Idina Menzel Playing Lea Michele's Mom In 'Glee' Hurt Her Ego? Here's Why

Idina Menzel was one of the many well-loved guest stars on "Glee," along with Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Lovato, Adam Lambert, John Stamos, and even Carol Burnett.

In an interview, Menzel revealed her true feelings in appearing on "Glee" as Lea Michele's character's mother, Shelby Corcoran.

Idina Menzel Hated 'Glee'?

Speaking to Stellar Magazine, Menzel had this to say about her experience back then.

"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 said, as quoted by The New York Post.

Apparently, for Menzel, playing Corcoran "wasn't great for the ego" and she just "sucked it up." However, Menzel still went on with it as she was excited to work with [showrunner] Ryan Murphy and be a part of that hit show.

Turns out, Menzel got the role months after giving birth to her son. At the time, she was afraid that opportunities might shy away from her as she just recently gave birth.

"I had my son Walker and then three months later, I got the call," she pondered. "And so I said, 'yes.'"

What is Idina Menzel's Role In 'Glee'?

Idina Menzel appeared on the fourteenth episode of Season 1 as Shelby Corcoran, the coach of the rival glee club of New Directions, Vocal Adrenaline.

Corcoran was revealed to be the biological mother of Michele's character Rachel Berry, whose gay fathers were played by Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Eventually, Corcoran became the adoptive mother of Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) and Noah Puckerman (Mark Salling)'s daughter Beth. In Season 3, Corcoran returned and was offered the role of the director of a new Glee Club at William McKinley High School - Troubletones, as requested by Sugar Motta (Vanessa Lengies). She then developed an inappropriate relationship with Salling's character Puck but was later severed when Quinn Fabray attempted to rat them out to Principal Figgins.

Menzel's last appearance on the show was during its fourth season when Rachel asked Shelby to help her choose what song she should sing on her "Funny Girl" audition. In the end, they sang together "Next To Me" as Rachel eventually sang "To Love You More" on her final callback and "Don't Stop Believin'" on her first audition.

Tags

Lea Michele, GLEE, Idina Menzel