Did Lea Michele Get A 'Glee' Star Fired?

[Brian Damage]

Charice Pempengco was fired from Glee because Lea Michele didn't want the competition, sources say.

Lea Michele

How big of a diva is Glee star Lea Michele? If these rumors are true, a huge one.

Singing sensation Charice Pempengo was touted as the next big thing but her role was drastically cut back from what show creator Ryan Murphy originally planned.

While Murphy told press Pempengo, who played foreign exchange student Sunshine Corazon and performed a killer rendition of Telephone with Michele, was due for another five-episode run at the end of season two, that was reduced to two in a greatly reduced storyline.

According to inside sources, Michele didn't want to share the spotlight with another fresh young face.

"Charice was signed for a minimum of five episodes and did a press junket with [fellow new star] Chord Overstreet," a source told Page Six. "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."

So is the rumor true? Not according to Glee staff. A spokesperson said, "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."

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