‘Glee’ Star Naya Rivera Speaks On Cory Monteith’s Death, Lea Michele

Glee‘s Naya Rivera, one of the original cast, has released a statement addressing the death of her friend and co-star Cory Monteith.

“The entire Glee family and I are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Cory was and always will be a part of my own family and a good friend. He was a special part of this world and will forever be missed. My heart goes out to Cory’s family and Lea and while we are grateful for everyone’s well wishes, privacy during this time of grief is greatly appreciated.”

Monteith was found dead on Saturday in his hotel room in Vancouver. A cause of death has not yet been determined (an autopsy is scheduled for today) but foul play is not suspected.

The 31-year-old’s struggle with substance abuse has also made its way back into the headlines. Monteith voluntarily checked into a rehab facility in March, his second attempt at getting sober. He then went on a short vacation with girlfriend Lea Michele before he ended up in Vancouver.

Michele, for her part, has requested privacy and has not yet released a statement on Monteith’s death.

Naya Rivera plays former cheerleader Santana Lopez on Glee. She and Monteith have shared critical storylines and character arc together. They were often at odds, though considered friends. Monteith’s Finn Hudson was responsible for publicly outing Santana as a lesbian in a 2011 episode.

What do you think of Naya Rivera’s statement on Cory Monteith’s death?

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