CNN –
A decade after his death shocked “Glee” fans, Cory Monteith is still being mourned.
The Canadian actor, who played student athlete and later glee club member Finn Hudson on the Fox series, was found dead of a drug overdose in a hotel room in Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 13, 2013.
He was 31 years old.
It was a stunning end to a meteoric rise for the young star. Monteith initially battled drug addiction as a teenager, and in a 2011 interview explained his decision to be open about his problems.
“People have always made a lot of assumptions, you know,” he said. “See, you see this young All-American quarterback look and guy on the show and you make assumptions right away, and I think people have started to really identify with those assumptions … and I get that.” But at the same time I felt that at some point I had to step in and tell people my experiences and tell them the truth about my life.”
Monteith found his way into acting after dropping out of school at the age of 16, completing a stint in rehab and doing manual work.
FOX Image Collection/Getty Images
Amber Riley, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith in an episode of Glee.
After being told he had talent by an acting coach, Monteith had a few small roles before landing the role of Finn in 2009’s Glee.
The show picked up steam and made the entire cast famous overnight, seemingly. “Glee” grew into a cottage industry that included concerts and downloadable singles.
It also sparked a romance between Monteith and co-star Lea Michele, who played his character’s girlfriend, Rachel Berry, on the show. The couple were still together at the time of his death, which marked the show with Finn dying in season 5 in an episode titled “The Quarterback”.
Many took to social media on Thursday to share their sadness and memories of Monteith to mark the anniversary of his death.
Monteith’s former roommate Justin Neil spoke to Newsweek about how the decade has been since his friend’s death.
It feels like it’s been two lifetimes, and sometimes it feels like it was yesterday,” Neil said.
The anniversary of Monteith’s death also marks the day that the body of his “Glee” co-star Naya Rivera was found in Lake Piru, Ventura County, California in 2020.
Rivera drowned while on a boat trip with her young son, sparking a six-day search for her. she was 33