Whether you’ve been a fan of actress Vanessa Lengies from her days starting out on AMERICAN DREAMS or discovered her more recently courtesy of her latest role that sees her stepping into the shoes of GLEE’s Sugar Motta, odds are fairly good that “Today’s TV Addict Top 5” that has us revealing a handful of things you don’t know about the actress will be news to you (Particularly Point #4!). See for yourself, after the jump.
Having found her way onto Hollywood’s radar playing a quintessential american teenager in the much-beloved-but-short-lived NBC series AMERICAN DREAMS, it may surprise many to learn that actress Vanessa Lengies is… wait for it… part of the not-so-secret cabal of Canadians doing a fairly good job of making their Hollywood dreams come true in Los Angeles. “Us Canadians stick together out here! Dustin Milligan [90210] was my roommate for years and years and years in Los Angeles and before that he was roommates with Cory Monteith,” explained Lengies on her all-too-familiar Canadian connections. “Cory invited me to the original screening for the pilot of GLEE where we joked about how much fun it would be to work together, so when I showed up on set he just howled with laughter.”
Seeing as though an offer to appear on one of television’s hottest shows probably isn’t something that comes along every day, it’s no surprise that Lengies jumped at the chance to appear on GLEE. What was surprising was her fearlessness when it came to tackling what has become quite a controversial character. “I was not at all apprehensive to play this character with self-diagnosed Asperger’s because I just though it was funny how she could get away with saying whatever she wanted,” explained Lengies on Sugar Motto and her small screen alter-ego’s penchant for speaking her mind. “I’ve actually talked to a friend of mine who work with kids with Asperger’s and he was saying that the parents of these kids were so happy that they were talking about Asperger’s, even if it wasn’t to deal with real Asperger’s because being on GLEE — such a prominently watched show — it was kind of raising awareness for something that everybody might not know about. Like everything on GLEE, it’s not how you feel about teenage homosexuality, it’s about the fact that it’s being talked about and therefore in people’s consciousness.”
Valentine’s Day just got a wee bit more interesting. Or at least that’s the distinct impressions Lengies left us with regards to GLEE’s upcoming holiday-themed episode that will see Sugar find herself as the object of not just one, but two McKinley High student’s affections. But just who is Lengies rooting for in terms of Rory or Artie? Explained Lengies, “I love the idea of Sugar and Artie because I love the how the fandom put people’s names together. I feel so young when I say these kind of things by the way, but I love Sugar and Artie because it’s ‘Shartie’!”
Despite our best effort to stir up a controversy by adding flames to the the inevitable “GLEEks” versus “SMASH-ers fire,” Lengies wasn’t having it. Not so much because she’s above all that (Joked the actress, “If there’s a rivalry to be had, I need to be a part of this!”) but rather because — unlike a certain TV blogger who shall remain nameless — she’s far too busy working to pay attention to NBC’s marketing blitz. Said Lengies, “You’re asking the wrong person, I don’t know what SMASH is! I don’t have cable anymore which is so embarrassing to say because I act.” Also of interest, Lengies’ behind-the-scenes insight that will surely be of interest to anyone rooting for SMASH to be the savior of NBC. “Because GLEE is a musical show, one of the music producers told me that they thought the audience would really flip out for the Broadway musical numbers, but what they found was that the reaction has been the exact opposite,” explained Lengies. “People flip for all the non-broadway songs. You’d think people who would love musicals would be the audience for GLEE and therefore love the show doing musicals but apparently it’s more about pop songs and oldies.”
And finally, because it wouldn’t be an interview with a television star without asking them about a previous project fans can’t seem to let go, you’ll be happy to learn that Lengies misses her time on the short-lived NBC series as much as you miss watching it. “I love that show too and the answer is yes [when asked if she still keeps in touch with her AMERICAN DREAMS co-stars],” said Lengies. “I’m really close with Will Estes who is now in BLUE BLOOD in New York, Brittany [Snow] and I don’t see each other all the time but everyone still keeps in touch. Tom Verica, Gale O’Grady, it was such a family show and I feel like they’re kind of my family. Even if we don’t talk everyday we can still get on the phone and there’s this love.” 
GLEE airs Tuesdays at 8PM FOX (Global TV in Canada) and stars Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Jenna Ushkowitz, Naya Rivera, Heather Morris, Harry Shum Jr. and Darren Criss. Catch up with past episodes you may have missed for free online at clicktowatch.tv