River Phoenix, Corey Haim, and Brittany Murphy are three big names who we all lost too soon under tragic circumstances, but they are hardly the only ones. Over the years, going back to the earliest days of Hollywood, some of the biggest stars have died before even making it to 40 years old. This list is dedicated to them, the stars we lost before they even had a chance to the "over the hill."

Corey Haim (38)

Corey Haim and Corey Feldman starred in seven movies together, and they will be forever linked as "The Two Coreys" from their heyday in the late '80s. Haim starred in a slew of Gen X classics like The Lost Boys, Lucas, Dream A Little Dream, and License to Drive. Sadly, once his fame faded a little, he never had a chance to make a comeback before he died of pneumonia in 2010 after battling addiction for years.

James Dean (24)

"Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse," is a famous quote often associated with James Dean, who did just that. Though he only starred in three movies, his star status has remained constant in the seven decades since his death. Dean died in a car wreck in 1955.

Jayne Mansfield (34)

Jayne Mansfield was only 34 when she was killed in a car crash in 1967. Her young children, including future Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, were in the car with her, and luckily they did survive the crash. For many years, Hargitay spoke little of the event of her famous mother, but opened up in an HBO Max documentary in 2025.

Brandon Lee (28)

One of the most tragic deaths in Hollywood in the 1990s was the shocking death of Brandon Lee was killed while filming The Crow. The movie was going to be Lee's breakout, coming out from under the shadow of his famous father, Bruce Lee. The junior Lee was just 28 when he was killed on the movie set after being shot with a blank.

Marilyn Monroe (36)

Despite her death at just 36 in 1962, Marilyn Monroe's legacy is alive and well more than six decades after we lost one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Movies are still being made telling her tragic story, like the controversial Blonde in 2022 starring Ana de Armas as the screen legend.

Heath Ledger (28)

For many reading this list, there is no question that the first name they probably thought of after reading the headline is Heath Ledger. Ledger's career was rising to a new level when he sadly died of an overdose in 2008. Though he had been a star for about a decade when he died, he was coming off two legendary performances that have since defined the late Australian's career. The first, of course, is Brokeback Mountain, and the second is his Oscar-winning turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Ledger won the award posthumously, and fans felt the pain all over again, wondering how many more great performances we would have gotten from the actor.

Brittany Murphy (32)

Brittany Murphy had her breakout role as Tai Frasier in Clueless in 1995, and for the next decade, she continued to wow us in films like Drop Dead Gorgeous, Riding in Cars with Boys, and 8 Mile. Her death at just 32 in 2009 was shocking, and in the years since, it's still as mysterious as it was then.

Chris Farley (33)

Chris Farley was one of the most beloved members of the SNL cast ever, both by fans and by his fellow actors on the show. On SNL, he never failed to make everyone belly laugh at his over-the-top antics, and on the silver screen, whether in a small role like in Billy Madison or as a star in Tommy Boy, he was among the funniest ever. We never got to see enough of the star, though, as he died of an overdose at just age 33 in 1997.

Aaliyah (22)

There is something especially tragic about a plane crash. Especially when you are talking about a pop star. Aaliyah was more than a pop star, though, and she was just getting started in her acting career when she was killed in a crash in the Bahamas in 2001, not long after her film debut in Romeo Must Die.

Michelle Trachtenberg (39)

Michelle Trachtenberg is most famous for playing Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl, but her seemingly endless number of credits proves she was great in a variety of roles. Her sudden death at age 39 in early 2025 shocked everyone, and while we may never be able to close the book on why she died, we will always have her work to look back on.

Bruce Lee (32)

It's almost hard to believe that Bruce Lee was only 32 when he died in 1973. He left an incredible legacy of films both in the US and in Hong Kong and has become a legend since his death. The martial arts master opened so many doors for Asian actors and films that it's impossible to measure his impact on Hollywood. It is exceptional.

John Belushi (33)

The first breakout star in SNL history was unquestionably John Belushi. Even in a cast that included Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and many others, Belushi stood above them all. He parlayed that into a wonderful, yet painfully short movie career with legendary roles in Animal House and The Blues Brothers, which is arguably the best movie based on an SNL character ever.

River Phoenix (23)

In the same way that Heath Ledger's death marks a moment in time for Millennials, River Phoenix's death in 1993 is the same for Gen X. Though Phoenix was only 23 years old, he was already a veteran actor, having gotten his start in Hollywood in commercials in the early 1980s. He rose to prominence with fantastic performances in movies like Stand By Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Mosquito Coast, and My Own Private Idaho. Phoenix earned an Oscar nomination for his role in Running on Empty at just age 18.

Brad Renfro (25)

Brad Renfro burst onto the scene as an 11-year-old in The Client, co-starring Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. He put in a brilliant performance and followed it up with another 20 or so credits, including in Ghost World, Sleepers, and Apt Pupil. He tragically died of an overdose in 2008 when he was just 25 years old.

Cory Monteith (31)

There are some who claim there is a curse hanging over the cast of Glee. Whether you believe in such things or not, the show does have an unsettling history when it comes to actors dying young. Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson in the hit show, died in 2013 of an overdose. He was the first young cast member to die, but he wouldn't be the last.

Dana Hill (32)

Who doesn't love a great movie about a vacation gone wrong? National Lampoon's European Vacation, the second movie of the series, is wildly underrated, and Dana Hill's performance as Audrey in it is equally underrated. Sadly, Hill died at age 32 due to complications from diabetes.

Tupac Shakur (25)

Pretty much everyone knows the story of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur's murder in 1996. Though plenty of conspiracy theories surround the events, it remains unsolved. Tupac was best known for his music, but he also had some fantastic acting chops, as he showed in movies like Above the Rim and Poetic Justice. It's hard to believe he was only 25.

Anton Yelchin (27)

One of the more bizarre ways to go on this list is what happened to Anton Yelchin, the young star of the rebooted Star Trek movies. The actor, who played Pavel Chekov in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond, was killed when he was pinned against a post by his own SUV.

Lee Thompson Young (29)

A generation of kids grew up with Lee Thompson Young as the titular star of the Disney show The Famous Jett Jackson. They followed him as a high school student in the original Friday Night Lights movie, and then in his biggest role as an adult on Rizzoli & Isles. That would be Young's final role as he took his own life in 2013.

Heather O'Rourke (12)

In just twelve short years in this world, Heather O'Rourke made a huge impact. She is most famous, of course, for Poltergeist, and her legendary line "They're heeeeere," she also appears on TV in Happy Days and Webster, and reprised her role in two Poltergeist sequels, the final of which was released after her death in 1988.

Sharon Tate (26)

In 1969, Sharon Tate's murder by the Manson Family became the most notorious crime in Hollywood history. The talented young actor, who was pregnant at the time, was just coming into her own as a star when her life was snatched from her at just age 26. It's a murder that Quentin Tarantino reimagined in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood with the happy ending we all long for it to have been for Tate.

Angus Cloud (25)

In a horrible case of life imitating art, Euphoria star Angus Cloud died of an overdose at age 25 in 2023. The actor rose to prominence on the controversial show about teen addiction, and before his career really got going, we lost him.

Naya Rivera (33)

The circumstances behind the death of Glee star Naya Rivera may never be fully understood. The actress drowned while boating with her young son, and though she was known to be a good swimmer, according to her son, she struggled to get back on the boat after they both went for a swim. Her body was found five days later. Rivera was only 33 when she died in 2020.

Andy Kaufman (35)

Now, should Andy Kaufman be on this list? Many believe that the enigmatic comedian actually faked his own death. Though this isn't true, he was taken by cancer at age 35 in 1984, the late Kaufman would love the idea that people still believed he was alive and in hiding somewhere. It's exactly the kind of prank he would pull while he was living.

Cameron Boyce (20)

Though his career only lasted about 12 years and he died at age 20, Cameron Boyce crammed a ton of acting into his short life. Boyce has almost four dozen credits to his name, though he is certainly best known for playing Carlos in the Descendants film series.

Chance Perdomo (27)

Chance Perdomo's big break came with a starring role in Gen V, the spinoff of The Boys from Amazon Prime. Sadly, he died in a motorcycle crash in Upstate New York before the second season of the show was shot, so we never got enough of Perdomo.

Ryan Dunn (34)

In a lot of ways, the tragic death of Ryan Dunn wasn't all that surprising. That's not to say it was very sad, because it was, but for the Jackass star to go out in a car crash seems very "on brand" for Dunn. He lived life fast and crazy, and that's how he went out. It's not exactly poetic, but there is something that makes sense about it, which is rare for this list.

Jean Harlow (26)

Hollywood's original "blonde bombshell" was the great Jean Harlow. Harlow's most famous role came in the Howard Hughes-directed classic Hell's Angels, and she's also well known for a string of comedic roles in the 1930s, before she died due to Kidney failure in 1937. She was only 26 at the time of her death.

Freddie Prinze (22)

Freddie Prinze is probably best known by most people today as the father of Freddie Prinze, Jr. Tragically, before the younger Prinze was even one year old, the senior Prinze took his own life at just age 22.

Jonathan Brandis (27)

Teen heartthrob Jonathan Brandis, like so many other actors, got his start in soap operas. His most prominent role came as Lucas Wolenczak on seaQuest DSV, which is where he truly became a beloved star. His fame faded somewhat after seaQuest DSV ended, and he tragically took his own life in 2003.

Dominique Dunne (22)

The Dunne family is Hollywood and literary royalty. Dominique Dunne, whose father was writer Dominick Dunne and whose brother is actor Griffin Dunne, was horrifically killed by her boyfriend in 1982 at just age 22. She was the first of two young stars to die from the cast of Poltergeist, along with Heather O'Rourke.

Thuy Trang (27)

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers have become a much-loved franchise over the years, and it all started with the original cast of the first show. Thuy Trang was the first actor to play the Yellow Ranger on screen before she was killed in a car crash with her friend and fellow actor Angela Rockwood in 2001. Rockwood suffered a spinal injury that left her unable to walk, and Trang succumbed to her injuries before making it to the hospital. Like all the actors on this list, she sadly didn't make it 40, as she was just 27.

Accidents and tragedy can strike anyone, at any time, and that includes actors. Car crashes, aviation accidents, and even more nefarious actions can befall even the most famous among us. Here is a list of 32 actors who died too soon, and too tragically. 

James Dean

it's hard to believe James Dean was only 24 years old when he was killed in a car crash in 1955. His star was burning bright as one of the most promising up-and-coming actors in Hollywood, having appeared in eight movies ((uncredited in five)) to that point. He starred in three huge hits at the end, including two, Rebel Without A Cause and Giant, that were released after his death. 

Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield was one of the biggest stars of the 1950s and 1960s, and one of the most notorious celebrities on the gossip pages as well. She was married three times and has five children, including Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay, something not everyone is aware of. Hargitay was only three when she, her mother, and her siblings were involved in the car accident that would take Mansfield's live in 1967.

Natalie Wood

One of the most notorious accidents (depending on what you believe) in Hollywood history caused the death of Natalie Wood. Wood was on a boat with her husband Robert Wagner and their friend Christopher Walken and either fell in or was pushed (again, depending on what you believe) and drowned. It's an enduring Hollywood mystery. 

Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson was most famous for his music career, producing a number of hits, first as a teen idol, and then later as a country singer. He first found fame as the son of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, starring with his parents and brother on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet in the 1950s and '60s. Nelson was killed on New Year's Eve, 1985 when the plane he was riding in caught fire, and toxic smoke filled the cabin before crashing near De Kalb, TX. 

Carole Lombard

One of the biggest stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Carole Lombard was one of the funniest actresses of her day. She was loved by millions and her popularity indirectly led to her tragic death. In 1942 Lombard was killed when the plane she was on while doing a War Bonds tour, helping raise money for the Second World War, crashed, killing all aboard. 

Heather O'Rourke

Nothing is more tragic than the death of a child. Heather O'Rourke's career and life were just getting started when she died at just 12 years old. O'Rourke stole the show in Poltergeist and without a doubt had a very bright future before she died suddenly due to complications of intestinal problems in 1988. 

Sharon Tate

On August 9th, 1969 Sharon Tate fell victim to the most infamous crimes in US history when she and the rest of the people in her house were brutally murdered by members of the Manson Family. Tate, who was pregnant at the time, was married to director Roman Polanski who was out of the country when the attack occurred. 

Anne Heche

Anne Heche's death in 2022 was shocking after she crashed her car into a house,  almost killing the occupant. It was assumed at the time that Heche was under the influence, but the coroner's report showed that she wasn't at the time of the crash, It remains a mystery as to what happened in those frantic moments before the fatal crash, which included Heche hitting two other cars before hitting the house. 

Dominique Dunne

The cast of Poltergeist has had a tough run. Not only did child star Heather O'Rouke die tragically at a young age, but the actress who played her older sister, Dominique Dunne, was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1982 just months after the classic horror movie was released. It's been dubbed "The Poltergeist Curse."

Sonny Bono

Musician, actor, and congressman Sonny Bono was killed while skiing in Lake Tahoe. It was one of his favorite things to do, but sadly he struck a tree and died from the traumatic injuries. He was serving in Congress at the time of his death after a long career in music and television. 

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy burst onto the Hollywood scene with her breakout role in Clueless. Like other child stars, she faced more than her fair share of difficulties in her personal life. Her life came to a tragic, and somewhat befuddling end when she died under mysterious circumstances in the apartment she shared with her husband in 2009 at age 32. Her husband died mysteriously in the same apartment just five months later. 

Desmond Llewelyn

For almost 40 years Desmond Llewelyn was beloved by James Bond fans for playing Q, the man who hooked up the super spy with all his ridiculous gadgets. Llewelyn was 85 years old when he was killed in a car wreck in 1999. It brought about the end of one of the coolest careers in cinema history. 

