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- What song do you think should be banned from karaoke? - "Don't Stop Believing." - This feels like a public attack now. Or did you just wanna be on "Glee?" (playful music) I'm ready to get deep. I've had four matchas. - I can tell. - I can't take you seriously with those two chains on right now. - Wow. Two chains. - Two chain. (upbeat music) What is the worst note a director has ever given you? - I don't know. I don't think that there's ever been like a bad note. - [Aaron] What? - It just depends on whether I take it or not (Lea Michele laughs) on whether I choose to like do it. If I read them, which I can. (Nick laughs) - Walked completely right into that one. - I think that when Michael Mayer gave me the note to go be topless in "Spring Awakening" was a great- - Great terrible note. - Yeah, it was great. It worked out. - He put it on a Post-it on my mirror in between shows that just said, "We should see your boobs." - Seems like inappropriate. - So maybe that wasn't like the worst. - It's funny, I got the same note, too. - Always trying to upstage me. Oh my God. - What would shock 2016 Lea about your life now? - That I don't drink alcohol anymore, really. Why are you laughing? Why? 'Cause I drank champagne with you? (Lea laughs) Yeah, I like barely drink anymore and I haven't had like hard liquor in, like, years and I only will have champagne or a little beer, as you guys know. In 2016, that was not the case. - Do you ever confuse your own high school experience with Rachel Berry's? - No. Never. My high school experience was completely different. I was on the debate team, which was like a little Rachel Berry and I was like very competitive, so maybe like that. Not like the Rachel Berry musical theater, storming down the hallways, slushies in the face experience that I had on "Glee." There's a show called "Glee." I don't know if you know it. - Yeah, I gotta see it. - I'll tell you all about it another time. - Yeah. Slushies in the face? - Yeah, they were real, too. You would get brain freeze. - We are gonna rule this school. - Ooh. - Your face would burn. You'd get ice burn on your face. Do you wanna talk about like pain? Like that's some real- - Yeah, we should watch that. - Trauma pain. - What requires more emotional stamina, okay? Surviving the Groff splash zone- - You two are right behind him. Let me tell you the truth. - That's- - This is gonna come out sounding really bad, but you guys have better aim than him. Like, Jonathan is more of just like- - He's a shotgun. - Yeah, it's like- - We're snipers. - Yeah, exactly. Yes. Thanks. See, you get it. You get it. Okay. Answer. Keep going. - Okay. What requires more emotional stamina, surviving the Groff splash zone and us talking about it or singing through his "Spring Awakening" rehearsal tears? ♪ Oh, I'm gonna be ♪ - Jonathan. - Sorry. (cast members laugh) - More than the spit and more than the tears is the sweat. And Jonathan would just, at the end of act one, be laying on top of me postal coital experience and he would be just like covered in sweat. And when the lights would go out, I would just be like, "Get off of me." - So we're going C, sweat. - We're going C, sweat. - Which two former co-stars would you call to help bury a body? - Without a doubt, she wouldn't ask one question. She would show up with a shovel and like a truck. It would be Emma Roberts. She's like 90 pounds, 5'1" and she would carry that body and bury it with me. Probably halfway through we would panic and we'd call Ryan Murphy. We'd be like, "We need you now." - Is there anyone you'd never call? - Oh, Jonathan. I would never call him. (Nick chuckles) That was pretty good. I'm gonna be coming- - Feel a little lighter? - I actually do. - Yeah. - Those were a little more like hard hitting than I thought. - We'll see you same time next week. - That's right. - Thank you. - Actually, I'm gonna get real comfy here. - Setting the tone of. (upbeat music) Do you get stressed doing karaoke because you sound too good? - When you're a singer, karaoke gets really awkward. Is that not your experience? - I (beep) hate karaoke, so I just don't do it. - Right, but I'm saying but why do you hate it? - Because I'm not getting paid. - True. When I do sing karaoke, I like to sing "Jesse's Girl." - Good song. - Generally, everyone loves "Jesse's Girl," and they hear it and they go, "Oh, I love this song." Right? So that's a good one to- - It was also from "Glee." - Was it? - Yeah. - It was on "Glee?" - That's what you missed on "Glee." - We should watch that, Nick. - What song do you think should be banned from karaoke? - I've heard way too many people sing "Don't Stop Believing" at karaoke. I think we're good. - This feels like a public attack now. (Nick laughs) Or did you just wanna be on "Glee?" Is that what this is all about? - Ooh. - Is that what you're trying to get to here, Aaron? - I have no comment about that question. - Mm. Mm-hmm. Oh, this is a good one. - What's one confession you have to make to us right now? - Just when I thought I could say all I could say, my chick on the side said she got one on the way. ♪ Man, I'm broke and I don't know what to do ♪ - I think at the beginning of us doing the show- - Get real. Oh, I saw it in his eyes. - I felt a little isolated from everyone in the room. I think it's the nature of the part that I'm playing, (Nick laughs) but now I feel much better, much more comfortable. So, thanks. But at the beginning, I was trying to find my place because I'm playing a real, you know, I'm glad you guys are laughing. I've learned that I have a resting don't talk to me