Book description
The hilarious and inspiring story of how Jane Lynch changed from a
real-life Sue Sylvester to the happy and fulfilled actress she is today.
In 1974, a fourteen-year-old girl in Dolton, Illinois, had a dream. A
dream to become an actress, like her idols Ron Howard and Vicki
Lawrence. But it was a long way from the South Side of Chicago to
Hollywood, and it didn't help that she'd recently dropped out of the
school play, The Ugly Duckling.
But the funny thing is, it all came true. Through a series of happy
accidents, Jane Lynch created an improbable - and hilarious - path to
success. In those early years, despite her dreams, she was also consumed
with anxiety, feeling out of place in both her body and her family. To
deal with her worries about her sexuality, she escaped in positive ways
- such as joining a high school chorus not unlike the one in Glee - but
also found destructive outlets. She started drinking almost every night
her freshman year of high school and developed a mean and judgmental
streak that turned her into someone similar to her on-screen nemesis,
Sue Sylvester.
Then, at thirty-one, she started to get her life together. She was
finally able to embrace her sexuality, come out to her parents, and quit
drinking for good. Soon after, a Frosted Flakes commercial and a chance
meeting in a coffee shop led to a role in the Christopher Guest movie
Best in Show, which helped her get cast in The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
Similar coincidences led to roles in movies starring Will Ferrell, Paul
Rudd, and even Meryl Streep in 2009's Julie & Julia. Then, of
course, came the two lucky accidents that truly changed her life.
Getting lost in a hotel led to an introduction to her future wife, Lara.
Then, a series she'd signed up for was abruptly cancelled, making it
possible for her to take the role of Sue Sylvester in Glee, which made
her a megastar.
Today, Jane Lynch has finally found the contentment she thought she'd
never have. Part comic memoir and a story of real-life luck, this is a
book equally for the rabid Glee fan and for anyone who needs a new
perspective on life, love, and success. Jane Lynch is a Golden Globe
and Emmy award-winning actress. She has starred alongside Meryl Streep,
Will Ferrell and Steve Carrell and is best known for her portrayal of
the catty Sue Sylvester in the ultimate television success story of
recent years, Glee.
