When the popular musical TV show Glee aired, who didn't root for the nerdy choir girl, Rachel Berry, when she wanted to date fellow Glee club star and football player, Finn Hudson? It was a Romeo and Juliet story with a twist and fans were hooked, without even knowing that the two were an item in real life.

Everyone desperately yearned for the warm and cozy ending that Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk had planned for the pair, but the tragic loss of Cory Monteith prevented the adorable ending fans wanted from happening...and stopped Lea Michele's real-life dreams about Monteith from coming true.

While fans were shocked and even thrilled to learn that Michele and Monteith were an actual item, as well as an item on the show, they didn't know a lot of inside details about the couple's relationship. Between interviews, social media posts and her own writing, as well as tidbits picked up from other cast members, we've since learned these 20 Little Known Facts About Lea Michele’s Relationship With The Late Cory Monteith.

20 Lea Pays Tribute To Him Every Year

One of the most tender things to emerge following Monteith's untimely end is the way he's remembered by those who love him. Every year, Michele posts on social media, remembering him with inspiring photos or notes she wrote to Monteith. She captions them with lovely thoughts like, "The light always remains."

19 No One Knew They Were Dating When The Show Began

Although fans were astounded to learn that Monteith and Michele were an item during filming, fellow Glee stars also had no idea that the pair were dating. Lea says that no one had really "caught on" to their relationship at the beginning of the show, but the couple's timeline suggests that they may not have been serious until 2011.

18 Cory Went To Rehab During The Relationship

Couples who weather fierce storms together often come out strong, and that's exactly what Lea Michele and Cory Monteith did when Cory entered a program in 2012. This dispelled the myth that many fans believed; that Michele didn't know about his problems. In this case, she would have had to have known.

17 Lea Has Tattoos To Remind Her Of Cory

Many couples get tattoos to celebrate their relationship and Lea Michele is a prime example. Not only does she have a tattoo that says "Finn," the name of Monteith's Glee character, as well as his jersey number, she even has the last texts they sent to one another tattooed on her side.

16 They Were Dating Other People When They Met

Many fans might not know that both Cory and Lea were dating other people when they first met. While Business Insider reported that the two had always been flirtatious while filming the show, they certainly weren't an item before the show began, and some hearts may have been broken when they got together.

15 Costar Naya Rivera Has Said That Lea Was Both Good And Bad For Cory

Out of all the Glee stars, Naya Rivera has been one of the most vocal about issues with both the show and her costars, and she hasn't minced words about Cory's relationship with Lea. She has issued statements that indicate Lea was good for Cory, as well as some that suggest that Lea wasn't good for him.

14 Ryan Murphy Said There Was Lots Of Drama Between The Cast Mates

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times," might as well have been the slogan for Ryan Murphy's time with the Glee cast. Michele and Monteith's relationship was surely part of the daily drama on the set, all of which made Murphy feel as if he was given a lesson in parenting in the process.

13 Cory Shared His Personal Struggles With Lea

Since Cory went to rehab during the relationship, we know that Glee's leading lady shared his personal struggles. That wasn't the case in Cory's previous relationships, however; at least one ex said she had no idea about his problems. His tragic death was a total shock to many.

12 They Denied They Had A Romance

The fact that the pair were dating was a shock to fans and costars alike, but some people certainly had their suspicions. It turns out that, like many celebrity couples hoping for some privacy, the two simply denied any relationship between them until they were ready to make it public.

11 Naya Rivera Says Their Relationship Was Out Of The Blue

While Cory and Lea surprised their castmates with their relationship, many people, including the fans, felt that there were suspicions of a romance from the start, which the pair denied. According to Naya Rivera (she played Santana Lopez), their bond was completely out of the blue...and a total surprise.

10 Lea Dated Matthew Morrison Before Dating Cory

One of the most shocking details about Lea and Cory's relationship is that, before dating Cory, Lea actually dated their costar and Glee club sponsor, Matthew Morrison! In her book, Brunette Ambition, she admitted to dating him for a "Broadway beat," even though they'd previously denied rumors about them dating.

9 They Weren't Living Together Before Cory Died

While Michele and Monteith were a serious item before Cory's untimely death, many noted that the two didn't live together like many serious couples do. That surprised many fans since they often seemed inseparable. Close friends of the couple said that Monteith was at Michele's home in L.A. much of the time.

8 They Were Moving In Together

While the pair weren't living together yet, Us Weekly reported that a friend revealed they had planned on moving in with one another when Monteith returned from Vancouver. According to the source, Monteith was definitely planning on moving in. Other sources say the two may have been planning to move to Vancouver together.

7 Memories Of Corey Are The Best Of Lea's Life

While Lea Michele may have moved on in the years since Cory Monteith has passed away, she will never forget him and has said that the memories of him are the best of her life. Michele is young and will hopefully create more happy memories throughout her life, but the sentiment remains a sweet one.

6 They Had Planned To Spend Their Lives Together

Fans of Monteith and Michele may know that the two were planning on living their lives together before he passed away, making his loss even harder for Michele to bear. Their relationship wasn't casual by any means and the two discussed everything from marriage to children, making plans after having selected one another as life partners.

5 They Engaged In PDA While Working On The Show

Public displays of affection are common for young couples, so it should come as no surprise that Cory and Lea engaged in plenty of PDA while filming together. What makes the detail more ironic is how the couple secretly engaged in PDA on the show, as their alter egos...particularly while Finn still harbored feelings for his girlfriend, Quinn Fabray.

4 Cory Was Less Friendly With The Rest Of The Cast While With Lea (According to Naya Rivera)

Naya Rivera has spilled plenty of tea about her castmates, some of which Lea Michele has mentioned bothered her. One of these details was the fact that, once Monteith became close to Michele, he started to break away from other cast members. Rivera says that the closer he got to Michele, the farther he pulled away.

3 Lea Heard About Cory's Death Before His Mom Did

A particularly harrowing detail about Monteith and Michele's relationship surfaced after his death. When Lea called his mother after finding out what had happened, she realized that his mom didn't know yet, which had to be incredibly stressful for both women. Lea called Ann McGregor, Monteith's mother, and screamed into the phone, asking if the news was true...and McGregor had no idea.

2 Lea Has Had Multiple Romances And Gotten Married Since Cory's Death

Getting over Monteith could not have been easy. Michele has since found love, becoming romantically involved with a couple of men, including Robert Buckley, before meeting Zandy Reich in 2019, at age 32. The pair dated for two years before marrying in Northern California. A few fellow Glee actors and Scream Queens actress, Emma Roberts, attended the ceremony.

1 Lea Was Going To Change Last Her Name To His

The fact that Michele and Monteith were talking about their future with one another, including details regarding possible children, wasn't the only evidence of their decision to spend their lives with one another: Michele had already decided to take his last name once they got married, an uncommon move among many actresses.