Lea Michele and Naya Rivera in 2014.Photo:Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; David Livingston/Getty
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; David Livingston/Getty
Lea MicheleandNaya Riveragot to have some fun with rumors of their behind-the-scenes feud onGlee, according toKevin McHaleandJenna Ushkowitz.On the latest episode of their rewatch podcastAnd That’s What You Really Missed, McHale and Ushkowitz dove into the ninth episode of the hit musical show’s fifth season. “Frenemies,” which originally aired in February 2014, finds Michele’s Rachel and Rivera’s Santana at odds when the latter auditions to be the former’s understudy in the Broadway production ofFunny Girl.McHale described the storyline as “self-referential,” noting that at the time, rumors swirled that there was tension between the two actresses on set.Lea Michele and Naya Rivera in ‘Glee’ in 2014.FOX Image Collection via Getty“I don’t see how it was not intentional that they’re going at it in this episode in such a specific way when there were, like, rumors out in the world that they didn’t get along,” he said. “And, you know, they would have loved that s—. Like, Naya and Lea were probably like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ Because all those things were always blown out of proportion and not correct.”Rivera, whodrowned tragically in 2020, addressed the rumors in her 2016 memoir,Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes and Growing Up.“One of theGleewriters once said that Lea and I were like two sides of the same battery and that about sums us up. We are both strong-willed and competitive — not just with each other but with everyone — and that’s not a good mixture,” she wrote. “As the show progressed, though, that friendship started to break down, especially as Santana moved from a background character to one with bigger plot lines and more screen time. I think Rachel — erm, I mean Lea — didn’t like sharing the spotlight.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Naya Rivera and Lea Michele in ‘Glee’ in 2016.FOX Image Collection via Getty“I don’t think there was, like, any beef,”Rivera told Andy Cohenof her relationship with Michele during a 2019 appearance onWatch What Happens Live.OnAnd That’s What You Really Missed, McHale also described Michele and Rivera’s fictional animosity in the episode as “fan service.”“Oh, you think they hate each other?” he said. “Let’s give it to you. And it works because they’re also playing into it. It’s like they’re in on the gag of it all.”
Lea MicheleandNaya Riveragot to have some fun with rumors of their behind-the-scenes feud onGlee, according toKevin McHaleandJenna Ushkowitz.
On the latest episode of their rewatch podcastAnd That’s What You Really Missed, McHale and Ushkowitz dove into the ninth episode of the hit musical show’s fifth season. “Frenemies,” which originally aired in February 2014, finds Michele’s Rachel and Rivera’s Santana at odds when the latter auditions to be the former’s understudy in the Broadway production ofFunny Girl.
McHale described the storyline as “self-referential,” noting that at the time, rumors swirled that there was tension between the two actresses on set.
Lea Michele and Naya Rivera in ‘Glee’ in 2014.FOX Image Collection via Getty
FOX Image Collection via Getty
“I don’t see how it was not intentional that they’re going at it in this episode in such a specific way when there were, like, rumors out in the world that they didn’t get along,” he said. “And, you know, they would have loved that s—. Like, Naya and Lea were probably like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ Because all those things were always blown out of proportion and not correct.”
Rivera, whodrowned tragically in 2020, addressed the rumors in her 2016 memoir,Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes and Growing Up.
“One of theGleewriters once said that Lea and I were like two sides of the same battery and that about sums us up. We are both strong-willed and competitive — not just with each other but with everyone — and that’s not a good mixture,” she wrote. “As the show progressed, though, that friendship started to break down, especially as Santana moved from a background character to one with bigger plot lines and more screen time. I think Rachel — erm, I mean Lea — didn’t like sharing the spotlight.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Naya Rivera and Lea Michele in ‘Glee’ in 2016.FOX Image Collection via Getty
“I don’t think there was, like, any beef,”Rivera told Andy Cohenof her relationship with Michele during a 2019 appearance onWatch What Happens Live.
OnAnd That’s What You Really Missed, McHale also described Michele and Rivera’s fictional animosity in the episode as “fan service.”
“Oh, you think they hate each other?” he said. “Let’s give it to you. And it works because they’re also playing into it. It’s like they’re in on the gag of it all.”
source: people.com
