Lea Michele on Diva Rumors: ‘You Can Think What You Want About Me’

Lea Michele on the cover of the January issue. (Andreas Sjödin/Marie Claire)Lea Michele may be best associated with Rachel Berry, her overachieving high schooler (and now college freshman) character on the musical hit TV show "Glee," but the actress looks much more like the 26-year-old woman she actually is in a sexy new photo spread featured in the January issue of Marie Claire. The sultry pics include a shot of Michele in a bodysuit with a blazer draped over her shoulders and another in a midriff baring top paired with itsy-bitsy shorts .

Read More From The Lea Michele Interview in Marie Claire
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In the accompanying interview, the actress also sets the record straight on rumors that some (including, reportedly, "Glee" guest star Kate Hudson) have said she can be tough to work with.
See More Photos From the Lea Michele Photo Shoot in Marie Claire
"I can assure you that [the diva rumors] aren't real. It's super-frustrating sometimes, and I used to fight back, but now I feel like, You can think what you want about me — that's OK," Michele explains. "I have the most amazing fans, friends, and family members who have stood by me, and I know that my cast and crew really enjoy working with me. That's all that matters."
Lea Michele's Fashion Evolution
Andreas SjödinMarie Claire
As for the rumored issue with Hudson, Michele says it's simply not true and that Hudson actually reached out to her after hearing about the tabloid reports, saying "I just heard about that, and it f**king sucks. I want you to know I think you're amazing." After that, she says, the 33-year-old actress went "straight to the top of my list because it was so classy of her to take a minute to [address the rumor], even though we both knew it was the biggest piece of crap in the whole world. I told her, 'I love you, and I adore you. Thank you so much for creating a human moment with me.'"
Naturally, the tabloids also love reporting on something that actually is true: Michele's romantic relationship with co-star Cory Monteith, 30.
"I don't even remember a time when he wasn't my boyfriend. No one knows me better than Cory," she shares. "He makes me feel like I can do anything. For the first time in my life, I feel really, really settled and happy. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world."