Why did Jonathan Groff turn down the 'Glee' role? Actor reveals Ryan Murphy created the show for him

Popular actor Jonathan Groff recently opened up to Vanity Fair in an interview where he spoke about turning down his role in Glee. Talking about the same, he revealed in the interview published on June 4, 2024, that he wanted to continue with theater.

“I really felt like I didn’t want to sign on to be a singing teenager again for another seven years, which I had just done for two years in Spring Awakening. I was 23, and I really wanted to act. I love singing, but doing that felt like more of the same, as opposed to something that would be an opportunity for artistic growth. And that next year, I did three off-Broadway plays.”

He spoke about how Ryan Murphy, the executive producer for Glee, had told Lea Michele that he had written the show for Lea and Jonathan. However, he stated he had “no regrets” about not doing the show and sticking to the theater.

“When I came out the other end of that experience, I understood the truly life-changing power of doing great material. Spring Awakening changed me from the inside out as a person. I came out of that experience feeling like, ‘Ooh, I want to keep doing this. I want to keep stretching and growing and challenging myself as an actor.'”

However, Jonathan later appeared on Glee as a recurring guest star, as he played Jesse St. James in seasons one, two, three, and six of the show. Glee ran for 6 years, from 2009 to 2015, starring Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, and Lea Michele.

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Jonathan Groff was also offered a role in Hair: More details explored as the actor states he wanted to stick to theater and plays

Jonathan Groff, the popular actor who began his career in theater and plays stated in the Vanity Fair interview, that he not only declined Glee but also rejected the Broadway revival of Hair, as he wanted to stick to Public Theater and plays, which he continued for the next whole year.

Jonathan Groff received a nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Melchior Gabor in Spring Awakening, a role he played from 2006 to 2008. Thereafter, he returned to Broadway as King George III in Hamilton in 2015.

Groff is also famous for many of his films, as he started with Taking Woodstock in 2009, and later did many movies like Twelve Thirty and The Conspirator in 2010, C.O.G. in 2013, American Sniper in 2014, The Matrix Resurrections in 2021, Knock at the Cabin in 2023.

He has also lent his voice in many animated movies, like Frozen, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, Frozen II, and Once Upon a Studio.

Jonathan Groff has also done his share of work in TV as he started with One Life to Live in 2007, and later did many shows like Pretty/ Handsome, The Good Wife, Boss, The Normal Heart, Looking: The Movie, Mindhunter, Hamilton, Invincible and Life & Beth.

However, the actor has done the most amount of work in theater, as he started performing in plays in 2002 with Honk! Other than this, he was also in Bat Boy: The Musical, Fame, Hair, The Singing Forest, The Bacchae, and The Pirates of Penzance.