Biografie

Received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

Struggled with alcoholism years before stardom, which she details in her forthcoming memoir "Happy Accidents". She also describes how she used to secretly wear her brother's clothing and wanted to fill the athletic "son" role her father had wished for her brother.

She appeared with fellow Glee (2009) actress Lauren Potter in a public service announcement about ending the use of the word retard/retarded as an insult. Lauren has downs syndrome.

Performed all her own singing and guitar playing in A Mighty Wind (2003).

Attended and graduated from Thornridge High School in Dolton, Cook County, Illinois.

On her first Golden Globe nomination: I slept through (the nominations announcement). But, I got up to six messages and went, "Ah! I wonder if there is some good news for us?" And there was. My agent called me three times and said, "Why aren't you up?: So, yeah. I called my mom, and she said, "The golden what?".

[In an Interview with the UK Mirror on why she did not tell her parents she is a lesbian until she was 31 years old] I didn't want to be gay. I wanted to be... I wanted an easy life. And you know what? I am gay and I still have an easy life.

[on being a stepmother to her partner's daughter, Haden Ryan-Embry] I'm almost 50, and I thought that possibility was behind me, so this is a real delight. I never went through a biological clock experience. I never even heard it ticking.

[on her clothing] I don't wear particular designers. I wear whoever fits me well. I try to dress the bottom I have. The body I have and the bottom I have. I have the intention of looking fabulous every time, and I care about it a great deal. I'm very vain.

[on realizing, at 12, she was gay] I knew instinctively it was a disease and a curse. No one could ever, ever know.