Lea Michele claims being offered role in 'Scream Queens' was one of the "best moments" of her life

She said: "I didn't know I was playing Hester until the last season of 'Glee', and Ryan called me and it was one of the best moments of my life, because here I was thinking that 'Glee' was ending and not quite sure what was next.

"And to get that call saying, 'I'm writing another part for you. You're in a neck brace, and you're going to work along with Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Roberts,' I pinched myself.

"I have so many things that I want to do, and getting to play a darker role like this was obviously on my list."

And Lea will always be grateful to Ryan for believing she could tackle the role as Hester is such a different character to her 'Glee' alter ego, Rachel Berry.

She told Vulture.com: "There's definitely a part of me that feels like this is something that I can do and do well, but the fact that Ryan saw this in me -- I wear no make-up. I don't even put a brush through my hair before playing this character.

"But I'm grateful for that because it's helped me to grow so much.

"I would be happy to work with him for the rest of my life. To get another call saying, 'This is what we're doing'.

"But I would love to play Hester for as long as possible, because she's just brilliant."

Lea loves her 'Scream Queens' "family" and says Jamie Lee Curtis bonds them all together.

She said: "It's been really wonderful, and she's a dream to work with. Not only that, but Jamie Lee is the best leader we could ask for. There's not a day we don't come to work where Jamie hasn't brought us a gift or a note.

"We're all in a group text, the entire cast, every morning. It's a great family, and I really do believe that that translates onto the screen when you have that type of unity, and you see it in the work we all do together."