Character Portrayed By: Lea Michele

Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. She is the glee club star of the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio. Rachel is a strong, driven girl who is somewhat neurotic. She has Broadway ambitions and is over-eager, which has caused her to suffer peer alienation. However, she is also kind-hearted and willing to help others. Rachel develops romantic feelings for Jesse St. James, a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, but primarily for quarterback and glee club co-captain Finn Hudson. Michele based Rachel on herself when she was younger, and also drew inspiration for the character from films including Election, and television portrayals such as the Gossip Girl character Blair Waldorf. Rachel's signature greeting for an exciting role play is: "I'm Rachel Berry, the star of Glee club and the best singer in the world!"