Lea Michele Brings Glee Nostalgia to Tony Awards Red Carpet

The 39-year-old actress made a striking appearance at the 2026 Tony Awards, where she encountered familiar faces from her television days. Lea Michele greeted Kristin Chenoweth, who portrayed April Rhodes on Glee, as well as Brian Stokes Mitchell, who played her character Rachel Berry's father LeRoy Berry on the Fox musical series.

Mitchell attended the ceremony with his wife, Allyson Tucker.

Michele came to the ceremony as part of the Broadway revival of Chess, where she shares the stage with several of the evening's nominees. Nicholas Christopher is in contention for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, while both Bryce Pinkham and Hannah Cruz are nominated in the featured actor and actress categories, respectively.

Christopher brought his wife Jennifer Locke to the event, Pinkham attended with his wife Scarlett Strallen, and Cruz came alongside her husband Edred Utomi.

The production itself earned additional recognition, securing nominations for Best Orchestrations and Best Lighting Design of a Musical.

For the evening's fashion moment, Michele opted for a Michael Kors Collection ensemble pairing a white ribbed viscose tank with black sequined crepe opera trousers, anchored by a crinkled patent leather Catarina belt. She completed the look with Briony Raymond jewelry. Christopher wore a Buccellati brooch, while Cruz turned heads in a Christian Siriano gown.

The Chess revival has announced an early closing date, shifting its final curtain call to June 21 instead of the previously scheduled September end date. That June date marks Michele's last performance in the show.

The 2026 Tony Awards, presented by host Pink, aired live on CBS at 8pm ET and streamed on Paramount+.