Lea Michele Addressed The Claims That She Can't Read & Her TikTok Comeback Was Hilarious

Lea Michele has seen the same TikToks you've probably stumbled upon about her alleged reading skills, and she's trying to set the record straight.

One TikTok in particular has sparked the conspiracy theory that the Glee actress can't read, by splicing together all the times she appears to struggle with text at various award shows and live events.

"Lea Michele still can't read, so enjoy this compilation of her 'presenting' awards," said the caption on top of the video, which shows Michele relying on the help of others to read the winner's name off the paper instead of reading it herself.

[tiktok_embed https://www.tiktok.com/@pinkteabags/video/7143971550713171206?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1⟨=en&q=lea%20michele%20can%27t%20read&t=1663764658292 expand=1 site_id=21132993 embed_desktop_width=605 embed_desktop_height=150 embed_mobile_width=375 embed_mobile_height=150]

The video's caption points out that in each clip, "she'll say [the name] after the fact or not at all." That alone was enough to get commenters wondering if the theory might be true, and people have watched the video more than 4 million times while trying to figure it out.

"THE WAY RICKY MARTIN said to her, 'say it, say it,' AND SHE COULDN'T," reads the top comment under the video, which has almost 50,000 likes.

"She's doing the thing where ppl guess the colour after they see it," wrote another user.

"Not her gasping like she knew what it said," wrote another.

"This is my favourite conspiracy theory," wrote another user. "It just keeps getting better."

Although this TikTok video has only just blown up in recent days, the theory about that Michele might be illiterate goes back to 2017. That's when the hosts of the podcast One More Thing suggested that the actress couldn't read because her busy life as a child actor left her with little to no time for school, reported The Independent.

The conspiracy theory has recirculated every so often in the years since, including most recently when Michele took on the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, the hit Broadway show.

And it seems Michele has seen — and read — enough about it, because she addressed it her second-ever TikTok video this week.

Her first video was stitched with another user who was celebrating her appearance in Funny Girl, but many of the commenters jumped in to joke about the reading conspiracy theory.

"How did she read his tik tok," wrote the top commenter.

Another user wrote, "hi lea!! translated: 👋🏻😊"

[tiktok_embed https://www.tiktok.com/@leamichele/video/7144403663308541230?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1⟨=en expand=1 site_id=21132993 embed_desktop_width=605 embed_desktop_height=150 embed_mobile_width=375 embed_mobile_height=150]

Michele leaned into her Funny Girl persona and responded to the comments by poking fun at the rumours in her second TikTok video.

In the video, which now has over 12 million views, Michele lip syncs to the popular audio of Kim Kardashian crying and saying, "hey… it's amazing but wait, can you talk for a sec," into a phone.

The caption over the top reads: "calling Jonathan to read me the comments on my first TikTok."

[tiktok_embed https://www.tiktok.com/@leamichele/video/7144759304476773678?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1⟨=en expand=1 site_id=21132993 embed_desktop_width=605 embed_desktop_height=150 embed_mobile_width=375 embed_mobile_height=150]

The Jonathan Michele is referring to here is her best friend, actor Jonathan Groff.

Many people appreciated her joke, with one user commenting, "this is funny girl," under the video.

"He probably typed this out too," wrote another. "So cute!!!"

Even the famous Duo Lingo account commented "elite" under her video.

It's not the first time Michele has shot down the illiteracy claims. She also addressed them in an interview with The New York Times after she landed the Funny Girl role.

"I went to Glee every single day; I knew my lines every single day," she said in that interview. "Then there's a rumor online that I can't read or write? It's sad. It really is. I think often, if I were a man, a lot of this wouldn't be the case."