Eleven years ago, in 2009, the first episode of Glee was aired on TV. For six long seasons, until March 20, 2015, we followed the lives of the students of a fictional American school who were really into singing acapella. The show was so popular with viewers and critics that it has received such fantastic awards as Golden Globe and Emmy.
However, the accolides were the only reason why this series became famous. The leading actors, their families, and the film crew have experienced incredible hardships inside and outside of the show. Some entered abusive relationships, while others turned to drugs and alcohol. Sadly, some actors and staff members have died as well, which lead many fans online to the conclusion that Glee was cursed. And the recent death of Naya Rivera only amplified these feelings.
Let’s look at some facts and decide.
1. Melissa Benoist’s abusive partner
Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner joined the Glee cast in the 4th season, but at that time’s they’ve already been married for some years. In 2017 Melissa filed for a divorce without explaining anything to the reporters as normal people do. Two years later, she said in an intervie that she was struck with a phone on the face. Was it Blake? The fans seem to think so.
2. Jim Fuller’s death
In 2013, assistant director Jim Fuller died of heart failure in his sleep. The cast and everyone on the team loved him and even added a small visual tribute to him in one of the episodes.
3. Nancy Motes’ suicide
And in 2014, 37-year-old assistant producer Nancy Motes committed suicide. She was Julia Roberts’s step-sister. The case was quite high-profile, Nancy’s fiancé John Dilbeck accused Roberts of leading her sister to depression with her harsh words and silly jokes, which pushed Nancy over the edge.
4. Mark Salling’s everything
In 2013, Mark Salling was accused of sexual misconduct. Salling denied the allegations, but the court found him guilty and made him pay Roxane $ 2.7 million. On January 30, 2018, Mark Salling hanged himself in his home in California.
5. Cory Monteith OD’d
On July 13, 2013, Cory was found dead in his room at the Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver. An autopsy showed that the actor died from overdosing on heroin mixed with alcohol. The actor’s mother said that he’d been trying to overcome his addiction since he was 13. Monteith’s mother, girlfriend, and friends tried to save him, he even went into rehab, but ultimately nothing helped.
6. Naya Rivera drowned
On July 8, 2020, the actress, who played one of the main characters on Glee, suddenly disappeared. Naya Rivera rented a boat that day and went for a walk on Lake Piru (near Los Angeles) with her son. Sometime later, the locals found the four-year-old son of the actress sleeping in a boat in the middle of the lake. According to the boy, he went swimming with his mother. Then Naya put him in the boat and never returned. The police searched for the woman for several days, and on July 13, rescuers found her body. The police suggest that the strong underwater currents are to blame, but the Internet would rather believe it’s a part of the curse.
