Idina Menzel Admits Playing Lea Michele's Mother On 'Glee' 'Wasn't Great For The Ego'

Actress Idina Menzel recently discussed her experience on "Glee," playing Lea Michele's mother despite the age gap.

According to the Broadway icon, the role wasn't "great for the ego." Menzel stated that she would have been better cast as Michele's older sister instead of her mother.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Idina Menzel recently opened up about her less-than-complimentary experience on "Glee," where she portrayed Lea Michele's mother despite a 15-year age gap.

The 52-year-old Broadway sensation shared her initial worries about post-pregnancy job prospects with Stellar Magazine, saying, "When you're an actor and you get pregnant, you worry you're not going to work again." Her worries vanished when she got the "Glee" offer only three months after having her son, Walker.

However, as she juggled her role as an actress and a breastfeeding mom "storing breast milk in refrigerators and little frozen lunch boxes," the challenges continued as she couldn't fit into costumes.

Menzel admitted the role didn't boost her ego, explaining, "You know, you're worried you're not going to work again, and then people hire you to be someone's mother when you probably should be their older sister."

She added, per Daily Mail, "It just wasn't great for the ego. But I sucked it up and sucked myself into my clothes, and was excited to work with [creator] Ryan Murphy and be a part of that hit show."

A decade has passed since Menzel lent her voice to the powerful rendition of "Let It Go" in Disney's animated film "Frozen."

Menzel considers the song, sung by a character without the conventional romantic storyline, a career highlight, stating, "It's one of the greatest things that's happened to me. I think even more than playing that iconic character, it's what Elsa says and how she speaks to people, both in the LGBTQ+ community and to young kids: this idea of us all having this power that we don't share for fear of alienating others, and eventually unleashing that power."

Even before Frozen, Menzel showcased her versatility and support for LGBTQ+ rights through roles like "Rent" in 1995. "The support of the LGBTQ+ community has been everything. I got letters from people about how Rent had changed their life. Their courage and willingness to lead an authentic life is such a shining example for the rest of us," per Evening Standard.

Menzel has been on the road promoting her new album "Drama Queen," which features disco and high-camp melodies. Speaking about the album, she said, "I wanted to have fun. I wanted to make music that people would stand up and dance to."

The actress continued, "As much as I love them, my audiences tend to listen politely and behave. Whenever I'm in London, I always go to G-A-Y at Heaven at 1 am and do a DJ set, and the place is packed. There are shirtless people pressed up against the stage, singing, crying, and dancing, and I leave feeling so invigorated. So I thought: what music could I make to bring into those venues, but where I could still embrace my big voice?"

The "Enchanted" star reiterated her unwavering LGBTQ+ advocacy, stating, "There's so much scapegoating going on. I believe very strongly that it's the allies who should be on the front lines doing the work because the young people need to spend their energy figuring out and staying true to who they are."

The "Frozen" star recently detailed her challenging experience with in vitro fertilization (IVF) while trying to conceive with her husband, Aaron Lohr, whom she married in 2017. The lovebirds began multiple rounds of IVF a year after their wedding and amid her 2018 national tour.

Menzel also shared that her husband's fantastic stepfather role to her 13-year-old son Walker with ex-husband Taye Diggs inspired them to have a child together.

Speaking to People magazine, she explained, "Maybe before meeting me, [Lohr] didn't think he wanted to have kids, and then he sees how good of a dad he can be. So I wanted that for him."

Although their attempts weren't successful, Menzel expressed gratitude for her 13-year-old son Walker from her previous marriage. She highlighted the ease of her first pregnancy and acknowledged the struggles many face in conceiving.