Re: Michele being too "pretty" for the role. Barbra Streisand did sort of single-handedly re-conceptualize how people thought of beauty in the 60s and 70s, right? In terms of the stereotypical Jewish physical characteristics she brought to the table when she was becoming the zeitgeist back in the early 60s. I don't think anyone on this board would say Barbra was ugly or anything during Funny Girl, but it's well-reported that she had serious doubts about her beauty that Sydney Chaplin was only so happy to use against her when his role got cut to shreds. I don't think Lea Michele is dead ringer for Barbra to anything, but they look more alike than different. So I don't think the physical aspects will be that much of a deterrent (not to mention the amount of episodes on Glee that centered around Rachel needing to change some physical aspect of herself to be "hot"
. Just wanted to flag that Barbra herself might be a reason we think of Michele as pretty today!
"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium." - Patti LuPone, a Memoir