committee to make an exception. And given the gap between Feldstein's tenure and Michele taking over, no such request was made.

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A nod for *Chess* would have marked Michele's very first Tony nomination. Other performers who missed a chance at a first nod were *Titaníque* star Melissa Barrera, *Proof* Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri, *Dog Day Afternoon *stars Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, *Waiting for Godot* stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, and Two-time Oscar winner Adrien Brody.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Theater”