'Glee' Cast: Where Are They Now? (2024)

You'll never look at slushies the same! Glee introduced the world to quite a talented group of actors. The musical comedy-drama debuted on Fox in 2009. It was Ryan Murphy's third series, following teen drama Popular and dark medical drama Nip/Tuck.The series focused on the William McKinley High School glee club, the New Directions, as they tried to balance choir competition with high school life. The show's cast sung covers of both show tunes and chart-topping hits — sometimes on stage, other times while walking down the halls of McKinley.Although it altered over the series' six seasons, the original cast was made up of Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz as the club members. Matthew Morrison served as a teacher and the glee club director while Jane Lynch played his nemesis, the cheerleading coach who didn't want her cheerleaders getting distracted by singing. Naya Rivera, Heather Morris and Harry Shum Jr.'s characters later joined the club, as did Darren Criss' Blaine Anderson.The series aired from May 2009 to March 2015, spanning six seasons on Fox and winning four Emmys and four Golden Globe Awards.In 2011, The Glee Project debuted, a reality series that featured performers fighting for a role on Glee. The prize was a seven-episode arc on season 3, given to two winners. The two other finalists would earn a two-episode role. Alex Newell was a runner-up, but after starring in his two episodes, was asked to return to the show in season 4 for more episodes. Newell went on to appear in 39 episodes.[sendtonews type="float" key="lpskIDuNx9-2829787-14453"]The show also launched concert tours. After the show's first and second seasons completed filming, the cast toured around the country. In 2011, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie was released.Five years after the series finale, former costars Ushkowitz and McHale revisited each episode as part of their "Showmance: The Glee Recap" podcast. Michele appeared on the first episode in January 2020."We were really having the time of our lives," the Broadway actress recalled of her time on the Fox show, with McHale adding, "That's what people don't understand. We would work all day together and then actively want to hang out afterwards."Michele continued, "People will always focus on the negative. It's just one of those things to show you that you always come back. I've always felt that way about the show. I always look back. It was just the best."Though "Showmance" went on an indefinite hiatus amid Rivera's 2020 death, McHale and Ushkowitz returned to the airwaves in late 2022 with a new recap podcast, "And That's What You Really Missed." The two promised to be more open and honest about their experiences on the hit show.“I think when I said I’m not gonna sugarcoat it … we’ve danced around a lot, right? Because I would always say to Kevin, ‘Sometimes it’s not our story to tell,’” Ushkowitz exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2022. “There’s like dancing around, obviously, the Glee curse and the deaths of our friends and some of the on-set drama that you hear. And I think this time, it’ll be hard, but like, I’m gonna tell it from my perspective and my experience ’cause that’s all I can do.”Scroll through the gallery to catch up with the cast today.

You'll never look at slushies the same! Glee introduced the world to quite a talented group of actors. The musical comedy-drama debuted on Fox in 2009. It was Ryan Murphy's third series, following teen drama Popular and dark medical drama Nip/Tuck.The series focused on the William McKinley High School glee club, the New Directions, as they tried to balance choir competition with high school life. The show's cast sung covers of both show tunes and chart-topping hits — sometimes on stage, other times while walking down the halls of McKinley.Although it altered over the series' six seasons, the original cast was made up of Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz as the club members. Matthew Morrison served as a teacher and the glee club director while Jane Lynch played his nemesis, the cheerleading coach who didn't want her cheerleaders getting distracted by singing. Naya Rivera, Heather Morris and Harry Shum Jr.'s characters later joined the club, as did Darren Criss' Blaine Anderson.The series aired from May 2009 to March 2015, spanning six seasons on Fox and winning four Emmys and four Golden Globe Awards.In 2011, The Glee Project debuted, a reality series that featured performers fighting for a role on Glee. The prize was a seven-episode arc on season 3, given to two winners. The two other finalists would earn a two-episode role. Alex Newell was a runner-up, but after starring in his two episodes, was asked to return to the show in season 4 for more episodes. Newell went on to appear in 39 episodes.[sendtonews type="float" key="lpskIDuNx9-2829787-14453"]The show also launched concert tours. After the show's first and second seasons completed filming, the cast toured around the country. In 2011, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie was released.Five years after the series finale, former costars Ushkowitz and McHale revisited each episode as part of their "Showmance: The Glee Recap" podcast. Michele appeared on the first episode in January 2020."We were really having the time of our lives," the Broadway actress recalled of her time on the Fox show, with McHale adding, "That's what people don't understand. We would work all day together and then actively want to hang out afterwards."Michele continued, "People will always focus on the negative. It's just one of those things to show you that you always come back. I've always felt that way about the show. I always look back. It was just the best."Though "Showmance" went on an indefinite hiatus amid Rivera's 2020 death, McHale and Ushkowitz returned to the airwaves in late 2022 with a new recap podcast, "And That's What You Really Missed." The two promised to be more open and honest about their experiences on the hit show.“I think when I said I’m not gonna sugarcoat it … we’ve danced around a lot, right? Because I would always say to Kevin, ‘Sometimes it’s not our story to tell,’” Ushkowitz exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2022. “There’s like dancing around, obviously, the Glee curse and the deaths of our friends and some of the on-set drama that you hear. And I think this time, it’ll be hard, but like, I’m gonna tell it from my perspective and my experience ’cause that’s all I can do.”Scroll through the gallery to catch up with the cast today.