Bruce Lee

Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee defined what it meant to be a martial artist and actor. Even half a century after he died in 1973 he remains the archetype of the genre. He died at age 33 due to a cerebral edema, though more nefarious conspiracies are believed by some. No matter what happened, it was a tragic loss for all movie fans. 

Grace Kelly

Princess Grace, or Grace Kelly as she was known in Hollywood, literally lived a fairy tale life. Not only did she become one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, she eventually left that life when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco. It did not end in a fairy tale, sadly. Princess Grace was killed when she lost control of her car on a steep mountain road in the South of France after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. Her daughter Stephanie survived the crash. 

Brandon Lee

There are plenty of conspiracy theories surrounding the "curse" of the Lee family. Two decades after Bruce Lee died unexpectedly at age 33, his son became the victim of an on-set death when a prop gun discharged a projectile at point-blank range, killing him while shooting The Crow in 1993. 

Phil Hartman

The tragic story of Phil Hartman's death is well known. Hartman was murdered in the early morning hours of May 28th, 1998 as he slept. His wife Brynn shot him three times, killing him, before later taking her own life. Even decades later, it's still shocking to remember and hard to come to grips with. 

Aaliyah

Singer Aaliyah was just starting her film career when her young life was cut short. After filming a music video in the Bahamas, Aaliyah and her entourage boarded a plane for Miami. The overloaded plane barely made it off the ground before crashing just off the runway, killing all aboard, including the Queen of the Damned star. 

Vic Morrow

One of the worst one-set tragedies happened on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie when veteran actor Vic Morrow and two child actors were killed in a stunt gone wrong. Morrow was 53 years old when he was killed and the kids, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen, were seven, and six, respectively. 

Anton Yelchin

Star Trek star Anton Yelchin was just 27 in 2016 when he was killed in one of the freakiest accidents ever. Yelchin was pinned between his own SUV and a pillar outside his home in LA when the SUV slipped into gear while Yelchin was checking on the gate. The truck rolled backward and wedged Yelchin in a spot he couldn't get out of, killing him. 

Sam Kinison

Comedian Sam Kinison was larger than life in every way. His trademark screaming delivery in his standup act made him one of the best ever. He came to comedy somewhat late in his life after leaving his career as a preacher. He was tragically killed when a drunk driver hit his car head-on on a highway near Needles, CA. 

Naya Rivera

Glee star Naya Rivera's death was both tragic and historic. Though it's now fully understood what happened, we do know that Rivera was in a rented boat with her son on Lake Piru when something happened as they swam. She managed to hoist her 4-year-old son into the boat, but couldn't manage to herself in and she drowned at just age 33. 

Paul Walker

In a devastating example of life imitating art, hero, and star of the. Fast and Furious franchise, Paul Walker, was killed when the Porsche he was riding in crashed at a high rate of speed. Tributes for Walker poured in and the franchise's other str, Vin Diesel, often pays tribute to his fallen brother. 

Chance Perdomo

Chance Perdomo was having a career-making moment when his life was cut way too short. While on his way to film Season 2 of Gen V, he crashed on his motorcycle in upstate New York. He was killed by the accident and shortly after it was announced the part would not be recast in respect for Perdomo.

Adrienne Shelly

Adrienne Shelly has possibly become more famous in death than she was in life, with a musical based on the movie she wrote, directed, and starred in, Waitress running for 4 years on Broadway after her death. Shelly was murdered by a contractor in 2006 while she was in her office, a case filled with so much intrigue that Law & Order based an episode on it. 

Bob Crane

Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane lived a wild private life. Publicly he was beloved for his lead role on the show, but behind closed doors, he lived a secret life making home movies of his intimate encounters with women. Lots of them. None of that was known until after Crane was found murdered in his rented apartment in Scottsdale, AZ. The case has never been resolved after his friend and fellow taper Bob Carpenter was acquitted of the murder after a trial. 

Ryan Dunn

"Live fast and die-hard" is an old adage that Ryan Dunn lived up to. The Jackass star was famous for his ridiculous stunts and wild lifestyle, blurring what was real and what was a persona. Sadly, it eventually killed him when he crashed his Porsche 911 after having too much to drink near his home in Pennsylvania. 

Audie Murphy

When actor and World War II veteran Audie Murphy died in a plane crash in 1971, he was one of the most famous men in the country. His star has faded and his far less well-known today, but the two-time Medal of Honor winner turned his military renown into Hollywood fame when he became an actor after the war. In addition to being one of the most decorated soldiers in US history, he starred in more than 40 films. 

Joan Rivers

Actress and comedienne Joan Rivers was a national treasure and even at age 81 she was showing little sign of slowing down. That made her death, caused by a botched surgery in 2014, all the more shocking. She died on the table, was revived, but died again a week later having never woken up from a medically-induced coma. Her death was marked by hundreds of celebrities and she is still very missed for her biting wit and hilarious jokes. 

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer

Carl Switzer was one of the earliest child stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, best known as Alfalfa in Our Gang. Like too many child stars who left Hollywood behind, his adult life was very difficult. Switzer eventually became a dog breeder and was murdered by a friend and client in a dispute over a dog Switzer was training went missing. 

Steve Allen

Hollywood legend Steve Allen's death is a cautionary tail. Allen was involved in what seemed like a minor car accident while he was backing out of his driveway on his way to see his son. After arriving safely at his son's house, Allen laid down for a nap and never got up. Injuries caused by the accident were to blame, injuries that were imperceptible, it seems, until they weren't. 

Sal Mineo

James Dean famously died before his two biggest films, Rebel Without A Cause, and Giant, were released. His co-star in both movies, Sal Mineo, also had his life cut tragically short when he was murdered in 1976. At just age 37, Mineo was stabbed to death in the driveway of his house by a mugger and never recovered from the injuries. 

Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson, who starred in The Parent Trap alongside Lindsey Lohan, was killed doing something she'd never done before - skiing. Richardson, who was married to Liam Neeson at the time of her death, fell while taking a lesson in Quebec and hit her head. She seemingly recovered from the fall, but later complained of headaches and was airlifted to a New York City hospital where she died due to an epidural hematoma, or bleeding on her brain.

Big Sky actor Ryan Dorsey paid tribute to his ex Naya Rivera on what would have her 35th birthday. The Glee alum passed away in 2020 after drowning in a lake while boating with her son, whom she shares with Dorsey.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Ryan Dorsey paid tribute to Naya Rivera on January 12, the late actress’ 35th birthday. He reflected on the past and how things have been since losing her, mentioning how their son Josey would make her very proud. It’s as emotional as one would think:

While Rivera and Dorsey split in 2018 after being married for four years, the two remained friends to co-parent Josey. Dorsey honored Rivera on her birthday last year as well, and friends and fans alike had tributes of their own for the late actress to celebrate her birthday and honor her. 

Glee star Kevin McHale took to Twitter to send Rivera a birthday wish, while Rivera's on-screen love interest Heather Morris simply retweeted a tribute. Naya Rivera's version of “River Deep, Mountain High” with Amber Riley that they did for Glee has become a new TikTok trend, proving that she's still remembered for her singing as well as her performances in television and film beyond Glee.  

Rivera is best known for portraying Santana Lopez on Fox’s musical dramedy Glee for the show’s six seasons. Her character became big in the LGBTQ+ community after coming out and the storyline remains a favorite today. She was also in the midst of production on TV series Step Up at the time of her death and her character, Collette Jones, has since been recast.

Naya Rivera’s final movie performance came in the form of a voice role. She showed off her vocal skills further with DC’s Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One as well as Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two, voicing Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, last year. Cast also included Josh Duhamel, Billy Burke, Titus Welliver, David Dastmalchian, Troy Baker, Jack Quaid, Jensen Ackles and plenty more. Both parts are streaming on HBO Max.

Losing a loved one is never easy but it looks like Ryan Dorsey is keeping Naya Rivera’s memory alive in the form of their son and it’s beautiful.

On July 8, 2020, actress Raya Rivera, who played Santana Lopez on the TV series Glee, tragically died at the age of 33. However, Rivera has appeared posthumously several times in the months that followed, with her final TV appearance being on The Eric Andre Show. Now it’s been officially confirmed that her final movie role was lending her vocal talents to an upcoming animated Batman feature.

Last summer at DC FanDome, it was announced that Batman: The Long Halloween, one of the Caped Crusader’s most popular stories, would be adapted into a two-part animated movie, just like what was done with 2018’s The Death of Superman and 2019’s Reign of the Supermen. Today, THR unveiled the main cast for Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One, and it includes Naya Rivera voicing Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman. Rivera completed her voice work before her death, so we’ll also hear her as Catwoman when Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two arrives months after its predecessor.

But Naya Rivera is just one member of Batman: The Long Halloween’s ensemble cast. We also have Supernatural star Jensen Ackles voicing Bruce Wayne himself, making this his second Batman project, as he previously voiced Jason Todd, a.k.a. Red Hood, in 2010’s Batman: Under the Red Hood. Ackles additionally has DC cred from his time as Jason Teague in Smallville Season 4, but let’s not lose sight of what’s truly important here: that gif of Ackles saying “I’m Batman” during his time as Dean Winchester has finally become a reality!

Batman: The Long Halloween’s cast also includes Josh Duhamel as Harvey Dent, Billy Burke as James Gordon, Titus Welliver as Carmine Falcone, David Dastmalchian as Calendar Man (making this his fifth DC Comics-related role following appearances in The Dark Knight, Gotham, The Flash and the upcoming The Suicide Squad), Troy Baker as The Joker, Amy Landecker as Barbara Gordon, Julie Nathanson as Gilda Dent, Jack Quaid as Alberto Falcone, Fred Tatasciore as Solomon Grundy and Alastair Duncan as Alfred, with Frances Callier, Greg Chun, Gary Leroi Gray and Jim Pirri also doing voice work. Superman: Man of Tomorrow’s Chris Palmer and Tim Sheridan directed and wrote the two-part Long Halloween adaptation, respectively.

Written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Tim Sale, Batman: The Long Halloween, which unfolded across 13 issues, follows Bruce Wayne in his second year of crimefighting as he hunts down a serial killer named Holiday, who, as the name indicates, murders people on holidays, once per month. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Batman also has to deal with a gang war breaking our between the Falcone and Maroni crime families, as well as clash with the growing population of colorful criminals, or “freaks,” if you prefer. The Long Halloween also showed how Harvey Dent transformed from Gotham City’s legal savior to the duality-obsessed Two-Face.

Naya Rivera fans can take comfort knowing that her version of Catwoman won’t simply cameo in the two Batman: The Long Halloween movies. She plays an important role in the original storyline, from her frequent run-ins with Batman to her mysterious connection to Carmine Falcone. So unless these direct-to-video flicks are drastically shaking things up, expect to see a lot of Rivera’s Selina.

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One doesn’t have a specific release date yet, but it is expected to arrive this spring or summer, with Part Two likely following in the fall or winter. Those of you who are interested in learning what’s being lined up on the live-action DC media front would be wise to peruse through our upcoming DC movies guide.

The death of Glee vet Naya Rivera hit Hollywood hard, as the 33-year-old star was widely mourned by her fans and colleagues. Around the time of her passing, Rivera was actively working, with her most notable role being that of Collette Jones on the YouTube Red/Starz original Step Up. In the wake of death, fans have likely wondered how the producers would handle Collette, and it now seems they’ve opted to recast the character with another notable name.

Step Up, formerly known as Step Up: High Water, has cast actress and Grammy-nominated singer Christina Milian to succeed Naya Rivera in the role of Collette Jones. The Starz series is currently in production in Atlanta. Milian has since responded to her casting with a statement in which she praised Rivera and expressed her hope that she can do the role justice:

In a statement, Step Up creator and executive producer Holly Sorensen paid tribute to the late Naya Rivera and discussed what she thinks Christina Milian will bring to the role:

Christina Milian will join an ensemble cast that features stars like singer and dancer Ne-Yo. The entertainer also welcomed Milian to the cast while also paying tribute to Naya Rivera and her contributions to the show:

Naya Rivera died last summer after drowning in California’s Lake Piru. She and her son, Josey, rented a boat to take out on the lake. After both jumped into the water to swim, Rivera helped her son back into the boat before drowning. Josey was later found in the boat alone and, after a five-day search, Rivera’s body was recovered and an intimate funeral was later held.

It may be a bit hard for some Step Up fans to see someone else in Naya Rivera’s role. However, it sounds like the show’s team put quite a bit of thought into the decision to recast, and Christina Milian seems to understand that she’s now been tasked with continuing part of Rivera’s legacy.

Glee is a series that had a strong start, but then kind of slipped off. However, it’s a series that, whether you love or hate it, has forever made its mark on the television world. It produced tons of memorable musical moments and made stars of its cast, including Lea Michele, Naya Rivera, Amber Riley, and Darren Criss. The Glee cast includes many actors and actresses who went on to have successful careers beyond the series.

Show creator Ryan Murphy assembled a talented bunch of young actors who likely have a long future in the show business world. Let’s take a look at what the Glee cast has been up to since the series ended.

Lea Michele (Rachel Berry)

Rachel Berry was the, slightly annoying overachiever whose talent spoke for itself. Even if Rachel wasn’t the most likable character, you respected her talent and drive. Lea Michele stayed within Ryan Murphy’s orbit after Glee, appearing in his horror-comedy Scream Queens as Hester. After Screen Queens was canceled after two seasons, Michele had a lead role on The Mayor. That series was also canceled after one season.

Lea Michele released two solo albums post-Glee, Places, and Christmas in the City. In 2019, she also appeared in the holiday movie Same Time, Next Christmas. In 2020, she gave birth to her first child with her husband Zandy Reich.

Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel)

Kurt was Rachel’s biggest competition in terms of ambition and need to be seen. Eventually, Kurt becomes part of Glee’s most popular couple with Blaine (Darren Criss). Colfer has made some guest appearances on series like Julie’s Greenroom, RuPaul’s Drag Race: All-Stars, and Visible: Out on Television. However, most of Colfer’s post-Glee life has been devoted to his writing career.

