Entertainment
Cory Monteith: Remember the 'Glee' Actor With These Co-Star Anecdotes
Glee fans nationwide are coping with the death of Cory Monteith, the 31-year-old actor also known as Finn Hudson who died Saturday in a hotel room in Vancouver. But the tragic passing of the actor — who had entered rehab in March for substance abuse — is no way to remember the young talent. Instead, let's remember the drummer-turned-actor for these stories from his famous friends and co-stars.
Remembering Cory Monteith
Glee fans nationwide are coping with the death of Cory Monteith, the 31-year-old actor also known as Finn Hudson who died Saturday in a hotel room in Vancouver. But the tragic passing of the actor — who had entered rehab in March for substance abuse — is no way to remember the young talent. Instead, let's remember the drummer-turned-actor for these stories from his famous friends and co-stars.
His Audition
From Monteith himself, about his audition for Glee: "Well, I followed my manager’s advice and her idea was when we put this on tape for fox in Vancouver. She said you have to show a side of yourself that is different. That they may not have seen. Show your musicality. You play the drums so let's have you play the drums ... I didn't have any drums so I played the drums on Tupperware. That is how i showed them I am not Broadway triple thread but I can play the drums on Tupperware.” Image: Fox
His Originality
Ryan Murphy, on his Tupperware audition: "That's what got him the part actually. It was an original submission, and it was different, and that was always I think the idea of the casting. Because when we went out, there was a lot of big stars that wanted to do it. And we all felt that we wanted to do something to discover people."
His Love Life
Murphy, on helping foster a relationship between Lea Michele and Monteith, who he was dating at the time of his death: "I directed them in their first scene together and they had that sort of chemistry that you can't fake, and I said, 'Uh-oh.' ... So I did kind of know. I take credit."
His Closeness with the Cast
Lea Michele, on her relationship with Monteith: "We're such good friends that we've passed that level of weirdness. Cory farts in front of me."
His Friendship with the Cast
Mark Salling, on how he spends his spare time with Monteith: "We got some disc-golf in, in just about every city."
His Sense of Humor
Matthew Morrison, on pranking Monteith: “I am a bit of a joker although I never really take full credit for the jokes. I remember once Cory got this rental car from Audi, a really nice sports car. I had the props department put this sticker on it that made it look like somebody had jammed against the side of it and made this big black line. It looked so real. Lea Michele was parked right next to him so we put a little bit on her bumper so it looked like she was the one that did it and the whole scene played out great. Cory got crazy and scared and then Lea just freaked out. It was so funny. It was a good one.”
His Poise
Darren Criss: "Cory Monteith is a gentleman and a scholar. When anybody asks me if he’s a cool guy I use those two words."
His Style
Michele: "Five minutes before we leave he'll throw on a suit and look like he spent hours getting ready. Guys are so lucky that they get to do that ... I don't really have any tips to give Cory because it's just so, so easy for him. He seems to have it figured out."
His Poker Face
Michele, on serving Monteith breakfast: "I cooked something for my boyfriend the other day, and I don't think he really liked it ... I made him a little breakfast, like my version of an Italian croque-madame or something, but I think the eggs were raw and not cooked! It wasn't very good, but he was a very good sport."
His Manliness
Monteith : “I reprogrammed a bunch of garage openers. I took out a whole fireplace and put in broken glass and installed a burner underneath, so it looks like fire on ice. I did that in my bedroom suite. I’m pretty handy.”
His Influence
Monteith, on reconciling his past as a substance abuser and present as a role model: “I don’t want kids to think it’s okay to drop out of school and get high, and they’ll be famous actors, too. … But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it. If I can, anyone can.”
His Success
And, finally, Monteith himself: "I don't know what I would tell my younger self. I'd be like, just don't stop believin'."
