Cory Monteith was a Canadian musician and actor, best-known for playing Finn Hudson on the popular Fox television series Glee from 2009 to 2013.

Synopsis

Born Cory Allan Michael Monteith in Calgary, Canada, in 1982, actor Cory Monteith spends his childhood in Victoria after his parents’ separation. He battled with drug and alcohol problems in his adolescents hitting rehab at the age of 19.

However, he eventually got sober and pursue a career in acting. In 2014, he debuted on the TV show “Stargate Atlantis”. In 2006, Monteith won a repeating part on “Kyle XY” and a minor role in the movie “Final Destination 3.”

His breakthrough act came when he landed the role of Finn Hudson on “Glee,” which premiered in 2009. The series about a high school glee club turned into an immense achievement and made Monteith a famous star.

In March 2013, Monteith went back to rehab for treatment. He kicked the bucket on July 13, 2013, in Vancouver, Canada from a heroin and liquor overdose.

Early Life

Born on May 11, 1982, actor Cory Monteith rose to fame as a cast member of the hit TV musical Glee. His parents divorced when he was 7, and he and his older brother were raised by their mother in Victoria. Monteith, a bright student early on, lost his way in his early teens. He started skipping school to get tipsy and involved in drug abuse.

Cory Monteith as a Kid in Canada
Source: Pinterest

At 16, Monteith gave up on his education after attending 12 different institutes. He then started working various odd jobs while performing in local bands as a drummer. By 19, Monteith’s substance abuse problem h had become so insane that his family arranged an intervention. He entered rehab for treatment but fell back into his old habits after leaving the facility. It was only after getting caught stealing money from a relative that chose decided to change his life around.

bio wiki death Cory Monteith (R) at three years old with his brother Shaun, at seven years old.

Career Beginnings

Lossing hope, Monteith moved to Nanaimo, a small town in British Columbia, Canada, where he found a job as a roofer. Living with a family friend, Monteith soon followed a new course of life and got sober. In an interview with People magazine, he explained that “I met this acting teacher, he gave me a script, I read for him, and he was like, ‘You could have a career doing this.”

Cory Monteith at his Teenage Years

After a short time, Monteith started to land some work on TV and tried out for various shows in Vancouver. He got his first acting job in small part on “Stargate Atlantis,” followed by “Smallville.” In 2006, he had a part in the feature film “Final Destination 3” and a recurring role on the cable series “Kyle XY.”

Cory of Glee Poster Source: Glee

TV Stardom

Monteith won a huge part of his career through a series of auditions. Initially, he sent a video of himself playing percussion on a  set of Tupperware containers to Glee creator Ryan Murphy. Inspired by what he saw, Murphy requested an audition tape of him singing. Eventually, Monteith landed the role of Finn Hudson with his version of REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”

Glee Cast

Debuting in 2009, Glee became one of the most popular shows on television. This musical dramatic comedy revolves around the lives of a high school glee club. Monteith’s character Finn Hudson was a football star with noteworthy vocal talents. Finn inevitably became involved with co-star Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele and ultimately became a couple off-screen, as well.

Cory Monteith and Lea Michele on set of Glee
Source: Zimbio

Besides the show, the cast of Glee had a number hits with songs featured on the show and delighted in another wave of success with a concert tour. Monteith turned into a universally known entertainer and had little time for other projects. He did, however, manage to star in the 2011 romantic comedy “Monte Carlo” alongside Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester.

Inconvenient Death

In March 2013, Monteith backpedaled to rehab due to an obscure substance abuse. His girlfriend, Lea Michele, revealed to People magazine, saying “I love and support Cory and will stand by him through this.” The creator of Glee made changes in accordance with his schedule so that he could receive treatment. Monteith’s character returned to his old high school to fill as one of the glee club coaches for its fourth season.

Monteith left the show the following month and tweeted late that April: “sending out big love to everyone. Thank you for the continued support! It means the world to me!”

On July 6, he checked into a hotel in Vancouver, Canada. Monteith went out with friends the night of July 12. As indicated by news reports, he returned to his hotel alone. Monteith failed to check out the next morning, which frightened hotel staff. A check of his room at noon revealed that the star had passed on. Monteith was only just 31 years old.

The British Columbia Coroners Service reported that an autopsy and toxicology analysis revealed Monteith’s death was caused by an overdose of heroin and liquor. Once the news of Monteith’s passing broke, there was an outpouring of sorrow and sympathies to his loved ones. The producers of Glee discharged an announcement, saying that “Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person.”

Flowers and photos are left at a small memorial for Canadian actor Cory Monteith outside a downtown hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia July 15, 2013.

“I don’t want kids to think it’s O.K. to drop out of school and get high, and they’ll be famous actors, too. But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it.”
—Cory Monteith

Lea Michele Reveals a Private Photo with Her Late Boyfriend, Monteith

On 25 January 2017, Monteith’s girlfriend, posted a private photo on her Instagram account. The then-couple began their love affair in 2011.

According to the actress, Monteith was planning to approach the actress for her birthday, which was a month and a half after her death. The news that hit Lea hard, who referred to the issue in October of that year: “I wake up every day thinking that I was in some kind of spell or dream, I had the fortune to have it in my life. I feel that the way he died is insignificant compared to who he was in life. There is no better man than Cory, so by the time I was with him, I consider myself very lucky. “

Lea remembered her late sweetheart with unpublished photos on her Instagram account. In the picture, it shows how both appear lying together and calm. “Bleeker. 2012 ” wrote in the picture that impersonates the frame of a polaroid photograph.

A photo posted by Lea Michele (@leamichele) on

However,  this is not the first occasion that Lea recalls Cory publicly. In 2016, she got a tattoo in his honor: a “5” number. Five was the number used by Monteith’s character – Finn Hudson – in his Glee quarterback jersey. “And one more for my quarterback, ” Michele wrote on Instagram.

In addition, Lea Michele has a song called “If you say so”, in his first album Louder (2014), which would be the last words that the actor told him. The actress also tattooed the phrase on her body.