Edith Thomasina Sarfati gave birth to Lea Michele Sarfati in the Bronx, New York. Lea went to an open casting call for an upcoming musical with a friend when she was eight years old. She was offered the role after deciding to audition on the spur of the moment, and she was starring on Broadway two weeks later. She made her Broadway debut in 1995 as a stand-in for Young Cosette in "Les Misérables."