After Glee wrapped, Michele went on to star in Scream Queens in 2015 and landed a role on ABC's The Mayor in 2017. She released her debut album, Louder, in 2014 and her second, Places, in 2017. In 2019, she released a holiday album, Christmas in the City. Michele announced her return to Broadway in July 2022, taking over the role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl beginning in September of that year. She has also published two books, Brunette Ambition and You First: Journal Your Way to Your Best Life.

Michele married Zandy Reich in March 2019. The pair welcomed their first child, son Ever, in August 2020. In September 2021, the Broadway veteran released Forever: A Lullaby Album, inspired by her baby.

After Glee wrapped, Riley won season 17 of Dancing With the Stars. In 2016, she landed the lead role in the West End's production of Dreamgirls, for which she won the prestigious Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She formed a musical theatre group with Beverley Knight and Cassidy Janson and the group dropped their debut album, Songs from the Stage, in 2017. She emceed Fox's Little Mermaid Live! in 2019. She also cofounded a clothing line with her sister. The musician dropped her debut EP, Riley, in October 2020. The same year, Riley announced her engagement to entrepreneur Desean Black. The twosome called it quits in March 2022.

In February 2022, Riley was the leading lady in Lifetime's thriller Single Black Female.

Shortly after Glee ended, Rivera landed a role in Devious Maids. In 2016, she released a memoir, Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up. In 2018, she landed a leading role in Step Up: High Water. Rivera was briefly engaged to Big Sean, but ended their relationship in April 2014. In July of that year, she married actor Ryan Dorsey, and they welcomed a son in September 2015. In 2017, she was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery against Dorsey. She filed for divorce in December of that year, and the battery charge was later dismissed. The divorce was finalized in June 2018.

In July 2020, Rivera was reported missing after her 4-year-old son, Josey, was found alone on a boat they had rented on Lake Piru near Los Angeles. Her body was found days later, and the cause of death was determined to be accidental drowning. She was 33.

Although she has not returned to TV since Glee ended, Agron has starred in many movies, including Shiva Baby and The Laureate. She has also directed digital shorts and music videos. In 2016, she married Mumford & Sons' Winston Marshall.Us broke the news in 2020 that the pair split.

Since 2016, he has dropped multiple singles including "Speed of Sound" and "Hold On," the latter being certified platinum in August 2021. In 2017, Overstreet released his first EP and landed a supporting role in The Bold Type in 2020.

Since 2021, he has played Chad in the Apple TV+ series Alcapulco, and he stars as Lindsay Lohan's leading man in a romantic comedy for Netflix's holiday 2022 lineup.

After playing Kurt Hummel, Colfer began writing children’s, middle-grade and young adult books and has published more than 15 books. In 2017, he announced he will be writing and directing a film adaptation of his book, The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. He's been with his partner, Will Sherrod, since 2013.

In July 2013, the summer between filming seasons 4 and 5 of Glee, Monteith died of mixed drug toxicity, which included heroin and alcohol. He was 31. His character, Finn Hudson, died during episode 3 of season 5, titled "The Quarterback," as the group said goodbye. He was dating Michele at the time.