As of 2020, Colfer has written at least 15 books and six in his main book series, The Land of Stories. His most recent book is A Tale of Witchcraft.

Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester)

Sue Sylvester appointed herself as the person who had to take down the Glee club, and especially Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison). Lynch has been one of the busiest former Glee cast members. She has appeared in the series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show, Angel from Hell, The Real O’Neals, The Stinky & Dirty Show, and Will & Grace.

Lynch has also appeared in multiple episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Good Fight, and Space Force. She now hosts the new version of The Weakest Link. Lynch has appeared in the films The Late Bloomers, Mascots, Ralph Breaks the Internet and UglyDolls.

Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester)

Will was a teacher and coach of the McKinley High’s glee club, New Directions. His questionable involvement and teaching methods helped the Glee team win many championships. Morrison has had recurring roles on The Good Wife and Grey’s Anatomy. He also teamed up with Ryan Murphy again in American Horror Story: 1984.

Morrison returned to the theater world in 2015. He played J.M Barrie in the original Broadway run of Finding Neverland. He also appeared in the movies Tulip Fever and Crazy Alien. The Grinch fans were either treated or traumatized when he played The Grinch for NBC’s version of Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical Live!

Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams)

Artie was a male vocalist in the Glee club, who also happened to be in a wheelchair. He sometimes made attempts to rap. Kevin McHale appeared in the miniseries When We Rise. In 2019, he was a contestant on the UK X-Factor spin-off, The X Factor: Celebrity. He made it to the quarter-finals.

Hale appeared in episodes of Elite and the Darren Criss Quibi series, Royalties. In 2019, he released an EP called Boy.

Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina Cohen-Chang)

Tina Cohen-Chang was a little shy, but she used music to come out of her shell. Jenna Ushkowitz appeared in the films Yellow Fever, Hello Again, and 1 Night in San Diego.

Ushkowitz also returned to theater life post-Glee. She had roles in Broadway productions of The Wedding Singer, Waitress, and The 24 Hour Plays. Ushkowitz has gained her most success as a producer. She has produced Once on the Island, Be More Chill, and The Inheritance. She won a Tony award for Once on the Island.

Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones)

Mercedes Jones was one of the best vocalists in the Glee club, and just as deserving of leads, though it seemed like Rachel tended to get most of the vocal leads. Amber Riley appeared in NBC’s production of The Wiz Live! as Addaperie, and ABC’s production of The Little Mermaid Live! as Emcee. She also appeared in the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and A Black Lady Sketch Show. Riley has appeared in the films Nobody’s Fool and Infamous.

Riley has also appeared in the theater productions of Dreamgirls and Little Shop of Horrors. She played Effie White in Dreamgirls and Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. In 2020, Riley was cast as the lead in NBC’s upcoming musical comedy series Dream. She also released an EP called RILEY in 2020.

Heather Morris (Brittany S. Pierce)

Brittany was a little bit on the unique side of things. She hosted a series with a cat and had some crazy theories. Brittany was also part of another popular LGBTQ+ couple with Santana (Naya Rivera). Heather Morris competed on Dancing with the Stars Season 24.

Morris then appeared on the series Glow, The Troup, and Raven’s Home. She appeared in the TV movies Psycho Wedding Crasher and Pretty Little Stalker. She also appeared in the movies Most Likely to Die, Folk Hero & Funny Guy, and the upcoming film Moon Manor. In 2020,She started her own Instagram series called Hubbell Home, which is basically just a short look at her and her husband Taylor Hubbell’s life and their DIY home projects.

Chord Overstreet (Sam Evans)

Sam Evans joined New Directions in Season 2 of Glee, then he became a main character in Season 4. Sam was also not the brightest bulb in the box, but he was a sweet kid who ended up having romances with many of the female Glee characters.

Chord Overstreet appeared in the series Pickle and Peanut, The Bold Type, and Royalties. In 2020, he appeared in the film The Swing of Things. The cast of The Swing of Things also included Olivia Culpo, Adelaide Kane, and Luke Wilson. It’s about a groom who accidentally books his honeymoon at a swingers’ resort. Overstreet has released two albums since Glee. They are Tree House Tapes and Hold On. He also released a single called Water Into Wine in 2020.

Darren Criss (Blaine Anderson)

Blaine Anderson started off Glee as a member of the Warblers, a rival glee club of the New Directions. Eventually, Blaine and Kurt fall in love and become one of the most popular couples on Glee. Darren Cris reunited with Ryan Murphy for several projects.

He appeared in a couple of episodes of American Horror Story: Hotel. He teamed up with Murphy for The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, and he won an Emmy for that role. In 2020, he was one of the leads in Murphy’s Hollywood. Criss also teamed up with some of his former Glee co-stars by playing Music Meister in Supergirl and The Flash. Also in 2020, Criss had his own Quibi series called Royalties. It also featured some appearances by former Glee cast members.

In 2020, Criss launched a Podcast and web series called Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye. Post-Glee Criss also appeared in the film Midway, returned to Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and recorded an EP called Homework.

Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang)

Mike Chang started Glee as more of a background dancer but as the show went on, he became more of a main figure in New Directions. Harry Shum Jr. played Magnus Bane on Shadowhunters from 2016 to 2018. He then appeared in the second season of Kevin Williamson’s series Tell Me A Story. Shum also appeared in an episode of Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

Harry Shum Jr. appeared in the popular film Crazy Rich Asians and in the films Burn and Escape Plan: The Extractors. In 2020, he appeared in All My Life. Also in 2020, it was announced that Shum will appear in Netflix's rom-com Love Hard.

Dianna Agron (Quinn Fabray)

Quinn Fabray was the typical queen bee but became more than just a mean girl and teen mom. Dianna Agron has lent her voice to Robot Chicken and Wreck-It Ralph: Ralph Breaks the Internet. She has appeared in the films Against the Clock, Berlin, I Love You, Shiva Baby, and upcoming The Laureate.

She also appeared in the stage production of McQueen and a virtual performance of Is Edward Snowden Single?

Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez)

Santana was the mean girl, who could hurt every member of New Directions’ feelings in two-seconds flat, but you also knew there was some truth to her quick jabs. She was never afraid to deflate Rachel’s ego or bully Mr. Schuester.

Naya Rivera appeared in the film Mad Families in 2017. She also had a main role in the Step Up TV series. Tragically, in 2020, Rivera went missing after renting a boat with her son. Days later, Rivera’s body was found, and she was pronounced dead from accidental drowning.

Mark Salling (Noah Puck Puckerman)

Puck was McKinley High School’s resident bad boy. He ends up sleeping with his best friend Finn (Cory Monteith)’s girlfriend Quinn and impregnates her. Mark Salling hadn’t appeared in any shows or movies post-Glee. In 2015, the actor was arrested on suspicion of possession of child pornography, for which he later pled guilty and in 2018, he committed suicide by hanging.

Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson)

Finn Hudson was another Glee character that was kind but not that smart. He was a football player who loved singing. He was Rachel Berry’s main love interest throughout Glee. While appearing in Glee, Cory Monteith also appeared in the films All the Wrong Reasons, McCanick, and had a guest appearance on MasterChef.

Cory Monteith last appeared on Glee in 2013. Sadly, he died in July 2013 from a toxic mixture of drugs and alcohol, before the series ended.

Glee aired from 2009 to 2015. If you’re in the mood to rewatch some of your favorite Glee characters, the series is available to stream on Netflix. Stream it here.

The death of Naya Rivera rocked the entertainment world earlier this year. This past summer, the actress and singer went missing while boating with her son on California’s Lake Piru before the 33-year-old star’s body was found a few days later. Rivera’s death was followed by a wave of tributes across Hollywood, particularly from her Glee co-stars. While processing their grief, the cast has also found positive ways to pay tribute to their late colleague and, now, they’re continuing to do so over the holiday season.

Matthew Morrison recently revealed that he and his follow Glee alums are joining together to continue an initiative that Naya Rivera actually started. The charity, lovingly known as Snixxmas, was a way for Rivera to celebrate and raise money for a great cause, as Morrison told ET:

I can’t think of a better way for the cast of Glee to honor Naya Rivera this holiday, and they already seem to be doing her proud. As of this writing, Matthew Morrison and the cast have already raised over $77,000 for the cause. Morrison also posted about Snixxmas on Instagram:

The money raised for Snixxmas goes towards Alexandria House, a Los Angeles-based residence that provides transitional housing for women both with and without children. The statement on Snixxmas’ GoFundMe page reflected on Naya Rivera’s work with the organization and stressed that COVID-19 has brought on tough times for many people. This, as the joint statement says, means people can really use a helping hand as holidays approach:

As mentioned, the cast and crew of Glee have honored Naya Rivera in other generous. One way the show’s creators have done so is by creating a college fund for her own son, Josey. It’s nice to see that they’re all still remembering Rivera. It can’t be easy, especially during this time of the year, but the way they’ve come together is truly special and speaks to the power of their bond.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

It's been several months since the accidental drowning death of Glee star Naya Rivera in California's Lake Piru. And, while her family members, friends and fans are still dealing with their many emotions in the aftermath of the tragedy, a lawsuit has now been filed over her death.

According to TMZ, Naya Rivera's ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this week on behalf of their 5-year-old son Josey Hollis Dorsey, which claims that Ventura County, California (where Lake Piru is located) is responsible for Rivera's death because the boat that she and the child were on that day didn't comply with safety standards. In the documents, which were filed by Dorsey's lawyer on Tuesday, he claims that the boat Rivera rented to take herself and her son out on the lake was in violation of the laws for the state of California, noting that:

In the suit, Dorsey is claiming that the boat managed to drift away from Rivera and her son after they jumped into the lake to go swimming, and that having the aforementioned safety features could have prevented that from happening, and helped lead to their safe return to the craft once they were done in the water.

Naya Rivera was reported missing on July 8, after she rented the boat intending take her son swimming, but later that same day, the boat was found with her son safe and sleeping inside, while Rivera was nowhere to be found. Several days of searching the lake, as well as the land around it, followed, with Rivera's family and friends visiting the site to help where they could. When authorities were unable to locate her quickly, she was presumed dead, until her body was found in the northeastern portion of the lake on July 13.

After Rivera's body was located, Sheriff Bill Ayub detailed the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department thoughts on what happened, saying that they believed the boat likely began to drift when they were in the water, and that she was able to gather enough strength and energy to get her son onto the vessel, but not save herself afterward.

Ryan Dorsey's suit basically echoes that sentiment, while adding that the boat had been "rocking back and forth forcefully in the current and wind." The lawsuit also alleges that there was no signage to warn people about the potentially dangerous conditions of the lake (something that locals have been complaining about for decades), and that the person who rented Rivera the boat failed to instruct her to wear the life vest that was on board, possibly hastening her accidental drowning.

This is unlikely to be the last that we'll hear of Ryan Dorsey's suit against Ventura County over Naya Rivera's death, so be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest.

Glee vet Naya Rivera unexpectedly died in July from a tragic accidental drowning. The late actress was mourned by her family, friends, and fans in the aftermath, many of whom recalled the impact Rivera made in their lives. Rivera’s final TV appearance was previously believed to have been in an episode of Netflix’s competition series Sugar Rush. As it turns out, however, her final appearance is actually in a very unexpected show.

The late Naya Rivera reportedly filmed an episode of The Eric Andre Show prior to her death. The comedy series, which airs on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and parodies talk shows in a late-night-style format, is known to bring on celebrity guests and Rivera was apparently one of them. Her appearance on the series was confirmed by none other than Eric Andre on Twitter. Here’s what he wrote about Rivera’s upcoming episode and when it will air:

Eric Andre did not elaborate on the details surrounding Naya Rivera’s appearance, nor did the host indicate when the late actress actually filmed the episode in question. However, we now know that she will appear in one of two Season 5 episodes scheduled for the midnight half-hour block on Monday, November 9 (Sunday for those on the west coast).

The talk show has a tendency to get pretty wild — Eric Andre pulls pranks and various stunts to surprise his guests. Let’s just say that it’s not your average late-night talk show at all! Several months have gone by since Rivera’s passing, but I think The Eric Andre Show provides a bittersweet opportunity for fans to see the actress in a new project one last time.

The Glee alum was reported missing on July 9 after taking her young son Josey out on a boat at Lake Piru. Naya Rivera was presumed to have drowned in the lake before her body was officially found a few days later on July 13. A plethora of tributes and messages in honor of the late actress quickly began pouring in and a private funeral was held for her on July 24, where she was laid to rest in Los Angeles’ Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Naya Rivera’s episode of The Eric Andre Show will air between 12:00 - 12:30 a.m. ET on Monday, November 9 on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. For more on what to watch in the meantime, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news.

The sudden death of Glee star Naya Rivera hit the entertainment world hard. The actress died at the age of 33 after drowning during a boat trip with her young son, Josey, back in July. As time has progressed, additional information regarding her final moments has been reported, including the fact that one of her last acts was making sure her son was safe. Now, additional details on the incident have come to light via the autopsy report.

A new report reveals that Naya Rivera and her son initially jumped into the water at Diablo Cove to swim after doing a brief countdown. However, not long after they dove in, Rivera would help her son back onto the boat before yelling for help:

The report, which was obtained by ET, also states that Naya Rivera declined to take a life jacket when offered one by the boat rental employee. Despite this, the employee still made sure the boat had one, which was later found by authorities.

According to the report, Naya Rivera’s mother told authorities that her daughter could swim and mentioned that she and her son had planned to have a barbecue before she decided to rent the boat. This latter fact was evidenced by charcoal in Rivera’s car and a “bag of food items” found in the boat.

