Rachel Berry
Rachel is portrayed by Lea Michele. Younger Rachel has been played by Lauren Boles. When Ryan Murphy was casting for Glee, he wanted actors who could take on theatrical roles. Murphy did not want to do network casting calls. He instead, spent three months on Broadway. He found Michele, who was starring in Spring Awakening. The role of Rachel was written just for Michele. In an interview with The Washington Post, Michele commented on her casting, saying: "I was kind of just thrown into this—this is one of the first television jobs I've ever had. Of course being able to sing helps bring a sense of comfort. The character I'm playing is really outgoing—she performs in her everyday life as though she's performing in front of a huge audience."