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Life of Actor Cory Monteith Remembered in Emotional Glee Episode

Mayeesa Mitchell

Photo: Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images
Cory Monteith at the
12th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball
in June 2012.

Rachel Berry stands in front of the choir room at William Mckinley High School in a plain beige blouse and a light grey knee length skirt clenching a necklace that says "Finn" while choking back tears, preparing to express her love for Finn Hudson the best way she knew how.

With her face twisted in pain and tears running down her cheeks Berry sings, "I could make you happy, make your dreams come true. Nothing that I wouldn't do. Go to the ends of the Earth for you."

"To make you feel my love, to make you feel my love."

The emotion-filled performance of  "To Make You Feel My Love," on this week's episode of Glee mirrored the grief that overtook Lea Michele, who plays Rachel Berry, when she discovered that her real-life boyfriend and fellow Glee cast member was found dead in a hotel room.

"I bawled my eyes out [during that episode]," Cara Donley, a sophomore at High Point University exclaimed. "He was an important character to the show. It was hard to see Rachel crying and being hurt."

Cory Monteith, who was best known as Finn Hudson on Glee, was found dead in a hotel room in Vancouver, British Columbia on July 13, 2013. Monteith, 31, accidently overdosed on a combined heroin and alcohol toxicity, according to British Columbia coroners.

Three months after his death, Glee celebrates Monteith's life through his character on the show in an episode entitled "The Quarterback." The show gave cast members and fans alike a place to grieve without the interruption of the media or the judgments of others.

In the April 2014 cover story for "Seventeen Magazine," Michele directly addressed those judgments.

"He was not his addiction — unfortunately, it killed him," Michele said. "But that wasn't who he was. From the minutes he said, 'I'm your boyfriend,' I loved everyday and I thank him for being the best boyfriend and making me feel so beautiful."

Photo: cory-monteith.com
Cory at age four on his father's military base.

Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on May 11, 1982 to Ann McGregor, an interior designer and Joe Monteith, a military veteran. He later moved from Calgary to Victoria after his parents' divorce when he was 2-years-old. He dropped out of high school at age 16 after having attended 16 different schools.

From age 16 to his early 20s, Monteith worked various jobs as a Walmart greeter, cab driver, mechanic and roof constructor. It wasn't until 2004 that he got his first job as an actor in an episode of "Stargate Atlantis." From there, he received minor roles in "Smallville," "Supernatural," "Flash Gordon," and Stargate SG-1." These appearances lead to minor roles in "Final Destination 3," "Whisper" and "Deck the Halls."

Monteith landed his first leading role in 2009 when he was cast as Finn Hudson by Ryan Murphy, Glee's creator.

He played a character that told people it is ok to do other stuff [like being in glee club] and to not be afraid to be judged," Donley said.

Photo: Fox
Finn Hudson comes back to the
glee club in Season 4 to assist Mr. Shue.

Finn is the quarterback and the shining star of William McKinley High School's football team. Although he initially has no intention of joining the glee club because of what it could do to his reputation, he takes the risk anyway. He later becomes the unofficial leader of McKinley's glee club, the New Directions, taking them straight to Nationals and ultimately to the win.

According to Monteith, Finn grew throughout the show.

"Finn started off as the stereotypical jock but as the show has gone on, Finn's not dumb anymore, really, he's just a little naive," Monteith said in an interview with "Parade" magazine.

For fans of the show like Tripp Kerr, an 18-year-old Freshman at HPU, that is exactly what makes Finn relatable.

"He was written into the show as the typical jock but got along with everyone as the show progressed," Kerr said. "I like that he broke the stereotype."

Monteith always managed to bring an honesty to Finn's character, one that certainly mirrored his own personality.

"Despite his troubles, he always felt deeply rooted — dependable, sweet, someone you return to for comfort. He was big, oafy, oversize — which is why during the pilot I gave him the nickname Frankenteen, a nickname that, much to his horror, stuck, creator of Glee Ryan Murphy said during the eulogy at Monteith's funeral. "But he was also the biggest surprise for me personally, and in many ways, reaped the most respect."

Monteith's unique performance as Finn Hudson on weekly episodes of Glee not only catapulted him to international stardom but also lead him to love.

Photo: Getty Images
Lea Michele and Cory Monteith
on the red carpet
at the 2013 SAG Awards Ceremony

Michele and Monteith were co-stars and on-air lovers during their first season on the show but their attraction later developed offstage as well. Beginning as early as 2011, fans heard rumors about the co-stars possible off-screen relationship but it was not confirmed by the couple until Dec. 2012.

From the time they announced their relationship, Michele and Monteith were inseparable. They were seen attending red carpet events, vacationing and doing simple things like getting coffee together. Many fans believed that the relationship was heading towards engagement in the near future.

According to Michele, they talked about the future and were ready to spend the rest of their lives together.

"We talked about children and what we would look like when we grew old and who would be fat and how we would stay thin," Michele said in an interview with "Glamour Magazine UK" after Monteith's death. "We talked about where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do. We were done. We were it."

On "The Quarterback" episode, Michele, through her character Rachel, remembers how Monteith affected her life and speaks candidly about what the future is going to be like with him gone.

"I talk to him a lot, I can still see his face and can hear his voice so clearly. Do you think that I will ever forget it? Because I'm afraid that I will," she said.

"I felt like I didn't know if I would be able to sing again but now I know that I can."





Sidebar:

Finn Hudson's 'Glee' Timeline Through Song

-"Don't Stop Believing" — (Season 1, Episode 1) This is the first song that Finn sings in the choir room and it chronicles his journey from a stereotypical jock to a member of the New Directions.

-"Can't Fight This Feeling" — (Season 1, Episode 1) This song sends the first 'Finchel' sparks flying and proves that Finn and Rachel were made for each other from the beginning.

-"Just The Way You Are" — (Season 2, Episode 8) This song is meant to be an apology to Kurt for Finn not defending him when he was being bullied about being gay but it's also the moment when Finn accepts Kurt as his new stepbrother.

-"We Are The Champions"— (Season 3, Episode 21) This is Finn's way of rallying the team he has just lead to the national championship into thanking Mr. Schue for all of his hard work.

-"Don't Speak" — (Season 4, Episode 3) This song chronicles the end of 'Finchel' as we know it.

-"(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" — (Season 4, Episode 19) This song is sung after Finn enrolls in college after finally realizing that he wants to be a teacher. It is also the last song where Finn has a lead solo.