Investigators also found several items in Naya Rivera’s purse, which included her cell phone, “syringes with a pink fluid substance, identification, and a filled prescription slip for amphetamine was found in the decedent’s purse." There were also reportedly “three 12 ounce White Claw alcohol cans” near Rivera’s purse. The report specified that “one of the cans was empty, one was open and was about 3/4 full, and one was unopened.”

The report also noted that the actress had recently suffered from a sinus infection and had a history of vertigo, for which she had been previously treated. The report stated that the vertigo “would get worse when she was in the water.” At this time, drowning is still listed as Rivera’s cause of death.

Many of Naya Rivera’s colleagues are still reeling from her passing, and many have posted beautiful tributes to her. Shortly after her death, many of her former Glee co-stars gathered at Lake Piru in her honor. Other co-stars like Lea Michele and Amber Riley would also pen heartfelt messages dedicated to her memory. In addition, Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan are also in the process of setting up a college fund for her son.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and film.

Naya Rivera’s untimely death has brought tributes from those who knew and loved her. In light of her passing, Rivera’s former fiancé, Big Sean, has been among those to pay their respects. Big Sean and Rivera dated back in 2013, and the two became engaged, before deciding to split up. The song “IDFWU” was released by Big Sean afterward.

“IDFWU” stands for “I Don’t Fuck with You.” In the song, Big Sean expresses his feelings about an unnamed woman with some unflattering lyrics. The timing of the single’s release in September 2014, combined with Big Sean’s breakup with Naya Rivera from April of that year, led many people to assume that the song is about her. It was the lead single from Big Sean’s album, Dark Sky Paradise.

Now, a couple of months have passed since Naya Rivera died tragically at Lake Piru, and Big Sean is promoting his new album, Detroit 2, meaning that “IDFWU” inevitably came up in the conversation, as it has taken on a new perspective in people's minds following Rivera’s death. Asked if he regrets creating the song, Big Sean told Vulture:

Big Sean says that Naya Rivera knew about the song and liked it when he played it for her. He also stated that he and Rivera had forgiven each other and “moved on” following the public breakup. Still, Big Sean expressed that if he had known about the tragic ending to Rivera’s life, he would have “never made the song.” It is a statement that some might interpret as expressing regret over “IDFWU.”

At the time of his tribute to Naya Rivera, Big Sean shared his grief and shock over his former fiancé’s death, adding that he could not believe her passing was “real.” Rivera was laid to rest last month in a private funeral service.

Based on statements by Naya Rivera’s son, the Sheriff’s Department believes that Rivera died after heroically saving him after their swim took a dangerous turn. Rivera’s son indicated she had used her remaining strength to get him onto their rental boat before disappearing under the water. Rivera’s cause of death by drowning was later confirmed.

Naya Rivera’s death was met by Big Sean and others, who poured their hearts out in emotional tributes to the singer/actress. The mother of Rivera’s late Glee co-star, Cory Monteith, has been among those to pen one. Meanwhile, Big Sean’s “IDFWU” is not the only song to have people see it in a new light in the aftermath of Rivera’s passing.

The Glee star’s rendition of The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young” for Cory Monteith/Finn’s tribute episode has taken on tragic new meaning. No one could have ever expected the words Naya Rivera sang to be prophetic of her own untimely death. And, it might be good for Rivera's fans, friends and family to hear that Big Sean now, at the very least, has conflicting feelings about “IDFWU.”

You can currently stream Naya Rivera’s many memorable performances on Glee via Netflix. Rivera also posthumously appears as a guest judge in an episode of Sugar Rush’s third season, which is now streaming, and was the last thing that Rivera filmed before her passing. Be sure to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest in TV and movie news.

Nearly two months have passed since the tragic loss of Naya Rivera. The late Glee actress was found in the waters of Lake Piru in July and her death was ruled an accidental drowning. Since then, several of Rivera’s family, friends, and former co-stars have publicly expressed their grief and shared an outpouring of love for Rivera and what she meant to them. Recently, Glee co-star Amber Riley took the stage to honor Rivera in an emotional performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Amber Riley teamed up with actor Lil Rel Howery to pay special tribute to their friend Naya Rivera through song. Performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Riley took to the stage to perform “A Moment.” Riley’s performance is simple and beautiful. Packed with her strong singing voice, the segment was filmed in black and white, with pictures of Rivera throughout her youth and adulthood appearing off to the side of the stage. You can watch Riley’s emotionally powerful tribute below.

Wasn’t that incredible and emotional? Amber Riley has always been incredibly talented, and I thought the tribute was indicative of how special and important music had always been to Naya Rivera’s life. To honor her memory with a song spoke volumes and I’m sure that Rivera’s fans were touched by Riley’s performance.

Over on Twitter, Amber Riley revealed that the pictures used in the video were given to her by Naya Rivera’s mother. The Glee alum publicly thanked Rivera’s mom and asked fans to “continue to uplift and pray” for Rivera’s family through this difficult time. In yet another tweet, Riley said that she didn’t make it 15 seconds in without being reduced to tears.

On Glee, Amber Riley and Naya Rivera were often paired together for songs, memorably singing a mash-up of Adele’s “Rumor Has It” and “Someone Like You,” as well as the duet “River Deep, Mountain High” in Season 2. Riley was one of several Glee cast members who joined Rivera’s family around Lake Piru before the late actress’ body was recovered from the water.

In a post following Naya Rivera’s death, Amber Riley wrote that there was nothing but “pure adoration and mutual respect” between them and that she will forever hold Rivera in her heart like she does the late Cory Monteith, who died in 2013. A private funeral was held for Rivera in late July, with only close friends and family in attendance.

Naya Rivera’s Glee co-star and close friend Heather Morris shared that she and the late actress were very aware of what their characters’ on-screen relationship meant to fans. Morris also opened up about grief, how it “looks different on everybody,” and that she wanted people to be kind to themselves during this difficult time.

You can rewatch Naya Rivera’s performances on Glee, which is currently streaming on Netflix. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our fall premiere guide.

While Naya Rivera's family will still, obviously, have a long road of grieving and healing ahead of them, many of the Glee star's fans and former co-stars are also still coming to terms with losing her after the accidental drowning which took her life early last month. Several of Rivera's family members, friends and co-stars from the Fox hit have paid public tribute to her in the past few weeks, and now music superstar Gloria Estefan (who played Santana's mom, Maribel) is speaking about how heartbreaking the loss is.

As everyone continues to process Naya Rivera's devastating death, more of those she touched professionally are coming forward to talk about what it was like to work with her, and Gloria Estefan is now doing the same. Even though Estefan only appeared in two episodes as Maribel, she still has fond memories of Rivera and the time they spent on set, and told Entertainment Tonight:

As Gloria Estefan said, a lot of people are still dealing with the "brutal loss" of Naya Rivera, but plenty have come out to talk about what a light the singer / actress / dancer was, especially on the set of Glee. It was just last week that co-star Jane Lynch called Rivera "a force of nature," noting how quickly she could memorize extensive monologues, change them to suit what she felt better fit Santana's voice and rattle them off like they were second nature. In calling Rivera a "triple threat," it's clear that Estefan fells the same way about her, even after such a short time spent working with her.

If you weren't a Glee fan, you might not know that a huge part of Rivera's character development over all six seasons of the musical dramedy was her coming to terms with her feelings for her best friend and fellow cheerleader, Brittany (Heather Morris). While Lynch and Morris both spoke about how important that storyline was and how Rivera was well aware of what it meant for viewers to be able to see the relationship between Santana and Brittany grow into a full-blown romance, Estefan has now had an important realization about Santana's coming out, as well.

While Santana's grandmother wasn't supportive or accepting of her coming out until the very end, Maribel was much more open and didn't seem to have anything but support for her daughter. What Estefan realized after her appearances on Glee, was that she ended up reliving the coming out of a daughter in real life, when her daughter, Emily, came out and told her she's a lesbian. Estefan didn't say that going through it on the show helped her with her own daughter, but it's almost certain that seeing the acceptance Maribel had for Santana did assist some actual families when their kids came out.

You can still check out Gloria Estefan and Naya Rivera on Glee, as the whole series is streaming on Netflix. For more on what to watch in the coming weeks, be sure to look into our fall premiere schedule.

The family, friends and fans of Glee actress Naya Rivera are, obviously, still mourning her sudden and tragic passing after she drowned in California's Lake Piru last month. In the weeks since Rivera's death, several of her former Glee co-stars have come out to talk about their memories of her and what it was like to work with her, and now Jane Lynch, who played cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester to Rivera's Santana Lopez on the Fox hit, has spoken out about what it was like to work with Rivera, calling her "a force of nature."

Jane Lynch recently stepped in to co-host the fourth hour of Today with Jenna Bush Hager while Hoda Kotb was out, and talked openly about her experiences while working with Naya Rivera on Glee. After noting how "gut-wrenching and heartbreaking" it is that Rivera is no longer with us, Lynch said:

Well, Jane Lynch certainly has a point about the Glee cast being stacked with impressive young talent. The socially relevant comedy didn't win several Emmys and Golden Globes, along with a Screen Actors Guild Award and Peabody Award, for nothing, after all. But, among all the fuss over some of the other cast members, Lynch thinks that Naya Rivera's performance as the smart, snippy Santana often got lost in the shuffle. Still, there's no denying that she made a big impact on the show, as evidenced by the number of Santana rants you can find catalogued online, like this one:

Oh, man. That is so good, right? As Lynch noted, Naya Rivera was quite capable of making the very most of her time on screen, and shined in all of her scenes, even with so many others doing such great work around her. This particular rant probably wasn't quite one of the three-page monologues which Lynch spoke of, but it's certainly close enough to help remind us all how much self-assured flair Rivera brought to Glee with Santana.

Heather Morris, who played Rivera's on screen friend-with-benefits turned girlfriend turned wife, Brittany, for all six seasons of Glee, opened up recently about how much their characters meant to the fans, and Jane Lynch echoed her sentiment, noting that Rivera was "a great advocate" who understood the importance of portraying a lesbian relationship on the series. So, it would seem that the young star truly landed in the right role at the right time.

You can revisit Naya Rivera and Jane Lynch's work on Glee by streaming the show on Netflix, but for more to watch in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our guide to fall TV.

When Naya Rivera went missing after boating with her son in early July, her former Glee co-star and good friend Heather Morris was one of the first to to speak up and ask for prayers and public support, as well as eventually trying to help search for Rivera near Lake Piru, where she went missing. Now that her tragic death has been confirmed for over a month, Morris has spoken up in a very honest post on social media about her feelings, and directly addressed fans in an effort to help them through their grief, as well.

Many of Naya Rivera's friends, loved ones and former co-stars have been talking about their feelings and paying tribute to the actress and singer in the past few weeks, and Heather Morris has been among them. She's already talked about how much their friendship meant to her and shared some of the ways they kept in touch once Glee wrapped up in 2015, and now Morris has decided to use Instagram to talk directly to the fans for whom their on-screen romance as Brittany and Santana meant so much. After admitting to feeling "heavy" and having an "aching" in her heart to connect with fans who may be feeling "lost and confused," she said:

The relationship between Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez was truly important to a lot of Glee fans. From Season 1, it was pretty clear that the two were more than just buddies on the cheer squad at William McKinley High School, and, over six seasons, the characters matured and their romance was allowed to grow into a full blown love that defied expectations and stood in the face of prejudice, even when it came from Santana's beloved grandmother.

Rivera's Santana was frequently reluctant, especially in those early episodes, to admit her true feelings for Brittany, much less want anyone else to know that she was in love with her best friend, despite Brittany being way more open about her feelings and having far fewer worries about letting everyone know the truth. So, it's probably very accurate that watching how their characters developed inspired a lot of viewers to find and live in their own truth, meaning that Santana and Brittany were (and likely continue to be) very important to them.

Morris goes on to say that while Brittany and Santana were important to the fans, the fans were also very important for Glee and that storyline, and she also spoke about how she thinks Rivera's fans can process what's happened:

It was a wonderful thing for Heather Morris to reach out to fans in this way, especially when she's currently mourning the loss of such a good friend.

You can revisit Santana and Brittany's romance by catching Glee on Netflix, but for more to watch, be sure to check out our guide to fall TV.

It’s been a few weeks since we first learned that Naya Rivera had disappeared into the waters at Lake Piru, yet it feels like only a short time ago that the world lost the Glee actress. Following the retrieval of her body and ultimately an autopsy undergone by the Coroner’s Office, Rivera was finally able to be laid to rest with a small number of friends and family present for the event.

Naya Rivera was buried in the famous Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on July 24, 2020. Gatherings, including funerals and more have had to be reevaluated in the middle of the pandemic. Reportedly, Rivera’s funeral was small, with only 25 or so people attending the event. Close friends and family members made up the funeral party, though some of Rivera’s former coworkers have been supportive in other ways. According to CBS, fans also mourned at their own vigil near Lake Piru on Saturday of this week, coming from as far as Oregon and Indiana to mourn.

Rivera’s sister Nickayla also shared a touching tribute around the time of Naya’s funeral, noting that her sister was her rock and that she will be missed immensely and immeasurably.

Per ET, the funeral was private and came after Naya Rivera’s autopsy was released. That report indicated that Rivera’s cause of death was drowning, and it confirmed a few more details related to her passing. Rivera died within a manner of minutes in the lake, with the Sheriff’s office speculating she may have drowned after using her last energy reserves to boost her young son back into the boat.

Naya Rivera initially went missing during a day of boating with her son Josey during a trip to Lake Piru in Ventura County on July 8. The Los Angeles County and Ventura County PD later teamed up in order to recover the Glee actress’ body and she was ultimately found on July 13—the same day seven years earlier her co-star Cory Monteith had been found dead following an overdose.

Her Glee friends and co-workers came out to support the actress both at Lake Piru where her body was found and in touching messages on social media. Glee producers Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan went a step further and set up a college fund for Rivera’s son Josey, who is four at the time of this writing.

