Glee, which ran from May 2009 to its conclusion in 2015, propelled its cast of unknown stars to overnight fame.
Based on the William McKinley High School glee club, the New Directions, the choir included members who were dealing with social issues regarding sexuality, race, relationships, and teamwork.
While some of the cast have added awards to their mantlepieces, starred in Broadway productions, and blockbuster films, other cast members have faded into anonymity or faced tragedy.
Here’s what the cast of Glee have been up to since.
Cory Monteith – Finn Hudson
Cory Monteith died of a suspected drug overdose in 2013 (Image: © 2012-2013 Fox and its related entities. All rights reserved.)
Cory Monteith had a number of minor roles prior to portraying Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.
Having previously battled with drug abuse during his teenage years, he admitted himself into a treatment facility for substance addiction in 2013.
He was written out of the final two episodes of Glee’s fourth season after being assured that he would still have his job upon his return by show creator Ryan Murphy.
In April of that year, he had completed his treatment, but by July he was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room. Later reports stated that alcohol and heroin were found in his system.
Lea Michele – Rachel Berry
Lea Michele has released three albums and two books since her stint on Glee (Image: FOX via Getty Images)
Lea Michele had already carved out a successful career on Broadway before joining the Glee cast as Rachel Berry – the show’s female lead and star singer.
The songstress struck up a relationship with Cory after the pair met on set, and was with him up until his death in 2013.
She has since released three albums, published two books, and starred in the Fox horror-comedy series Scream Queens, among other TV shows.
On April 28, 2018, Michele announced her engagement to Zandy Reich, and the pair married a year later in Napa, California.
Kevin McHale – Artie Abrams
Kevin McHale recently took part in X Factor: Celebrity (Image: Fox TV)
Before his Glee appearance, Kevin McHale was part of boyband NLT, which stands for “Not Like Them” in 2006, but three years later the band split.
He joined the Glee cast as Artie Abrams, who used a wheelchair after a car accident.
From 2014 to 2016, he hosted the British panel show Virtually Famous on E4, which also featured comedian Seann Walsh and radio presenter Chris Stark as team captains.
Having starred in a variety of music videos, and TV shows including Nailed It, When We Rise, and We Bare Bears, he competed in last year’s X Factor: Celebrity
He released his debut solo EP called Boy in May 2019.
Naya Rivera –Santana Lopez
Naya Rivera was involved in an alleged altercation with husband Ryan Dorsey (Image: Fox)
Naya Rivera received her breakthrough role as an adult as Santana Lopez on Glee.
In 2014, she began dating actor Ryan Dorsey and the pair married and welcomed a son a year later.
In November 2016, the actress filed for divorce but later called off the separation in October 2017.
In late November 2017, Rivera was arrested and charged in Kanawha County, West Virginia with misdemeanour domestic battery against Dorsey after she allegedly hit him in the head and face during an altercation over their child. The charges were later dropped.
The former couple later agreed to temporary shared custody.
Career-wise, she starred as Collette Jones on YouTube premium’s Step Up: High Water, a spin-off of the Step Up franchise, and appeared as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2017.
Mark Salling – Noah “Puck” Puckerman
Mark Salling took his own life months before his prison sentence (Image: Fox Broadcasting Company)
Mark Salling starred in Children of the Corn IV and The Graveyard, before portraying American football star Noah “Puck” Puckerman in Glee.
Alongside appearing in the hit TV programme, he released two albums, Smoke Signals in 2008 and Pipe Dreams in 2010.
On December 29, 2015, he was arrested at his Los Angeles home on suspicion of possessing several thousand photos and videos depicting child pornography.
Two years later, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, and was expected to serve four to seven years behind bars.
As part of his plea deal, he was required to enter a sex offender treatment programme.
On January 30, TMZ reported that he had taken his own life, just weeks before the actor was due to be jailed over child pornography charges.
Chris Colfer – Kurt Hummel
Chris Colfer has released several well-received children’s books (Image: Tyler Golden)
Chris Colfer received international recognition when he played Kurt Hummel on Glee.
In 2011, he signed a book deal to write two children’s novels, and thanks to the overwhelming success, he penned another two novels and a picture book.
Other film roles included a small appearance in 2016’s Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. He had been offered the role by Jennifer Saunders after he invited her to the Glee: Live tour in 2011.
Most recently, he appeared on 2018’s RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars as a guest judge.
Jane Lynch – Sue Sylvester
Jane Lynch released a Christmas album in 2016 (Image: 1)
Jane Lynch had appeared in a string of TV shows (Veronica Mars, Friends, The X Files) before hitting the big time playing cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester in Glee.
In 2013, she hosted the NBC game show Hollywood Game Night, and in the same year was announced as executive producer of comedy web series Dropping the Soap.
She has appeared in many well-known filming including 40-year-old Virgin and Role Models, and has provided voices in Ice Age, Wreck-It Ralph and Rio.
Turning her attention to music, she released a holiday album in 2016 called Swingin’ Little Christmas.
Matthew Morrison – Will Schuester
Matthew Morrison is currently starring as a guest judge on The Greatest Dancer (Image: FOX via Getty Images)
Matthew Morrison was well known on the Broadway circuit, appearing in the musical version of Footloose, followed by a revival of The Rocky Horror Show.
Moving into TV, he played Will Schuester on Glee, the high school Spanish (later history) teacher who takes on the task of restoring the school’s glee club to its former glory.
A year after the show premiered, he signed a solo record deal with Mercury Records, and his first studio album was released on May 10, 2011.
He has starred in Younger, The Good Wife and Grey’s Anatomy, and appeared on season nine of American Horror Story.
In 2015, he returned to Broadway as J.M. Barrie in the new musical, Finding Neverland.
Last year, the singer appeared as a judge on the BBC show called The Greatest Dancer.
Dianna Agron – Quinn Fabray
Last year, Dianne Agron starred in romantic film Berlin, I Love You (Image: Channel 4)
In 2009, Agron was cast as Quinn Fabray on the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee.
She later appeared in films including The Hunters, I Am Number Four, The Family, Zipper and Bare.
The actress has supported PETA and LGBT rights, along with providing live entertainment to United States troops and their families as part of the United Service Organisations tour at Bagram air field, Afghanistan in 2014.
Last year, she starred in romantic drama film Berlin, I Love You.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
