Back in 2009, Glee premiered its first episode. While now the concept has been used quite a few times in various other TV shows and even in movies, Glee really was the first (and best). Not everything may have been smooth sailing for Will Schuester and his troop of young performers, but the show had a ton of heart and let's be honest, the talent that was showcased throughout its 6 seasons was truly impressive. From Rachel Berry's classic ballads to Artie nailing all of our favorite R&B numbers, it's safe to say the New Directions are the best cover band just about ever.
Today, we have rounded up 15 little-known facts about the making of this popular series. We will be returning to William McKinley High once again, though this time we're avoid Sue Sylvester as best we can!
15 Lea Michele Confirmed The Slushie Scenes Were Real And It Took Days To Recover
The whole 'slushie in the face' concept is not something we see in every high school TV show. However, in Glee, they were a major part of the bully/glee club relationship. Actress Lea Michele talked about filming these scenes, "It literally takes the air out [of you]. It's so cold I have to, like, recover for days."
14 Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce) Worked As A Dancer For Beyonce Before Glee
As impressive as all of the voices featured on Glee were, there was something particularly special about actress Heather Morris' dancing ability. Well, it turns out, Brittany S. Pierce's talents were discovered way before Glee and by Beyonce no less! That's right, our girl one was of Bey's backup dancers!
13 Fans Played A Huge Role In Santana And Brittany Getting Together
Say what you will about Rachel and Finn or Blaine and Kurt, but most fans would have to agree that Santana and Brittany were the true power-couple of the series. Well, they should anyway, because it was their own input that got them together in the first place, actress Naya Rivera confirmed in a Q&A.
12 Season 1 Contracts Included 3 Possible Glee Movies
Even though they were just getting started with the first season, showrunners clearly knew they had something special on their hands. In the contracts the cast members signed for the first season, there was a part specifically locking them in for 3 potential Glee movies. Clearly, a few years later everyone agreed that 6 seasons was enough.
11 The Actresses Who Played Santana And Mercedes Both Tried Out For American Idol, But Didn't Make It
Mercedes and Santana had two of the most powerful voices on the show, but apparently American Idol thought there were better singers out there. Amber Riley (Mercedes) auditioned for the reality series years before Glee, but didn't make it. Naya Rivera (Sanatana) was actually cut during the first round of the season she tried out for. She should have gone with an Amy Winehouse number!
10 The Creator Shared His Original Plan For The Series Finale At Cory Monteith's Private Funeral
The passing of Cory Monteith was devastating event. Since the actor passed while the show was still airing new episodes, his exit hadn't been planned. Creator Ryan Murphy shared his finale plans for Finn at Monteith's memorial. He would become a teacher, Rachel a Broadway star and in the final scene, Rachel would return home to him.
9 The Cast Performed More Than 700 Songs On The Show
One of the more impressive things about Glee, is that the cast members didn't just have lines to memorize each week, but also songs to learn and over-the-top dance numbers to rehearse. That sounds like 3 seperate full-time jobs to us! Throughout the series, the stars took on more than 700 numbers.
8 Darren Criss Originally Auditioned For The Role Of Finn
Now, that would have taken the series in a completely different direction. After all, Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson) was our quarterback. That being said, Darren Criss is an incredibly talented singer, dancer and actor. So, while he didn't get the role he originally went out for, it was only a matter of time before he landed another.
7 Lea Michele Totalled Her Car Right Before Her Audition
During some DVD bonus feature interviews, leading actress Lea Michele informed fans that she almost didn't make it to her audition at all. The reason? She totalled her car right there in the Fox Studio parking lot upon arriving. She went on to say, "When I get into the room for my audition, I literally was still pulling pieces of glass out of my hair."
6 Lea Michele And Matthew Morrison Had A Brief Romance Before Glee
Even though we know that the stars of Glee were all much older IRL than their characters on the show, this fun fact is still pretty cringe-worthy. In her book Brunette Ambition Michele wrote, "Matt [Morrison] had been a friend of mine for years, and in fact we'd actually dated back in the day for a Broadway beat." Yikes!
5 Joe, Rory And Unique Were All Characters Played By Winners Of Glee's Spin-Off Reality Show
It only lasted for 2 seasons, but Glee did have its very own reality spin-off series. It was called The Glee Project and it would feature hopeful young stars competing for a part on the show. Characters Joe and Rory were among some of the winners, but more importantly so was everyone's favorite newcomer, Unique!
4 Chris Colfer Auditioned For The Role Of Artie, But impressed Producers So Much That They Wrote Him His Own Character
Kevin McHale did a superb job playing wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams, so its weird to picture Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) in that role. Showrunners seemed to think the same thing while he was auditioning, but at the same time, loved him so much that they had to find a way to write him into the show.
3 Harry Shum Jr. Was Heather Morris' Dance Teacher Once Upon A Time
Whenever these two got together for a dance number on the show, it was pure magic. Both are equally talented, so as partners they are pretty much unstoppable. As it turns out though, Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang) actually taught Heather Morris in a hip-hop dance course years before the series ever came to be.
2 Artie Wasn't Just A Great Performer On The Show, He Was Previously A Member Of The Boy Band NLT (Not Like Them)
In the years leading up to Glee's premiere, Kevin McHale was already pretty booked. He along with 3 other members made up the boy band NLT (Not Like Them). The band was together for 3 years and released songs like " That Girl" and "She Said, I Said (Time We Let Go)".
1 Chris Colfer Has Written A Popular Book Series And Also An Episode Of Glee!
Many fans will already know that Chris Colfer (Kurt) has written an immensely popular series of children's books called The Land of Stories. However, not everyone may be aware that he actually wrote an episode of Glee as well! Season 5's episode "Old Dogs, New Tricks" was all Colfer's doing.