'Carpool Karaoke: The Series' returns to Apple TV+ with all-new episodes from season 5 on Friday, June 23.
Eight years after Glee ended, former co-stars Lea Michele and Darren Criss have reunited for another musical show, Carpool Karaoke: The Series, which returns to Apple TV+ with all-new performances on Friday, June 23. Ahead of season 5's return, ET has an exclusive sneak peek at Michele and Criss' episode, in which they perform a Funny Girl duet.
In the clip, the two sing "Don't Rain on My Parade," the popular song from the 1964 musical first performed by Barbra Streisand and later famously performed by Michele's Glee character, Rachel Berry, during season 1's sectionals competition. The version Michele and Criss are singing along to is not Streisand's, however. It's actually a new one Michele recorded when she took over as Fanny Brice in the current Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
Michele's reunion with Criss -- and performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade" -- comes almost two weeks after she earned a standing ovation with her rendition of the musical number during the 2023 Tony Awards. During the 76th annual ceremony honoring the best of Broadway, she also had a brief reunion with another Glee alumni, Alex Newell, who made history by becoming the first nonbinary performer to win an individual acting prize for their turn in this hit production, Shucked.
Their encounter even made it to Instagram, where Michele first posted their selfie together and congratulated her former co-star on their historic win, before Newell reshared what they called, "a moment." On their Instagram Story, they added, "I'm so happy we could share this season together! And thank you for celebrating me! Look how far we've come!"
On Glee, which ran for six seasons from 2009 to 2015, Michele played the ambitious teenager who led her high school's show choir, which at various times, also included Blaine Anderson (Criss), who was first introduced in season 2, and Unique Adams (Newell), who first appeared in season 3.
Since the Fox series ended, all three have made their way to Broadway, with Criss performing in Hedwig and the Angry Inch and American Buffalo while Newell most notably starred in Once on This Island prior to Shucked. Funny Girl, meanwhile, marked Michele's return to the stage after previously breaking out in the 2006 production of Spring Awakening.
As for Carpool Karaoke: The Series, Michele and Criss are just one of many star-studded groupings that appear in season 5. Former Community stars, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi and Joel McHale, reunite to sing along to Childish Gambino, while the casts of The Afterparty, Ghosts and Girls5Eva all have fun testing out their musical chops. Other pairings include Alanis Morissette and Cara Delevingne, Cedric The Entertainer and Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Avril Lavigne and YUNGBLUD.
Carpool Karaoke: The Series returns with new episodes Friday, June 23 on Apple TV+.
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