Naya Rivera was only 33 years of age at the time of her death. She leaves behind countless family members, including her mother Yolanda, who was active with her son Josey and in her life, as well as siblings and many more. Her ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, whom she shares Josey with, also shared a kind tribute following her death. All in all, Rivera affected countless lives and was taken from the world too soon. She will be missed.

Former Glee star Naya Rivera died earlier in July at 33 after an outing on Lake Piru in California took a tragic turn. Fans of the singer and actress will have a chance to see her final TV appearance shortly courtesy of Netflix. Rivera will appear in an episode of Sugar Rush Season 3 as a guest judge.

Naya Rivera filmed an episode of Netflix's Sugar Rush back in February prior to production halts throughout the entertainment industry, and Deadline reports that after carefully considering this situation with her former manager, Netflix decided to release the footage as part of the third season. The episode has been dedicated to Rivera, and viewers can expect an on-screen message in tribute to her ahead of the opening credits.

The episode was the last thing that Naya Rivera shot before the production shutdowns. The actress was expected to reprise her role on the Step Up TV show when it made its Starz debut. The Sugar Rush episode will feature Rivera on the panel with professional chefs and regular judges Candace Nelson and Adriano Zumbo, with host Hunter March on hand.

The third season of Sugar Rush, called Extra Sweet, releases on Friday, July 31 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix. The premiere date was announced in late June, well before Naya Rivera's disappearance was first reported. The show is a fast-paced competition series that challenges teams of bakers to create treats against a clock, through three rounds: cupcakes, confections, and cakes. Take a look at the trailer:

Although Naya Rivera is not featured in the trailer for Sugar Rush Season 3, the preview footage indicates that her final TV appearance will be on a fun show. It also won't be the only time the actress contributed to a show as a guest judge. She filled the same role on RuPaul's Drag Race in 2017, and Netflix went the extra mile to dedicate the episode to her.

Naya Rivera went missing on July 8, when she did not return a rented boat that she took out onto Lake Piru with her 4-year-old son Josey. Despite hopeful messages and an ongoing search, Rivera was presumed drowned when she couldn't be located. Her body was found on July 13, and her confirmed death resulted in an outpouring of grief and emotional tributes from her Glee cast members. Authorities in Ventura County revealed that Naya Rivera's final act was likely saving her young son's life before she drowned.

See Naya Rivera's final TV appearance as a guest judge in Sugar Rush Season 3, which will be available on Netflix starting on July 31 at 12:01 a.m. PT as one of the many shows hitting the streaming giant in 2020. You can also find Rivera in the role that was her big break with all six seasons of Santana Lopez on Glee streaming on Netflix as well.

Weeks after Naya Rivera’s tragic death, there is still an outpouring of love online from fans, friends and family. Former Glee stars have posted about her passing, in part remembering Rivera’s talent and all the light and love she carried with her. Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey recently broke his silence following her death as well, posting a long tribute to her. Now, the late actress’ sister Nickayla Rivera has posted her own touching message to social media, saying that her “world is turned upside down” without her sibling around.

Nickayla Rivera took to Instagram to share a beautiful message in the wake of her sister’s passing. The younger Rivera spoke about the bond she and Naya Rivera shared and how she couldn’t really put into words what the late Glee star meant to her. Here’s what Nickayla wrote:

Nickayla Rivera’s post is incredibly emotional and it’s hard not to be reminded of the fact that Naya Rivera was taken far too soon. The late actress was only 33 years old at the time of her shocking death. After renting a boat and heading out onto California's Lake Piru with her four-year-old son Josey, Rivera was reported missing, and her body was found five days later on July 13, with the cause of death confirmed to be accidental drowning.

Alongside the message, Nickayla Rivera shared a sweet black and white picture of her and her sister as kids. Take a look below:

When it comes to the death of loved ones, the experience is never really easy. Some people are quick to take to social media to share tributes and memories, while others perhaps need a bit more time to process before speaking about such sensitive topics. The latter seems like the case with Nickayla Rivera, who followed up on the above by posting another picture with her sister as kids together, captioning the image with a simple “I love you.” Check out the sweet post below.

Naya Rivera was well-loved by many who watched her and/or worked with her in the past. Several well-known stars took to social media to pay heartfelt tributes to the late actress, including ex-fiance Big Sean, late Glee star Cory Monteith's mother, Amber Riley, Heather Morris, and the trio of Tia, Tamera, and Taj Mowry, among so many more. Meanwhile, the creators of Glee are starting a college fund for Rivera’s son.

Here at CinemaBlend, our hearts go out to Naya Rivera’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.

Naya Rivera’s tragic death sent shockwaves through Hollywood, as many are still reeling from the loss of the Glee star. With this, many have offered condolences to Rivera’s loved ones and have also created heartfelt tributes in her memory. Rivera’s ex-husband, Ryan Dorsey, had remained silent on her passing, but he’s now opened up about it in a new sentimental message on social media.

Ryan Dorsey seemed to be overcome with emotions in a recent post on Instagram. He could only describe the situation as unfair and expressed his disbelief over Naya Rivera’s passing:

Dorsey went on to say that he’s grateful for the time that he got to spend with Naya Rivera and thanked her for the gift of their four-year-old son, Josey:

In the post, Dorsey recalled how Rivera used to chastise him for overusing Snapchat and, while the actor says he never listened to her, he says he now has a sweet reason for standing by his decision:

It's tough not to get emotional when reading Dorsey’s post and, although he is still dealing with this new reality, he seems to be choosing to look fondly on Naya Rivera’s memory as opposed to just mourning her. In his post, he also included a sweet photo of Rivera and Josey together. You can check it out below:

Ryan Dorsey’s tribute is one of the many beautiful sentiments that’s been shared about Naya Rivera since her passing. Her ex-fiancee, Big Sean, also paid tribute to the late actress. Many of her Glee co-stars like Amber Riley and Heather Morris have also opened up about how they’re handling her death. The creators of Glee are even working to establish a college fund for her son.

While Naya Rivera is greatly missed by her family and friends, one thing that’s remained constant is the fond memories they have for her. And Ryan Dorsey has definitely helped to ensure that her memory will live on, especially for their son.

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Naya Rivera during this difficult time.

The cast of Glee is continuing to celebrate the life of their mega-talented co-star, Naya Rivera, who tragically passed away at the age of 33. Amber Riley, who memorably played fan-favorite Mercedes Jones on the Fox series, has revealed how she remembers Rivera and Cory Monteith every day.

Amber Riley took to social media to remember both of her friends and co-stars with a poignant post. The singer/actress took a deep dive into her friendship with Naya Rivera, recalling her friend with tremendous affection. On how she will remember Rivera and Cory Monteith going forward, Riley wrote on Instagram:

Amber Riley shares that she says Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith’s names every day to remember them. Rivera went missing earlier this July after renting a boat to ride across Lake Piru with her son. A search of the area, which is known to be dangerous for swimmers, quickly got underway. Among those to gather around the lake where Rivera disappeared were Riley and Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce).

In a tragic turn of events, Naya Rivera’s remains were discovered seven years to the day of hers and Amber Riley’s Glee co-star Cory Monteith’s death. Monteith died on July 13, 2013. A photo that Rivera had sent to her family from that fateful day helped investigators narrow the search, which helped lead to the tragic discovery of her remains.

In her latest Instagram post, Amber Riley opens up about her friendship with Naya Rivera and hers and Rivera’s relationship behind-the-scenes of Glee. Riley also shares her awe of Rivera’s talent, saying she was more than just Glee. Of her friendship with Rivera, Riley wrote:

The passing of Naya Rivera has the Glee family grieving yet another co-star. Sadly, Rivera will not get a tribute on the TV show, which ended back in 2015. Cory Monteith’s passing was addressed on-screen via the death of Monteith’s character, Finn. In the years since then, the cast of Glee has not forgotten. They have paid tribute to Monteith on the anniversary of his death, years after his passing.

After Cory Monteith’s passing, Glee celebrated Monteith’s Finn with a tribute episode that saw art imitating life. The installment included performances from Amber Riley and Naya Rivera. For her tribute, Rivera sang The Band Perry’s “If I Die Young.” In light of her passing, the performance has taken on new meaning.

After Rivera’s passing, Monteith’s mother, Ann McGregor, posted a moving tribute to Rivera, sharing what Rivera meant to her son.

You can currently stream Naya Rivera and Amber Riley’s many memorable performances both together and apart on Netflix. To watch Rivera and Riley’s duet cover of Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High,” head over to Season 2, Episode 4 entitled “Duets.”

Following Naya Rivera’s tragic passing at the age of 33, many are taking the time to honor the late actress and singer in a myriad of ways. This has included a gathering of her Glee co-stars at the site of her death and even a heartfelt message from her ex-fiancee, Big Sean. Now, the minds behind Glee – Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan – are working to ensure the future education of Rivera’s son.

The three producers recently released a joint statement (via THR) in which they remembered Naya Rivera as a “pro” who was “generous” and “fun.” At the end of the statement, Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan sent their condolences to Rivera’s family and revealed that they’re currently setting up a college fund for her four-year-old son, Josey:

Naya Rivera originally went missing on July 8 while sailing with her son on Lake Piru in California. The search would quickly expand with divers and helicopters being brought in, though their efforts were temporarily halted due to hazy conditions. On July 13, Rivera’s body was located in the northeastern portion of Lake Piru.

When Naya Rivera was first reported missing, her young son was found sleeping alone in the boat Rivera had rented at Lake Piru. As the search went on, her son’s statements would help the Ventura County Sherriff’s Department determine that Rivera’s last act was saving her son. This would also help lead the department to determine that she died from accidental drowning.

As mentioned, those closest to Naya Rivera have paid tribute to her in different ways. Her Glee co-star, Heather Morris, detailed their close friendship in a heartfelt statement, saying that they stuck by each other through both good and bad times.

Another touching post came from Cory Monteith’s mother, who expressed her memories of the friendship her son shared with Monteith. Tragically, Rivera’s body was found on the seventh anniversary of Cory Monteith’s own death. Some may also remember that Rivera, as Santana Lopez, also performed an emotional song on Glee episode that served as a send-off for Monteith’s character.

While it’s still hard to fathom Naya Rivera’s death, Seeing the immense amount of love that’s been shared in the wake of it has been beautiful to see. The creation of a college fund for her son is a very generous gesture from Murphy, Falchuk and Brennan and is a more than fitting way to honor the late star they say they “lucked into finding.”

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Naya Rivera’s loved ones at this time.

It’s been almost a week since Naya Rivera’s body was recovered from Lake Piru and more than a week since she first went missing in the lake’s turbulent waters, but hearts are still breaking over the news. In fact, Rivera’s ex-fiance Big Sean finally opened up about the death of his former fiancé, sharing a heartfelt post that touched on Naya, their relationship and all of those mourning the Glee star after her death.

In a post over on Instagram, the “My Last” rapper wrote that he feels Naya Rivera is truly a hero, following the report the Glee actress likely used her last ounces of energy to get her young son back onto the boat they had rented. But Big Sean says that was true to Naya’s nature in general, noting,

Big Sean hadn’t spoken out initially after Naya Rivera went missing, but given the timing of what came about regarding Rivera’s disappearance, him choosing to comment now makes sense. When Naya went missing, she was presumed dead by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, but with no confirmation, it may have felt insensitive to pay tribute to the former Glee star until confirmation had come through. Thankfully, her body was eventually found in Lake Piru, which will hopefully give her family and friends closure to move on, Big Sean included.

Big Sean’s had several high-profile romances, including dating Naya Rivera back in 2013 as well as dating Ariana Grande and Jhené Aiko. The rapper also touched on their  seemingly turbulent relationship, noting that bygones have been bygones. It was Rivera he had previously been engaged to at the height of her Glee fame in 2013, but even though people may sometimes not be a good fit as a couple, their lives are affected indubitably by the time they spent together.

Big Sean isn’t the only Hollywood celebrity who has paid tribute to Naya Rivera following her tragic death at the age of 33. Her Glee co-star Heather Morris has shared a lot of her thoughts and feelings following Naya’s initial disappearance, and members of the cast even went to Lake Piru to honor their former co-star. It’s been an emotional time for a lot of people, but I am grateful Naya Rivera’s body was able to be recovered and that people close to the actress will be able to properly grieve.

A memorial site has been set up at Lake Pira, where Naya Rivera's body was found. Our thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by this tragedy.

Naya Rivera’s tragic death has sent shockwaves through the world and, as Glee fans remember the stand-out star, one of her emotional performances has been met with a new surge of attention.

Rivera played fan-favorite Santana Lopez throughout Glee’s six seasons. The singer/actress tragically drowned while swimming in California's Lake Piru with her four-year-old son. The sheriff’s department shared that they believe that Rivera’s last act was saving her son, Josey, by getting him back on board the boat they were on. Now, in the wake of her passing, one of Rivera's key Glee performances has taken on new meaning.

Glee’s fifth season addressed the passing of star Cory Monteith, who played the beloved Finn Hudson on the musical dramedy, with an episodic tribute. The episode entitled “The Quarterback” saw members of the Glee club pay their respects to Monteith’s Finn, and Naya Rivera’s Santana was among them. Rivera sang The Band Perry’s breakout single, “If I Die Young” during the episode. Check it out:

I just got chills. It goes without saying that Naya Rivera had so much talent. As a massive fan of the show, I remember watching this episode of Glee when it originally aired and being incredibly moved by Rivera’s powerful performance of The Band Perry’s solemn tune. Sadly, it now rings with an entirely different meaning in the wake of Rivera’s own death.

On Glee, Naya Rivera’s performance of “If I Die Young” came as Santa mourned Finn. Before starting, Santana attempted to put an emotional distance between herself and the loss of Finn. Before the end of the song, she could no longer do that, breaking down as she reached its conclusion and running out of the room.

