“Charice was signed for a minimum of five episodes and did a press junket with [fellow new star] Chord Overstreet. She had a big debut, but things changed and they didn’t put her back in. The word is, Lea is the big star, and producers want to keep her happy,” an insider told Page Six.
Originally, Charice, 19, was brought into the series with a ton of press and attention. In fact, the first time I met her was at the Glee premiere last September, when she still was expected to be a big part of the season. Despite being a huge hit, Charice’s character, Sunshine, was quickly put on the back burner and only returned to the show for cameo appearances during two episodes at the end of the season. Not only that, but according to the source, she “was made to look much less adorable.”
Fox responded to this claim and tried to squash the rumor, releasing this statement:
“This is categorically untrue. We love Charice, and she was a wonderful addition to Glee last season. While it is true that she appeared in fewer episodes last year than we originally anticipated, this was due to her busy schedule and the natural creative process in which some story arcs … did not materialize as planned. Lea is a consummate pro who couldn’t be more welcoming of other powerhouse singers on the show, from Kristin Chenoweth to Idina Menzel, who is set to reprise her role as Rachel’s birth mom this fall.”
That said, the show’s star, Lea, hasn’t had the best reputation for being super friendly. In fact, several of us at HollywoodLife.com have witnessed her diva-esque behavior multiple times first-hand, so I wouldn’t be shocked if this claim was at least partly true. Plus, Charice has stayed vague when discussing what happened with the show…so maybe she doesn’t even know what happened!
Thankfully, everything has worked out for the best with Charice’s career since her stint on the hit Fox show. The talented performer has shot a movie, released singles, collaborated with Nick Jonas and even nearly finished her next album — all while gaining major exposure worldwide. Although we’ll miss Sunshine on Glee, Charice’s is career is bigger than just one TV show — she’s a superstar.
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