face. - Show us a more approachable face. What? - [Aaron] Here's another one. - Good. - Keep working on that. - Yeah. - We'll work on that for next week. - We're gonna make a note. What toxic trait do you secretly love about yourself? - This is terrible. I think I'm very secretly judgmental. - Oh my God. - But it gets me through the day. You know what I mean? Like- - I knew- - We live in a world- - He hated me. - We live in a world where we have to make micro judgements all day and it gets me through the day. - Where do you think that comes from? - Yeah. - I don't know. I think I'm just most secretly judgmental about judging myself though. - I'm just gonna let that sit and let you feel. - Just thinking about myself loathing right now. - I'm just gonna let you- - Just judging myself for saying that. - Yeah. - I'm gonna just- - Let's let it hang in the room and see what happens. - I'm gonna let you sit in your feelings for a second. - [Aaron] Yeah. (crickets chirp) (Aaron sighs) - This feels like it should be for me, but I'm gonna ask you. - Okay, I'm ready. - What's the most only theater kids will understand this part of being in "Les Mis?" - My red coat. - What do you mean? - Enjolras wore a red coat. The red accordion coat. - Only theater kids would understand that? - Only theater kids will understand the accordion coat of Enjolras. Like, I didn't have an accordion on my wardrobe in the movie. And everyone was like, "Where's the accordion?" - Uh-huh. That's all we got for you today. How do you feel? - I feel free. (funky music) - When was the last time you went to therapy? (Nick chuckles) (upbeat music) Do identify as a diva? - Yes. - Respect. - Yeah. - Much respect. - A diva is a female version of a hustler. - Of a, is that right? - That's right. - Yeah. - You know. - Oh yeah. That's my girl. - Have you ever Googled yourself? - Of course. - Of course. - And what did you find? - I found pictures of you two. (Lea and Aaron laugh) - Also, you're welcome. - Yeah, great. - How'd that make you feel? - Confused probably. - Yeah. - Don't give him his feelings. - Sorry, sorry, sorry. - No, we talked about this before. I told him he could speak for me. - Really? - Yeah. - Yeah. - I just did it again. (Lea laughs) - No. How did it make you feel? - Googling yourself is, you know, it's some sort of curated search, right? Social media comments have been, like, wild. Only works in extremes. Either somebody's like willing to like die for you or they want to kill you. - Was there a moment on this project where you thought, I might actually lose it? - Yeah, I think so. I think there's a point in every process that you get to where the show becomes so in your body that all of a sudden you're on stage and you start questioning like, okay, where's real life? But you know, having kids and family at home really helps with that. - Yeah. - Yeah. - Which musical fandom scares you? - I will say white people fandom is different than Black people fandom. - Wanna say more? - We'll just let that hang in the air. - Respect. Period. So respect shows my age that I'm 40 and then I backtrack really quickly and remember that I have to say period instead. - That's right. - So instead now, I'm just saying respect, period. And I'm gonna coin it as a new phrase. - That's why I said say less, to make it sound like I'm not 42. - Exactly. Yeah. - Snog, marry, block. - Yeah. - "Sweeney Todd," "Hamilton," "Chess." - Snog Sweeney and it'd be fun to do for one night. Probably, I think, all right. So, marry "Chess," because it's long term. And then probably block "Hamilton" because been there, done that. We've had the relationship, it's been off and on for ten years. Ten plus years. And I think it's time for us both to live healthy lives apart. - Wow. That was deep. - Yeah. - That's a great answer. - I feel good. And it's a little warm in this room, and I'm wearing 16 layers of- - Yeah. - Beautiful clothing. I feel very comfortable with them actually. - Good. You got an A plus. - You look good. - [Nick] Yeah. - Thank you so much for watching us here today on "Group Therapy." - [Aaron] Come check us out in "Chess" on Broadway. (Nick snores) (playful music)

Buckle up, because Lea Michele, Aarton Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher are clocking in for an unhinged session of Cosmopolitan’s Group Therapy. The cast of Broadway's 'Chess' take turns on the Cosmo couch to spill on the chaos that comes with musical theater royalty status. From Lea Michele revealing why she hates karaoke and how she handles Jonathan Groff’s on-stage antics to Aaron Tveit reflecting on his Les Misérables days and Nicholas Christopher choosing between Hamilton, Sweeney Todd, and Chess, the drama hits a high note. From 'Glee' lore to diva accusations, this is therapy… but make it Broadway.

Get tickets for 'Chess' on Broadway here: https://chessbroadway.com/

#LeaMichele #AaronTveit #Chess #Glee #LesMiserables #Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan US

Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher Go to 'Chess' Group Therapy | Cosmopolitan

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The 2026 Oscars featured a wide range of looks, from feathered festooned gowns to dramatic slits to straight-up Disney princess dresses. But there was definitely a trend last night: multiple celebs stepped out in looks straight out of a wedding, wearing bridal white gowns worthy of a walk down the aisle. Or at least worthy of a Pinterest board about a walk down the aisle. Check out all the stars wearing wedding dresses at the 2026 Academy Awards!

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