Kurt later came to comfort Santana, who hesitantly shared the words she was initially going to lead with heading into the performance. After helping Santana cope, Kurt gave her Finn’s letterman jacket. To know that Naya Rivera is also gone is just another heartbreaking blow. For her to sing “If I Die Young” is one of those strange art meets life coincidences.

In another tragic conincidence, Naya Rivera’s body was recovered on the seven-year anniversary of Cory Monteith’s passing. Monteith’s mom has since posted a beautiful tribute to Rivera on social media.

Following confirmation of her death, Naya Rivera’s Glee co-stars also gathered around Lake Piru to honor her. Among those to come were Heather Morris (Brittany Pierce) and Amber Riley (Mercedes Jones). Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) and many other Glee stars took to social media to commemorate Rivera.

You can currently stream Naya Rivera’s many memorable performances as both an actor and a singer as Santana on Netflix. We here at CinemaBlend also continue to extend our thoughts to Naya Rivera's loved ones during this difficult time.

Heather Morris is joining her co-stars in paying tribute to her former Glee co-star and close friend, Naya Rivera. Rivera passed away in what was a tragic swimming accident. The Glee standout, who starred as Santana Lopez throughout the Fox series’ six-season run, went missing July 9 after taking her son boating on Lake Piru in California.

The Glee cast sent out hopeful messages before Naya Rivera’s passing was confirmed, and now they are in mourning for one of their brightest stars. Heather Morris played Brittany, Santana’s best friend and eventual love interest. Santana and Brittany got married during Glee’s final season. In an Instagram post paying tribute to Rivera, Heather Morris has detailed their friendship off-screen, taking to Instagram to write:

In one of the tragic twists shared by Heather Morris, she and Naya Rivera got deprived of a final phone call due to technical issues. Rivera still found a way to do something lovely for Morris, which she really appreciated. Morris also revealed that she listens to her Glee co-star’s EP on repeat.

The EP is just one of the many things that Naya Rivera did beyond Glee. Before her untimely death, Naya Rivera had auditioned for Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Rivera also had a role on the YouTube-turned-Starz show, Step Up. Throughout all of these things, Rivera had her friendship with Heather Morris, who continued her message, writing:

Heather Morris went on to say that she and Naya Rivera never took pictures together, opting for one of their children hanging out together for the Instagram tribute instead. Morris added that she and Rivera both shared in the “pride and joy” of their kids playing. The bereft Glee star finished off her message with the following words:

It is a tragic end to a remarkable friendship. Heather Morris and Naya Rivera had grown quite close over the years. A tribute for Rivera had drawn several Glee cast members to gather around Lake Piru to honor the late actress. Heather Morris and Amber Riley were among those believed to join Rivera’s family at the fateful site.

The area is known to locals for its dangerous conditions, which has led many to speak out about changes. When this tragedy began to unfold, Naya Rivera’s son was found safe and sleeping on the boat, but she remained missing. Aided by a picture taken by Rivera during the boat outing, divers were able to center their search for the actress’ remains.

On July 13, Naya Rivera’s body was recovered in Lake Piru. The actress was 33-years-old. It is believed that her last act while alive was saving her son by getting him back onto the boat, using her remaining strength to do so. Rivera’s cause of death has subsequently been confirmed to be an accidental drowning.

Heather Morris is among those in her Glee cast mourning Naya Rivera. Chris Colfer and Lea Michele are some of the many others who have also paid tribute to their former co-star. The mother of late Glee star, Corey Monteith, also honored Rivera with a heartfelt message on social media. Rivera will be missed.

You can currently stream Naya Rivera’s incredible performances as Santana on Netflix, which is now streaming alongside new 2020 content.

Since news broke of Naya Rivera’s death, the outpouring of love and grief has been immense. The late Glee actress went missing on July 8, after renting a boat to take out on Lake Piru with her four-year-old son, Josey. Five days later, on July 13, Rivera’s body was recovered and the cause of death was confirmed to be accidental drowning. Recently, Cory Monteith’s mom paid tribute to Rivera in a heartfelt post.

Several former Glee co-stars honored Naya Rivera at the location of her disappearance right before she was found. Since the announcement of her death, the late actress' co-stars have been posting thoughtful and loving messages and stories about Rivera. Cory Monteith's mother, Ann McGregor, also shared a beautiful tribute to Rivera, touching upon her friendship with Monteith, who died seven years ago. Here's what McGregor wrote in an Instagram post:

The post is incredibly thoughtful, lovely, and full of emotion. I can only imagine how gutted Ann McGregor was when she heard about Naya Rivera’s death on the exact same day that her own son died. She stated how “truly heartbroken” she was and went on to add how much Rivera meant to her family. In her words:

Included alongside the tribute are pictures of Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera together, laughing and looking happy. It’s so sad to think that they’re no longer with us. You can read Ann McGregor’s full message below.

It’s incredibly tragic that on the seventh anniversary of Cory Monteith’s death, Naya Rivera’s body was found at Lake Piru. Monteith died from mixed drug toxicity, a combination of heroin and alcohol that was ruled accidental. Glee alum Kevin McHale was convinced that Monteith somehow helped find Rivera after five days of searching, despite not being religious. They were both gone too soon.

Our sincerest condolences go out to Naya Rivera's family, friends, and loved ones who are grieving in this difficult time.

It's always interesting to wonder how movies, or entire film franchises, might have been different had certain roles been played by somebody else. Sometimes an actor turns down a role that ends up leading to massive success for another actor. Other times it's simply the decision to pick one audition over another that can have drastic, and usually unforeseen, consequences. Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson might have been chosen to direct the original Hunger Games movie, and if that had happened, it turns out we could have ended up with the late Naya Rivera in the role of Katniss Everdeen.

The director revealed this piece of information on Twitter. Many on social media who knew, or were simply fans, of Naya Rivera have been sharing their thoughts on the actress in the wake of her death. Scott Derrickson says that, based on the brief description of Katniss given in Susanne Collins' original novel, he envisioned Rivera as Katniss while reading the book, and he said as much when he met the producer to discuss directing the movie.

The idea of a Hunger Games movie directed by Scott Derrickson is an exciting idea all by itself. We have no idea how close that actually came to being a reality. This may have been the longest of shots to start with. The production almost certainly met with a lot of different directors. We know that many actresses were considered to play Katniss.

The Hunger Games would go on to be directed by Gary Ross and would star Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role. To be sure, even if Scott Derrickson had been hired, it's no guarantee that Naya Rivera would have become Katniss, but it is an interesting thought experiment. With both a different director and a different lead we would have seen a very different movie, that much is certain. The Hunger Games became a huge film franchise. Perhaps it could have been even bigger, or perhaps it would not have been the success that it became.

Either way, it could have very likely changed the trajectory of Naya Rivera's career. The first Hunger Games movie would have been filming in the middle of Glee's run on television, putting the actress in, likely, a hit movie and a hit TV show at the same time. One would have to assume that in addition to the film sequels, she might have been offered some very different roles going forward. We never got to see Naya Rivera play an action hero, and now there are a lot of replies to Scott Derrickson's tweet that are wishing that we had.

Lea Michele’s been fairly quiet on social media following Samantha Ware’s accusations about her experience with Michele on the set of Glee. This had set off a chain reaction of comments from the cast about the actress, which led to her quitting Twitter. However, Michele has returned to using her Instagram account somewhat and this week did pay tribute to Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith via the social media platform.

Lea Michele didn’t share a lot of words about Naya Rivera following the actress’ accidental drowning at Lake Piru. However, she did share some somber black and white photos of both Rivera and Cory Monteith, a Glee actor whom she had been dating around the time of his death, which occurred after an alcohol and heroin overdose in 2013.

The Instagram Stories post including both Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith likely didn’t simply happen because they both were Glee cast members who were taken from us too soon. One could take the extra step to surmise she shared images of both because of the July 13 connection between Rivera and Monteith.

Corey Monteith died on July 13, 2013 at the age of 31. At the time, he had been in and out of rehab and had been open about his troubles with drugs. Lea Michele and Monteith had dated and were close. His mother, Ann McGregor even previously explained that it was Michele who broke the news of her son’s death to her before the police had made it out.

While Naya Rivera went missing on July 8, her body wasn’t found until days later, on July 13 – the same day Cory Monteith had died years earlier. She was 33 at the time of her death, just a couple of years older than her co-star was when he tragically passed. Clearly that has to bring up a lot of feelings with all of the Glee cast, including Lea Michele.

Many other members of Glee whose lives were touched by Naya Rivera have also paid tribute to the actress, whose last act was reported to be saving her young son before she succumbed to the water. Kevin McHale also touched on the Monteith connection on Instagram, noting he was with Rivera when they learned the news of their co-star passing years ago.

Kevin McHale also believes the date Naya Rivera’s body was found is no coincidence, noting that things tend to happen for a reason. He said:

All in all it’s been a tough week, tough for the Glee cast, tough for fans around the world who loved Naya Rivera and most tough for Rivera’s family, who had to watch along with the rest of the world as this story unfolded. Our thoughts go out to everyone who is grieving at this time.

Naya Rivera's tragic death has shocked her family, friends and fans, but now we have an official cause of death for the 33-year-old Glee actress, who went missing after going boating with her son on California's Lake Piru on Wednesday, July 8. Initial reports indicated that accidental drowning would be the cause of her death, and now the report from the medical examiner's office has confirmed that suspicion.

After Naya Rivera's body was found in Lake Piru on the morning of Monday, July 13, the Ventura County medical examiner's office confirmed that it was her by comparing dental records. According to the report, which the county released via Twitter, officials performed a full autopsy and found that the state of her body was consistent with a drowning and the time she would have been submerged in the lake.

The report also notes that there were "no traumatic injuries or disease processes" which were identified during the autopsy, and that there were no preliminary indications that drugs or alcohol played any part in Rivera's death, leading to further evidence that there were no suspicious or pre-existing causes behind her drowning. But, the medical examiner's report does state that samples will still be sent for toxicology testing, to completely rule out any drug or alcohol use.

The search for Naya Rivera began in earnest last Wednesday night, after her 4-year-old son, Josey, was found sleeping alone in the pontoon boat that Rivera had rented for the two of them to go out on Lake Piru. Investigators said that Josey recalled that his mom "boosted him onto the deck from behind" before looking back and watching her disappear under the water. The thought is that their boat became unanchored, and Rivera realized this quickly enough to get her son on the boat before it could drift away, but was unable to save herself.

Shortly after it was realized that Naya Rivera was missing, locals near Lake Piru began petitions to encourage officials in the area to make the dangers of the lake better known to tourists. According to one petition, locals are well aware how dangerous swimming in the lake can be, and "don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason!" The lake is, apparently, very deep and with waters that have bad whirpools and rip tides, along with being very cold. Another petition pointed out that eight people had already perished at the lake since 1994, making Rivera Lake Piru's ninth drowning victim.

The initial search for Naya Rivera on Wednesday night included about 50 people from the sheriff's office, unmanned aerial vehicles, a helicopter, divers and boat crews, but after five hours the search had to be suspended due to the dangerous conditions that the divers faced in zero visibility waters at 10 p.m. The search resumed the next day, though, and eventually also included the Coast Guard, cadaver dogs and sonar devices. Some of Rivera's family, including her mother, younger brother and father, visited the lake during the search over the weekend, but by that time it was already considered a recovery mission, as opposed to a rescue operation.

There have already been many outpourings of support and emotional messages for Naya Rivera's family and close friends from her former Glee co-stars over the past week, with many of them, including Heather Morris and Amber Riley, going to Lake Piru to join Rivera's family in honoring her after her body was found. So, their words will likely be a comfort as Rivera's family tries to get through this difficult time.

Naya Rivera of Glee fame has died at 33. The actress and singer had accumulated legions of fans thanks to her role as Santana Lopez on the musical TV show, and many were hopeful that she would be recovered alive after her initial disappearance, with her former Glee co-stars sharing their hopes and well wishes on social media. Now, in the wake of her death, Chris Colfer and more Glee stars shared reactions to the tragedy.

Naya Rivera was first reported missing after she didn't return with a rented boat on Lake Piru in California on July 9, and a rescue effort was underway. Sadly, the rescue effort turned into a recovery as Rivera was presumed to have drowned, and the murkiness of the Lake Piru waters meant that searchers didn't have a lot to go on. Rivera's body was found on July 13 after several days of searching, and the Ventura County Sheriff's Department revealed that her last act may have been saving her 4-year-old son, who was alive on the boat when it was found.

The Glee cast was already out for Naya Rivera prior to the discovery of her body, as proved by a photo of her former cast members standing hand-in-hand with her family on the banks of Lake Piru. Many cast members took to social media with emotional messages, including those who started with her in the very first season of Glee, including Chris Colfer. He played Kurt Hummel, a classmate and later roommate of Rivera's Santana. Take a look:

Chris Colfer's message was full of love and respect as he looked back at his friendship with Naya Rivera, calling her "one of a kind" and sending his love to her family. Kevin McHale, who played Artie from the first season of Glee, also went for a black-and-white photo:

Kevin McHale also sang Naya Rivera's praises in a long Instagram caption, sharing that he and Rivera had been together in London when they found out about the death of Cory Monteith, which was seven years to the day before Rivera's body was discovered. He shared that they were recently talking about a trip to Hawaii, and praised her independence, strength, and talent. Jenna Ushkowitz played Tina from Glee Season, and she had a lot to say about Rivera as well:

On top of remembering the good times she shared with Naya Rivera, Jenna Ushkowitz mentioned Rivera's son Josey by name and commented that she would help Rivera's family remember how deserving Rivera was. Harry Shum Jr., a.k.a. Mike on Glee, shared this message:

Although Harry Shum found himself "failing miserably" to process the news of her death, he shared how Naya Rivera would nail her monologues as Santana on Glee and pour her heart into every performance. His mention of Rivera reuniting with their "brother in the heavanly skies" seemingly refers to Cory Monteith. Amber Riley, who played Mercedes Jones on Glee, called Rivera her "favorite duet partner" and shared a heartbreaking video:

The video shows Naya Rivera singing with her son, and Amber Riley went on in her caption to state that Rivera's family "will never have to worry about anything." Jane Lynch played Sue Sylvester on Glee, and was one of the actors who had reason to interact with cheerleader Santana on the show in the early days. Her message was short, sweet, and heartfelt:

Lea Michele, who of course played Santana's rival-turned-friend-and-roommate Rachel Berry, took advantage of her recent return to Instagram to honor Naya Rivera. Michele used her Instagram Stories to post a photo of Naya Rivera (as well as one of Cory Monteith). Michele and all of these other Season 1 Glee stars are only some of the cast members who shared their sympathies in the wake of Rivera's death. Darren Criss, Becca Tobin, Alex Newell, Melissa Benoist, Mike O'Malley, Iqbal Theba, Josh Sussman, and Max Adler all posted in her honor.

Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the friends, family, and loved ones of Naya Rivera in this difficult time.

Naya Rivera’s death has sent shockwaves throughout Hollywood, with many – including her family and Glee co-stars – mourning her sudden passing. The 33-year-old actress went missing on Wednesday, July 8 while she and her were boating on Lake Piru in California. Initial reports indicate that Rivera drowned and, now, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department believes she died saving her son.

After Naya Rivera’s body was located in the northeastern portion of Lake Piru on Monday, July 13, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department held a press conference. Per People, Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub stated that the department believes the boat Rivera ‘s boat likely became unanchored, and the actress did what she could to get her son back on it:

Sherrif Ayub went on to say that based on their conversations with Rivera’s 4-year-old son, Josey, they’ve learned that he and his mother did swim together in the lake and that he was helped back into the boat by Rivera:

Rivera’s son was initially found sleeping alone in the boat before the search for his mother began. That search started in earnest on that Wednesday night and included personnel from the sheriff’s office as well as divers, boat crews and a helicopter. After five hours, the search was suspended due to visibility issues and dangerous conditions. The search would pick up on Thursday morning and, on the same day, Rivera was believed to have died in an accidental drowning incident.

During this time, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department also used a photo to assist in their search for her remains. The photo, which shows the actress with her son while they were on the boat, was sent to a family member by Rivera herself and was taken between 90 minutes to two hours before her son was found alone.

Since Naya Rivera first went missing, locals have been vocal about an apparent lack of protective elements for those swimming in Lake Piru. Their efforts have included a petition on Change.org called “Lake Piru Warning Signs.” The petition was originally aiming for 25,000 but, having now surpassed 30,000, that initial goal has been doubled to 50,000.

We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to the loved ones of Naya Rivera during this difficult time.

Former Glee star Naya Rivera has died at the age of 33 at Lake Piru in California. She had been missing for several days before her body was recovered, and her death was confirmed on Monday, July 13. Her tragic disappearance brought her loved ones to the lake, with her family on the scene over the weekend. Her former Glee cast members joined hands to honor her alongside members of her family on the morning of July 13. Take a look:

According to an ABC7 broadcast in Los Angeles, Naya Rivera's friends (including members of the Glee cast) joined members of her family around Lake Piru before news that a body had been recovered. Rivera's death had not been confirmed when the group was spotted with joined hands on the shore of the lake. Although it's not clear how many members of the cast (many of whom had shared hopeful messages after Rivera's initial disappearance) were present with Rivera's family, Heather Morris and Amber Riley both appear to be in the group.

Heather Morris and Amber Riley, who respectively played Brittany Pierce and Mercedes Jones on Glee, had both been active on social media with messages regarding Naya Rivera's disappearance prior to the recovery of her body. Morris responded to the Ventura County Sheriff's department on Twitter early on July 12 to reveal that she was "trying to conduct an on foot search and rescue mission along with a small group of friends" at the lake, saying that they felt "helpless" and "powerless."

Later that day, the Ventura County Sheriff's department account posted a message discouraging citizens from searching, citing the closed lake, high temperatures, and dangerous terrain. Heather Morris subsequently followed up by saying that she has "full confidence" that all available resources are being used to locate Naya Rivera after talking with the sheriff, and that they would "hold off on the citizen search and rescue" until volunteers are allowed.

For her part, Amber Riley took to Twitter to ask people to "show some respect," because all of their energy "is going toward helping find Naya," also on July 12. Naya Rivera's body was recovered on July 13, reportedly in the northeastern portion of Lake Piru. It is believed that Rivera drowned.

Naya Rivera disappeared on Wednesday, July 8, after she didn't return with a boat she rented for a trip out onto the lake with her four-year-old son, Josey. The boat was recovered that day with Josey sleeping on board, wearing a life vest. Rivera herself could not be found, and recovery efforts continued for several days before the discovery of her body.

Prior to the recovery of Naya Rivera's body, a petition began to circulate calling for changes at Lake Piru, stating that Rivera is "not the first" person to go missing at the lake, which is deep with "very bad whirlpools." The goal of the petition was for signs to go up at the lake to warn swimmers, as tourists would be unfamiliar with the risks.

Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Naya Rivera in this difficult time.

Naya Rivera made a name for herself on television as the scene-stealing Santana Lopez on the hit Fox series Glee, but tragically went missing on California's Lake Piru on Wednesday, July 8. When she was not located, she was presumed dead. Now, her body has been recovered in Lake Piru. She was 33-years-old at the time of her death.

TMZ reached out Ventura County officials, who reportedly found the body on Monday in the northeastern portion of Lake Piru. While details are still being released, it's believed that Naya Rivera drowned. A press conference is currently scheduled to be held later today by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Although best known for her fan-favorite role as Santana on Glee, Naya Rivera released a solo single in 2013 that featured rapper Big Sean. She appeared in her first feature film in 2014 with a role in At the Devil's Door, and returned to television in 2015 to recur in the Lifetime dramedy Devious Maids. Starting in 2018, Rivera starred in the YouTube Red series Step Up: High Water, and was slated to appear in the third season of the series following its move to Starz. She is survived by her four-year-old son, Josey.

Unfortunately, this Monday also marks the anniversary of another tragic event. On this day seven years ago, Naya Rivera's Glee co-star Corey Monteith of a "toxic combination" of heroin and alcohol.

Naya Rivera was reported missing on Wednesday, July 8 after she did not return with a rented boat during a trip out on Lake Piru in California. According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the boat was found drifting in the northern portion of the lake. Her son Josey was found on board the boat, sleeping. The four-year-old told authorities that he and Rivera were swimming in the lake, and while he got back into the boat, his mother didn't.

A search began on Wednesday night involving approximately 50 personnel from the sheriff's office, boat crews, divers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and a helicopter for five hours before being suspended at 10 p.m. due to zero visibility and dangerous conditions for the divers. The search resumed on Thursday morning, but divers experienced less than one foot of visibility. On Thursday, July 9, Naya Rivera was believed to have died in a case of accidental drowning.

When news broke that Naya Rivera had disappeared on Lake Piru but before she was presumed drowned, her former Glee costars took social media to share hopeful messages. Rivera's disappearance prompted local residents around Lake Piru in Ventura County, California to start a petition seeking changes.

The petition, called "Lake Piru Warning Signs," notes that Rivera is not the first to go missing at Lake Piru, which is deep with whirlpools, and requests that signs go up at Lake Piru to keep swimmers informed about the dangers they face. Speaking at a press conference on July 10 (via Los Angeles' KTLA 5 News), Ventura County Captain Eric Buschow shared that the lake would remain closed for the duration of the search for Naya Rivera.

Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Naya Rivera in this difficult time.

The search for Naya Rivera continued over the weekend following the actress’ disappearance on Lake Piru in Ventura County last week. The star of such shows as Glee and Step Up: High Water was spending time on a boat with her 4-year-old son when she disappeared. Now, a photo may be the key to helping the search and rescue team locate the actress’ remains.

Over the weekend, Sheriff’s Department representative Robert Inglis said that Naya Rivera had sent a photo out to a family member of her young son while they boating on Lake Piru. The image was taken sometime between 90 minutes to two hours before the young man was found on the boat, alone. So how does this help? According to Inglis, the image detailed a cove that investigators were then able to locate. He said:

Speaking to US Weekly, he said that locating the cove gave divers a starting point in the search for Naya Rivera, though he did note that’s where the team searched first. Unfortunately, one of the big issues with locating Rivera is not just the fact that visibility in the lake is only 1-2 feet and there’s plenty of debris to slog through. The other issue is that no one saw the actress go into the water except for her 4-year-old son, who could only say she never returned. But the location of the cove and the location where the pontoon boat was found with Naya Rivera’s son both help to explain which part of the lake they were spending time on.

On a more personal note, the Ventura County Department Sheriff’s representative detailed his own experiences and understandings regarding Lake Piru and explained a likely scenario in regards to what happened to Naya Rivera when she disappeared from her pontoon boat.

There was some concern over whether or not Naya Rivera’s body would be able to be located and found at all. Bodies can take up to 7-10 days to resurface and there’s a lot of debris located in Lake Piru just under the surface of the water. Visibility is also poor, but Robert Inglis did say he was confident the Glee star will be located.

Despite the difficulties, the search for Naya Rivera will continue into this week, though separate reports have indicated they will lesson in intensity as time continues to pass. Over the weekend, authorities also brought Rivera’s family to the location of her disappearance. They were able to say goodbye to the 33-year-old actress on the dock that housed the pontoon boat she had taken out on the water.

It’s been five days since Glee star Naya Rivera went missing in Lake Piru, a reservoir located in Ventura County, California. Her young son was found on a boat and said his mother jumped off, only to never return to the boat. Rivera has been presumed dead since the incident, though no body has been found yet. Over the weekend, her family came out to visit the site of the disappearance.

Visibility has been rough in the waters of Lake Piru as police from both Ventura County and Los Angeles County, a Coast Guard helicopter, cadaver dogs, sonar devices and more have all been on the scene and searching for Naya Rivera. At some points, visibility is only one to two feet, which is likely true of the time when Naya Rivera went into the water as well. There’s also vegetation and various other obstructions lurking under the water at the location where Rivera was lost as well as other conditions, including winds and chill that make the waters dangerous.

A TMZ report indicates that Naya Rivera’s mother and her younger brother were seen on the scene. They spent time on the dock Naya Rivera and her son left from last by boat last week. The report also indicates Rivera’s mom Yolanda spent time with her arms stretched toward the sky. Rivera’s father, George, also visited the lake.

A spokesperson for Lake Piru confirmed Naya Rivera’s family was on site over the weekend, also explaining that there’s been no change to the actress’ presumed dead status, as no body has been able to be located. This has obviously made any sort of closure very difficult for members of the Glee actress’ family, who was described by spokesperson Capt. Eric Buschow (via ET) as “devastated.”

To clarify that point, it’s been a huge waiting game to find out where Naya Rivera’s body is. At the time of her disappearance reports indicated that it could take seven to 10 days before her body rose and could be found by searchers. That level of unknown makes the waiting game even harder, as the spokesperson also noted the timeline for finding the actress’ body is constantly in flux.

Previously, we heard that Lake Piru has a history of accidental drownings, with seven people perishing there between 1994 and 2000. Locals have signed a petition hoping for change after this high-profile missing persons incident. Our thoughts go out to Naya Rivera's family and friends at this time.

In the days after Glee and Step Up: High Water star Naya Rivera first went missing within California's Lake Piru, locals have taken the opportunity to get vocal about long-standing issues over what they deem to be a lack of protective elements for swimmers. As the search for Rivera continues, hopeful messages are pouring in from the actress' friends and fans, and residents have started a petition to bring changes to the hazard-filled lake.

Currently, a petition started on Change.org titled "Lake Piru Warning Signs" has been signed by over 19,000 people, and that total is relatively quickly rising to reach the initial 25,000-signatures goal. The explanation for the petition points out the fact that Naya Rivera is only the latest person to fall victim to the manmade lake's various dangers, and that changes need to be made to give tourists a better idea of what the risks are.

You can read the full text from the aforementioned Lake Piru petition below.

While it is obviously impossible to know at this point whether better signage and warnings would have had any direct impact on Naya Rivera's situation, it's clear that those living in the area believe it would make a big difference overall. To be sure, some areas around the lake do have signs on the shoreline that mark less dangerous areas for swimming. However, those markings aren't necessarily visible to those who go out in boats, and those are often the people most at risk, given the lake's cold temperatures and rip tides.

There's also another petition now being circulated that offers more details about each of the drowning victims that perished in the lake between 1994 and 2008. At this point, Naya Rivera's case is being handled as a recovery mission as opposed to a rescue, which would make the actress the ninth person to drown in the lake since 1994.

For those who aren't aware of the initial situation, the 33-year-old Glee vet Naya Rivera and her four-year-old son Josey Dorsey went out onto Lake Piru by a rented boat on Wednesday, July 8. Three hours later, another boater discovered Josey alone on the boat, asleep in his life jacket. Rivera was nowhere to be seen, though her identification was also found on the boat, as well as an adult life jacket. Josey reportedly told the police at the time that Rivera was swimming and was not able to return to the boat.

Local authorities and dive teams started searching that day, but when Naya Rivera failed to turn up by Thursday, July 9, the actress was then presumed dead. Given the time it takes for bodies to usually rise to the surface in cases like this, it's possible that it will still be a while longer before those on site will be able to confirm Rivera's fate.

We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and hopes to the family and friends of Naya Rivera during this extremely difficult time.

On July 8, former Glee star Naya Rivera was reported missing. The actress is said to have rented out a boat on Lake Piru in Ventura County, California with her four-year-old son. However, when the authorities arrived following reports of a lone toddler on the boat, Rivera was nowhere to be found. The search to find Rivera is still ongoing, and a few Glee alumni have posted hopeful messages following Rivera’s disappearance.

