Twenty-five year old New Yorker, Lea Michele, plays Glee club member Rachel Berry in the FOX musical comedy series “Glee”.  She began her on-screen career in 2000, appearing on an episode of the show “Third Watch”, before being cast on Glee. She was nominated for an Emmy for her role in the series. Michele also appears in the new romantic comedy film “New Year’s Eve”, currently in the movie theaters, and she has recently voiced the character of Dorothy in the animated musical “Dorothy of Oz” expected to be released in 2012.

Lea was motivated to change her diet a couple of years ago because of a jaw infection, but it also helped her lose weight and have the energy to keep up with long daily dance sessions when rehearsing for Glee.  She decided to try a vegan diet, so she started removing meat and dairy from her daily menu, replacing them with vegetables and fruits.

“I’m a vegan,” Lea said. “It makes me feel really good and bright. You need a lot of energy to play spunky Rachel Berry, so I’ve tried a lot of different things – and so far, this is working.”