In December 2017, Salling pleaded guilty to possession of child p*rnography and agreed to serve time in jail. His sentencing was set for March 2018, but the actor died by suicide in January 2018. He was 35.

In 2016, she welcomed her second child with husband Taylor Hubbell, a son named Owen. The following year, Morris competed on season 24 of Dancing With the Stars but was sent home during week six. She has since starred in multiple TV shows and movies including LA LA Living, Psycho Wedding Crasher, I.R.L., Fake Santa and Moon Manor.

Following the end of Glee, the singer landed a leading role as warlock Magnus Bane on Shadowhunters, which aired from 2016 to 2019. He has since starred in many movies, including Crazy Rich Asians, All My Life andEverything, Everywhere All At Once as well asNetflix's Love Hard, and TV series, such as Tell Me a Story and Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. He landed a role on Grey's Anatomy as a new doctor in 2022. In 2015, he married dancer Shelby Rabara and the pair welcomed a daughter, Xia, in 2019.

After Glee, Ushkowitz pursued a stage career, briefly starring in Broadway's Waitress and appearing in The 24 Hour Plays. In 2018, she won a Tony Award for her producer role of Once on This Island. She has since starred in Yellow Fever, Hello Again and 1 Night in San Diego. In September 2022, she lip-synced to Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You" on RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race.

The actress got engaged to David Stanley in August 2020 after dating for two years. The following July, they tied the knot. The actress announced in January 2022 that she was pregnant with the couple's first child. She announced daughter Emma's birth that June.

In 2014, McHale began hosting British panel show Virtually Famous on E4, a title he held for two years. He currently hosts Dash Radio's Sick of My Own Voice. In 2019, he competed in The X Factor: Celebrity and came in seventh place. He made appearances on When We Rise and Elite, in addition to releasing his EP Boy. McHale came out as gay in 2018 and is dating Austin McKenzie.

In 2020, McHale reunited with Glee costars Darren Criss and Overstreet in a cameo on Roku's Royalties, and the following year, he reunited with showrunner Ryan Murphy for a part on the anthology series American Horror Stories.

The actress — who already had an impressive resume before taking on Glee — continued her acting career after the show's end. In 2013, she began hosting NBC's Hollywood Game Night, which has earned her two Emmy Awards. She debuted a cabaret show, See Jane Sing, in 2015, and released a holiday album, A Swingin' Little Christmas, the following year. She later landed a guest role on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for which she won an Emmy. In 2020, she starred in season 1 of Netflix's Space Force. The comedian starred on Hot White Heist, The Good Fight and The Bystanders in 2021.

After Glee wrapped, Morrison landed a role in Finding Neverland on Broadway until 2016. He also went on to appear on Younger, The Good Wife, Grey's Anatomy and American Horror Story. In 2020, he released his third album, Disney Dreamin' with Matthew Morrison. The singer welcomed his first son with wife Renee Puente, Revel James Makai, in 2017. Their daughter, Phoenix Monroe, arrived three years later.

Morrison was announced as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance in spring 2022. Us Weekly exclusively confirmed in May that he abruptly exited the judging panel less than one week into season 17. The actor was fired from his new gig a judge on amid allegations of “inappropriate” behavior. In June 2022, Morrison called the accusations that he sent "flirty" texts to a contestant "blatantly untrue statements."

After Glee's end, Criss stuck with Murphy, portraying serial killer Andrew Cunanan in the second season of American Crime Story. The role won him a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. In 2020, he dropped his own show, called Royalties, on the now-defunct streamer Quibi (Roku has since bought the rights to Quibi's programming). He led Murphy's period drama Hollywood on Netflix the same year.

He also cofounded music festival Elsie Fest, which features Broadway and pop stars. He led Broadway productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,Hedwig and the Angry Inch and American Buffalo.

In 2017, he released his second solo EP, Homework. The following year, he went on a joint tour with Michele. He released his Christmas album, A Very Darren Christmas, in 2021. Criss and longtime love Mia Swier tied the knot in 2019 and announced the producer's pregnancy in 2021. They welcomed daughter Bluesy Bell in March 2022.