Cory Monteith memorial service draws ‘Glee’ cast members together
Cory Monteith was remembered Thursday by the “Glee” cast and crew at a memorial organized by show creator and exec producer Ryan Murphy.
The memorial was reportedly held on the Paramount lot, where the show films its auditorium scenes.
In a brief statement obtained by Show Tracker, Fox TV wrote: “Today, Ryan Murphy and [girlfriend] Lea Michele gathered the cast, crew and producers of ‘Glee,’ along with colleagues from the network and studio, to share memories and music in an emotional celebration of the life of Cory Monteith.
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“We thank the public for their continue outpouring of love and support as we grieve our friend and colleague during this difficult time.”
Monteith, who played Finn Hudson on the musically oriented show, was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room on July 13. Cause of death was later determined to be a mix of heroin and alcohol. The actor, who was 31, had struggled with substance abuse since his tween years and recently completed his second stint in rehab.
About 150 folks attended the memorial, People reported, among them a guitar-toting Chord Overstreet.
“They were somber,” an eyewitness told the mag about the black-ribbon-wearing mourners who were seen leaving the memorial, noting that a large number of crew members and production staff were in attendance along with the cast. Most all who showed were clad in black, the witness said.
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“Glee” ensemble members Jenna Ushkowitz, Dianna Agron, Kevin McHale and Harry Shum Jr. were seen leaving together, according to Hollyscoop.
A couple of cast members spoke out later Thursday.
“I’ll never forget all the laughs we shared or the faces we made after awkward interview questions. Love and miss you, buddy,” Chris Colfer posted on Instagram in the afternoon, with a screen grab of him and Monteith in a TV interview.
“It was beautiful and I’m still really sad but it was beautiful,” Jane Lynch told a TMZ cameraman after the memorial, adding that it was “nice to all be together again.”
The show will resume production in early August.
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