When Glee premiered in 2009, TV fans were thrilled to watch a creative show that celebrated teenagers and their differences. While some of the characters were popular cheerleaders, others were misfits, and they all had to get along as they joined the school's glee club.
Many of the actors made a ton of money as a result of being on the show, like Jane Lynch's $16 million net worth. The show also had many celebrity guest stars over the years, so whether people tuned in for the awesome music or to see which famous face would be in the latest episode, it was always entertaining.
There has been a lot of talk of behind-the-scenes drama on Glee in recent years, but did any of the cast members get along? How close were they? Let's take a look.
The Closest Friendships
The Glee actors always give interesting interviews detailing what life was like on the Glee set and how much the show has meant to them.
There are some close friendships that formed on the set of Glee. Dianna Agron considers Lea Michele a close friend. According to Daily Mail, Agron, Michele, and Amber Riley hang out regularly. They refer to it as "The First Wives Club." Michele explained in 2011 that they began this club almost two years prior. She said, "The girls would get a bottle of red wine and stay a few hours after work to hang out and catch up in my trailer. Now we do it whenever we want."
According to Daily Mail, Agron said that the actress who played Rachel Berry had given her a lot of strength and independence. She said, "Lea taught me how to stand up for myself more, like realizing that I can't be in ten places at the same time."
Naya Rivera and Heather Morris also formed a super close friendship as a result of starring on the TV drama. Cinemablend.com says that after Rivera's death, Morris shared how much she cared about her friend. Morris shared that her final memory of her friend was putting oranges on her doorstep and receiving some succulents in return.
Morris said, "We started out as the closest friends, and then like all new things, we went through a bit of a rocky phase. However, we stuck by each other’s side and created the most beautiful friendship built out of love and understanding."
According to Cheat Sheet, Becca Tobin, who played Kitty on Glee, has a very successful podcast called Ladygang. She has had her Glee co-stars on the show, from Chris Colfer to Amber Riley, so it sounds like they are still in touch. The publication also mentions that when actors from the show have tied the knot, they have invited co-stars to the weddings. Jonathan Groff, Darren Criss, and Becca Tobin went to Michele's wedding, and Michele sang when Criss got married in February 2019.
The Lea Michele/Naya Rivera Situation
While some of the Glee cast has been close, others don't get along at all. While Lea Michele and Dianna Agron were able to bond and connect, the same can't be said for Michele's relationship with the late Naya Rivera, who tragically passed away this summer.
Rivera shared stories of life on the Glee set in her memoir Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes and Growing Up, which was published in 2016. She wrote that in the sixth season of the show, Lea Michele didn't even talk to her at all. She talked about how she thinks that Michele was envious that Santana was becoming more popular. According to Digital Spy, she wrote, "As Santana moved from a background character to one with bigger plot lines and more screen time. I think Rachel – erm, I mean Lea – didn't like sharing the spotlight."
According to Cinema Blend, after Rivera passed away in July 2020, Michele posted photos of Rivera and also of the late Cory Monteith on her Instagram.
Cory Monteith And Lea Michele's Romance
Some of the Glee cast members were so close that they even fell in love.
Fans are familiar with Cory Monteith and Lea Michele's romance, which had a tragic ending as he passed away in July 2013.
According to Life and Style, Monteith and Michele first met each other when they were hired on Glee in 2009. People thought that there was a spark but they said they weren't together. By August 2012, the actors were on a red carpet together, and it was clear that they were romantically involved.
While some of the stars of Glee were close and remain so to this day, it sounds like Lea Michele didn't get along with everyone, and she and Rivera had some tough times on the Glee set.