Naya Rivera rose to fame as Santana Lopez on Glee before going on to star in the series Step Up: High Water. Rivera had tweeted a photo of her and her son the day before she went missing, captioning the sweet image with “just the two of us.” Since the news broke about her disappearance, Rivera’s former Glee co-stars began posting to social media hoping that she'll be found. Harry Shum Jr, who played Mike Chang, posted to Twitter with a simple-but-effective message. Read what he wrote below.

Heather Morris, who played Rivera's romantic partner on Glee and is a real-life BFF, posted about Naya Rivera’s situation in an Instagram story. Morris echoed Harry Shum Jr, praying for Rivera’s safe return. However, she took it a step further and asked fans for prayers as well. Take a look at her post below.

Singer and Camp Rock actress Demi Lovato also shared a message to her Instagram story, with a photo of a candle included. Lovato was not a series regular on Glee, but she did have a guest-starring stint playing Dani in four episodes during Season 5. Here’s Lovato’s post:

The prayers expanded well beyond Naya Rivera’s Glee co-stars, too. Jackée Harry, who starred in the 1990s sitcom Sister Sister, also took to Twitter to share a message of hope. Harry first met Rivera on the set of the short-lived series The Royal Family and posted a clip of their scene together, which you can watch below.

As you can tell, Naya Rivera is well-loved and everyone wants nothing other than for her to return safely home to her son. The search for Rivera has expanded to include more than 80 people, helicopters, boats, and ATVs. Dive teams from other local counties are also on the way to join in the search. In an update from TMZ, the authorities presumed Rivera is dead as of the morning of July 9, and are now treating the reported incident as a “possible drowning.”

As of this writing, search teams have yet to find Rivera and dive teams found no sign of the actress when they went looking for her in the immediate aftermath of her disappearance. Rivera’s life jacket was also reportedly on the boat where her son was found sleeping. He is reportedly safe and with family at this time.

My heart goes out to Naya Rivera’s family and friends during this harrowing time. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on the story.

Former Glee star Naya Rivera is missing. The popular actress reportedly rented a boat with her four-year-old son yesterday afternoon, but that evening, the same boat was reportedly discovered with only her son on board. He was sleeping and unharmed, but his mother has still not been located.

There are conflicting reports right now about some of the specifics, but there seems to be agreement around the basic outline. The Glee star and her son reportedly rented the boat around 1 PM, per The Los Angeles Times and others. At a little before 5 PM, authorities responded to a report of a toddler by himself on a boat. When they arrived, they found the child alone but no sign of Rivera. He was reportedly wearing his life jacket, and according to TMZ, there was an adult life jacket, presumably Rivera’s found on board.

Police reportedly searched for hours trying to find Rivera yesterday evening and into the night, but the search was eventually called off due to darkness. All involved will reportedly return to Lake Piru today to continue searching. Based on the current evidence, police do not suspect any foul play at all. A spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department told NBC Los Angeles that it's being considered a "horrible accident" at this point.

Rivera first rose to prominence as a child actress on the CBS show The Royal Family. She picked up a variety of smaller roles and guest spots on hit TV shows including Family Matters and The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, but her true breakout came when she was cast as high school cheerleader Santana Lopez on Glee. The show struck a chord with audiences almost immediately, and her performance drew rave reviews from fans and critics. She ultimately appeared in more than one hundred episodes and later launched a music career. More recently, she's been featured on the series Step Up: High Water, which announced a move to Starz. She was scheduled to reprise her role. Rivera is just 33 years old.

The search for the missing actress is expected to begin with more resources the first thing this morning. In the hours since she first went missing, there has been an outpouring of support from both fans and her current and former co-workers on Glee, a show that has unfortunately experienced a lot of loss. Her son is reportedly in "good health" and is staying with family members right now. In her 2016 memoir she called him "my greatest success." She shares custody alongside the father, actor Ryan Dorsey.

In the world of film, there are few directors quite as acclaimed and iconic as Steven Spielberg. The four time Oscar winning director has been keeping busy with ambitious projects like Ready Player One, but he's also known for his more classic projects. One of the next pieces Spielberg is working on is his remake of the classic movie musical West Side Story. He's already shared his dedication to casting latin actors for the various roles, and now it looks like Glee alum Naya Rivera is hoping to be considered for the role of Anita. She recently shared her audition for the part online, check it out.

Santana is back, and she's trying to book Anita for a second time. After all, the first go was just in the William Mckinley High School auditorium. Let's break down what this little audition song is showing us.

In Naya Rivera's Instagram post, she claimed that the clip was actually too long to send to the film's casting associates. Instead, she decided to share it via social media, no doubt in an attempt to drum up fan excitement. If the folks at the studio see Rivera as a bankable star that folks will run to theaters to see, it could make her a real contender for the role. It's only been a few years since Glee ended its run, and the Gleeks haven't stopped singing all of the songs from the FOX comedy.

During her time on Glee, Naya Rivera actually got to record all of Anita's music from West Side Story. In the show's third season they put on the play, with Rivera's character Santana getting the role of Anita. She did everything from "America" to "A Boy Like That", which is no doubt why the actress sounded so killer in her self tape.

Anita is one of the best parts in West Side Story, one that earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in the original 1961 film. Moreno was one of the only Shark characters to actually be Puerto Rican, with Natalie Wood starring as ingenue Maria and greek actor George Chakiris as Bernardo. This is one change that Steven Spielberg is trying to make with his version. As the conversations around inclusion and representation continue swirling around the entertainment business, it's a relief that the Sharks will be played by latin actors-- especially considering race is a central theme of the movie.

It should be interesting to see what type of talent Steven Spielberg ultimately goes with. Will he go for clear choices like Naya Rivera and Vanessa Hugdgens, or will he find unknowns to play the iconic roles? We'll just have to wait and see as development slowly begins coming together. One thing is clear: Rivera wants the role, and bad.

Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One will arrive in theaters March 29, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Over the weekend, police in Kanawha County, West Virginia arrested and booked television actress Naya Rivera on alleged charges of misdemeanor domestic battery after she reportedly got into a physical altercation with her husband, Ryan Dorsey. The authorities released Rivera after she posted a $1,000 bail. Then her father-in-law picked her up. Beforehand, however, she had to take an official mugshot:

The arrest took place after a deputy responded to a complaint where Ryan Dorsey and Naya Rivera were staying in Chesapeake, West Virginia. The deputy recorded Dorsey's accusation Rivera hit him in the face and head and left him with minor injuries to back up his domestic abuse allegations. Apparently, Dorsey also submitted evidence in the form of a video recording he took during the fight. When Naya Rivera left the courthouse on Saturday night, WOWK 13 reporters documented her departure and tweeted out the video. Take a look:

The WOWK 13 reporter on the story later tweeted the criminal complaint stated Naya Rivera's husband Ryan Dorsey had told authorities Rivera struck him in the head and bottom lip when they were on a walk with their child. However, the statement from the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office said Dorsey did not need medical attention after the altercation.

From the sounds of it, Naya Rivera's life has been somewhat of an emotional roller coaster in recent times. She seemed to find a new professional footing as Collette Jones on the television series Step Up: High Water, one of her first gigs to stick since she wrapped up her time as Santana Lopez on Glee from 2009 to 2015. However, while Naya Rivera's professional activities were going fine, her personal life seemed chaotic. The actress filed documents to divorce Ryan Dorsey in November 2016. She even sent out a statement to various entertainment news outlets and said,

Throughout 2017, matters between Naya Rivera and her husband seemed to improve. In April, for example, Rivera told Momtastic she and Dorsey were good at co-parenting. Then in October 2017, Dorsey and Rivera announced they had decided to recommit to their marriage. Rivera attended the annual Point Honors Los Angeles Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in October, and there she told People it was a personal decision to stay with Dorsey. She also said,

Of course, it is unclear where Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey now stand or if they will stay together after this incident, but stranger things have happened. In fact, Dorsey and Rivera's relationship has never been conventional. They dated way back in 2010 but then split up. Rivera went on to date rapper Big Sean and even got engaged to him, but then when Rivera and Big Sean split up in 2014, she linked back up with Dorsey and married him three months after calling it quits with her previous fiance.

Now Naya Rivera and Ryan Dorsey share a two-year-old son, Josey, and the actress has said many of her decisions hinge upon what she thinks is right for him. Perhaps in the wake of this incident, Dorsey and Rivera can find time to think deeply about what will be in the best interest of their son moving forward.

Mugshot Courtesy of Kanawha County Sheriff's Office

You may have heard Naya Rivera was fired from Glee. If so, her publicist would like you to know she has not been fired from Glee. You may have heard Naya Rivera has been at war with co-star Lea Michele and may also be feuding with producers. If so, well, I guess you’ll have to make up your own mind about that.

After weeks of progressively more serious rumors, the actress’ representative decided to go on record yesterday to clear the air about the most serious whisper of all: that Rivera had been canned from Glee. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the rep blasted the firing story and assured fans the actress will still be around.

That statement, however, has done nothing to stop the gossip wave. US Weekly reported this morning that Rivera’s contract hasn’t been picked up, which isn’t exactly the same thing as firing someone. No one directly involved with the show has commented publicly, however; so, it’s all just speculation and conjecture at this point.

That conjecture started with whispers of Rivera and co-star Lea Michele allegedly not getting along. The two of them supposedly had words on set, and those words allegedly spiraled into a full-on feud. If the whispers are to be believed, that animosity was annoying but tolerable for producers. Over the last month, though, that negative attitude allegedly spread to her dealings with behind the scenes workers, which pushed the matter to another level.

When Glee first hit the airwaves, the show was praised for its harmonious spirit and zealous attempts to be as inclusive as possible. Gay, straight, man, woman, skinny, overweight, the show found a place for everyone. Unfortunately, over the past few years, much of that happy shine has started to wear off. Principal actor Cory Monteith tragically passed away from a drug overdose, and rumors of on-set problems kicked into another gear.

With only one season left of Glee, it would be a real shame if Naya Rivera wasn’t a part of the action. She’s played a crucial role over the years, and fans deserve to see her story arc ended properly. That being said, if she really has been a terror on the set, it’s not entirely unfair of producers to give her the boot. Work environments are always better when they’re pleasant.

We’ll keep you updated on this situation as more information becomes available. Until then, take every rumor with a grain of salt.

Glee came to Comic Con again with Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Kevin McHale, Naya Rivera, Jenna Ushkowitz, Darren Criss, and producers Brad Falchuk, Ian Brennan, and Dante Di Loreto

Michael Ausiello hosted the panel and did the best he possibly could to get information out of the cast and producers about what Season 4 holds. Here's the rundown:

The season starts in September, school starts for McKinley and for Rachel in New York

Rachel's new teacher, played by Kate Hudson, isn't like Will at all, she uses negative re-enforcement.

Kurt and Santana are at McKinley when the season starts but not all characters do long distance relationships well...

Season 4's Britney Spears episode will be Season 4's second episode.

According to the producers Finn is “the question mark for Season 4”

McKinley needs new glee members and are “the underdogs” once again.

All of the regular cast will be returning, but not everyone will be in every episode. Chord Overstreet might be a regular, but that deal hasn't been made yet and Sam and Alex will be back from The Glee Project.

The producers talked about how Season 4 will be about the kids dealing with becoming adults and dealing with adult problems like rent and relationships. This transition happened to Rachel's character during her breakup with Finn. Lea Michelle said when she first read the scene, she thought it was out of character for Rachel but producer Brad Fulchuk explained: “Rachel had an idea about what love was, but needed to learn what adult love was. It was hard, but I wrote [the breakup scene] in one draft.”

The rest of the characters will be back, but their “adult problems” were kept under wraps.

Here's some non-Season 4 highlights:

Fans had mixed reactions on Darren Criss' summer beard. He says he doesn't shave when he's not working and this is his 3rd or 4th beard of the summer.

Brad Falchuk says he's written the same Rachel/Finn scene 7 times and it always gets cut. So much so that Lea Michelle and Cory Monteith joke that whenever they shoot a one-on-one Rachel/Finn scene it was automatically cut.

The pilot originally started with a purposefully campy disco montage, but got cut because people wouldn't get the camp aspect and just thought the show sucked.

Ian Brennan would love to do 90 minute episodes

What advice would Season 3 give Season 1 Santana? Naya Rivera: “Stay away from Finn.” There was a fainting scene where Rachel was supposed to fall into Finn's arms and on the first take Cory Monteith admits he “dropped” her. Lea Michelle: “You didn't drop me, you didn't even catch me.”

The panel started out with a 10 minute fan video re-capping the whole Glee movement, and that's what I'll leave you with now.

GLEEK OUT.

Two more Glee cast members have signed on to act as mentors in the upcoming second season of The Glee Project. Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera will join Lea Michele on the Oxygen competition show that seeks out new talent for the hit; four of the competitors from the first season have appeared on Glee. One of last year’s winners, Samuel Larsen, is also on board to mentor.

Lea Michele was already set to mentor in the premiere episode, where she’ll be working on the theme of “Individuality” with the 14 contestants. The Hollywood Reporter says the other three already have their themes to take on as well.

Samuel Larsen, who was the co-winner last season, will appear in episode two, centered around “Dance-ability”. Larsen was one of the four from last season who appeared on Glee this season and will now come back to the site of his triumph to offer guidance to new hopefuls. In the third episode Cory Monteith will be addressing the issue of bullying; the theme of the episode is “Vulnerability”. Finally, Naya Rivera will get Episode 4, where she’ll be giving some tips on “Sexuality”.

The bigger and longer second season of The Glee Project is set to premiere on June 5th in its new timeslot: Tuesdays at 10 PM. Oxygen has expanded the second season by one episode, making it 11 episodes long, and added two more contestants, up to 14 from last season’s 12. No doubt we can expect to see a few more Glee stars stop by as mentors.