Lea Michele lobbying for `Funny Girl` role

New York: Singer-actress Lea Michele, the break-out star of the hit TV musical `Glee` is eager to step into the shoes of Barbara Streisand in an upcoming Broadway remake of the Oscar winning film `Funny Girl`. The actress who plays the pushy and ambitious Rachel Berry on the show is aggressively lobbying with casting directors for the role, reported New York Post online.

"She`s pushing them hard. She`s telling anyone who will listen how badly she wants the role of Fanny Brice," said a source. The role was made famous by Streisand and Michele had pressed to meet the Oscar winning actress when she performed for the legend at the MusiCares tribute in Los Angeles. The 24-year-old also sang `Don`t Rain on My Parade` at the 2010 Tony Awards, considered by many to be an early, "over-the-top" audition for the role. But Streisand approached the young actress after the Grammys with kind words. "As if this night at the Grammys wasn`t amazing enough...at the valet Barbra Streisand came up to me. I can barely breathe," Michele had tweeted after the meeting. PTI