Entertainment Theater Lea Michele Says She Was Told to Get a Nose Job Because She 'Wasn't Pretty Enough' In a new interview, the Funny Girl star, 36, revealed how as a young actress she was pushed to try and emulate the Hollywood "ideal" By Anna Lazarus Caplan Anna Lazarus Caplan Anna Lazarus Caplan is a writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work previously appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, Eater and other publications. People Editorial Guidelines Published on December 9, 2022 08:29AM EST Photo: Udo Salters/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images Lea Michele is speaking out about how she was treated as a young actress. "People would tell me to get nose jobs, that I wasn't pretty enough for film and television," the Funny Girl star, 36, told Town & Country magazine about how she was pushed to achieve Hollywood's "ideal." The Glee alum managed to persevere in the industry without resorting to surgery while drawing comparisons to her idol, Barbra Streisand, who originated the lead role of Fanny Brice in 1964 — and who recently wrote a "complimentary" note to the Broadway star. "It was a beautiful, hand-written note that I will cherish," Michele said. "She was incredibly complimentary. It exists. It happened, and now I feel like so many dreams can come true." "She was an icon for me in my life," she added. Lea Michele Says She Doesn't Mind Not Being Tonys Eligible for Funny Girl : 'I Really Don't Care' Kevin Mazur/Getty; Taylor Hill/Getty Despite her affection for the show and her own Broadway success, Michele still feels as though she's in the entertainment legend's shadow. "I will never be as good as Barbra Streisand," Michele told The New York Times in September. But Michele does have a long history with Funny Girl. Not only has she been outspoken about her love for Streisand, 80, but her Glee character Rachel Berry played the role of Fanny Brice in a fictional revival of the show, singing many of the musical's iconic songs on the Fox series including "Don't Rain on My Parade," "People," "My Man" and "I'm the Greatest Star." Recently, the Spring Awakenings alum also reprised another look. Lea Michele Declares 'Bangs Are Back' with New Hairstyle, Jokes Her Husband Told Her Not to Cut Them Lea Michele. Jared Siskin/Getty Lea Michele Recalls the Emotional Moment She Learned She'd Be Starring in Broadway's Funny Girl In October, the Emmy nominee revealed new curtain bangs, which she couldn't help but compare to the wispy fringe she donned during her days on the hit Fox show. "BERRY BANGS ARE BACK WHATTT," commented one user while another marked the moment as the birth of "Rachel Berry 3.0." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. The Brunette Ambition author rocked her chic updo at the God's Love We Deliver 2022 Golden Heart Awards in New York, where she dazzled in a Michael Kors gold cutout dress on the red carpet and performed on stage with a rendition of "People" from the 1968 musical film.