Jonathan Groff 'Fell to the Floor' When BFF Lea Michele Surprised Him for His 40th Birthday (Exclusive)

Jonathan Groff celebrated his 40th birthday back on March 26 with some of his closet friends — and he has his longtime bestie Lea Michele to thank for it!

During an appearance on PEOPLE in 10 to discuss his new movie A Nice Indian Boy, the Tony Award-winning actor revealed that Michele marked his milestone birthday by throwing him a surprise birthday party.

The two, who met 20 years ago when they starred in the original production of Spring Awakening together, had planned to have breakfast at her apartment, Groff explains.

“Then I walked in and there was, like, seven of my friends in a surprise little breakfast birthday moment,” he recalls PEOPLE, adding, "Which was really sweet."

"I fell to the floor," he confesses. "I was totally shocked.” 

Michele, 38, shared photos of the bash on Instagram, including a shot snapped as the actor blew out candles on his birthday cake. Among those in attendance was Groff's Merrily We Roll Along costar Daniel Radcliffe. 

“My best friend turned 40 today," Michele captioned her celebratory Instagram post, which also included several photos from their decades-long friendship. "I love to you the moon and back JG.❤️."

Sadly, that was the only time Groff had time for play. The actor tells PEOPLE he spent the rest of his birthday working, in rehearsals for his latest Broadway show, Just In Time. 

It wasn't bad for Groff, though. "I went for a 12:30 p.m. to midnight rehearsal for this show,” he says. “That is my dream. Being in a theater for 12 hours really is the ultimate birthday present for me. So I was happy to be there.”

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Groff is playing legendary singer Bobby Darin in Just In Time. The musical — based on an original concept by Ted Chapin, and was directed and developed by Tony winner Alex Timbers — brings Darin's story to life through his catalog of hits, all in the setting of an intimate nightclub.

"We're playing a little bit with form and style and form to recreate the in-the-moment live magic that Bobby Darin had as a performer," Groff previously told The Broadway Show with Tamsen Fadal.

The show will begin with Groff as himself in 2025 before transporting audiences back to the 1950s and 1960s, when Darin rose to fame and became one of the music industry's biggest stars. 

Groff stars alongside 15 other performers, including Erika Henningsen, Gracie Lawrence, Joe Barbara, Michele Pawk, Lance Roberts, Caesar Samayoa, Emily Bergl and many more.

Just In Time officially opens on Wednesday, April 23. Tickets are now on sale.