Totally In Tune! Catching Up With The Cast Of 'Glee'

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Lea Michele was hardly "discovered" by appearing on Glee—the triple threat performer was a Broadway veteran, having made her stage debut at 8-years-old in Les Miserables. After originating the role of Wendla in the rock musical Spring Awakening in 2006, Michele left the company in 2008, shortly before her long run as Rachel Berry on Glee. Her role was so central to the plot that when her character was phased out, there was an episode featuring the next girl stepping into her archetypal role called "The New Rachel." Michele stayed on in Glee even after her character graduated. After the show finally ended, she went on to costar in Scream Queens. Her most recent TV role is on The Mayer, but it was cancelled after just one season. But as TV and film roles have come and gone, Michele has continued to work, making albums and writing. She has authored two books and released two albums. Recently in May of 2018, Michele hit the road on a brief music tour with Glee co-star Darren Criss.

Matthew Morrison made his Broadway debut in 1998 with a small role in Footloose, but his career flourished after his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray. Morrison was an obvious choice to play "Mr. Shue" on Glee. After the end of the show, he returned to Broadway to originate the role of JM Barrie in Finding Neverland. He has also had numerous TV roles in the last few years, including a short stint on Grey's Anatomy.

Chris Colfer made his TV debut co-starring as the lovably flamboyant Kurt on Glee. He has had some other TV and film roles, but Colfer's main focus since the end of Glee has been writing his bestselling book series, The Land Of Stories.

Amber Riley played the sassy Mercedes on Glee and though her character often had to compete and lose to Lea Michele, Riley boasts some major vocal power. Post Glee she starred on the West End in Dreamgirls and took home a coveted Olivier Award. She was also featured in The Wiz Live! as Addaperle.

Jane Lynch joined Glee with a long list of credits, and her career has continued to grow. She has hosted Hollywood Game Night since 2013, and continues to add to her long list of TV and film credits.

Darren Criss was supposed to play a small recurring role on Glee, but he was so popular, he was written in as a main character, ultimately becoming a student at McKinley and eventually marrying Kurt Hummel. Criss has had major success since the end of the show. He won an Emmy for his work acting in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Post-Glee he also starred in Hedwig and The Angry Inch and had a brief musical tour with Glee co-Star Lea Michele.

Alex Newell does not identify as trans, but man does he look good in a dress. His character on Glee was trans and always looking for acceptance. In real life, the 25-year-old actor has been starring in Once On This Island on Broadway since 2017.

Kristen Chenoweth was among the favorite guest stars during Glee's run. She appeared in three episodes, delighting fans, and cast members of the show, some of whom were reportedly overwhelmed with excitement at getting to work with her. She continues to perform, including a run on the show Trial and Error.

Dianna Agron had been working for a few years, but finally got some notoriety through Glee. Post show she got married to Winston Marshall (of Mumford and Sons) and has continued acting. Agron starred in 2017 film Novitiate.

Gwyneth Paltrow, star of many a feature film, made her scripted TV debut in Glee as a recurring character named Holly. She joined the cast for a handful of episodes, and took home an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Star! In 2017, she got engaged to Glee creator, Brad Falchuck—they were married in April of 2018. Paltrow has continued to act and has several big business ventures, including the lifestyle brand she created, GOOP.

Though Harry Shum Jr. is mostly known from his time on Glee, the actor has a long list of credits. He can be seen in the upcoming movie, Crazy Rich Asians. He has been married to performer Shelby Rabara since 2015.

Heather Morris was originally hired to choreograph a dance for the cast of Glee, but the producers added her as a member of the Cheerios. Her ability to deliver snarky one-liners became so apparent that she landed a co-starring role. Though Morris has collected a few film roles since the end of Glee, her main role in the last few years has been as wife (to baseball player, Taylor Hubbell) and mother of two small children.

Fans rallied for Idina Menzel to be cast as Rachel Berry's mother, on account of her uncanny resemblance to Lea Michele. The fans won and Menzel played a recurring role on the show. Post Glee she continued to mega-stardom, notably playing the role of Elsa in Frozen, and recently starring in the (straight-to-TV) remake of the movie, Beaches. She has been married to Aaron Lohr since 2017.

Jayma Mays gained a lot of notoriety from her time on Glee. Post show she gave birth to her first child (in 2016) and has been starring on hit show, Trial and Error since 2016.

Jenna Ushkowitz began her career as a performer at the tender age of three, so she was a natural fit to be in the cast of Glee. Post show she went on to join a few Broadway shows, including Waitress, and The 24 Hour Plays.

Before Glee, Jonathan Groff co-starred in the Original Broadway production of Spring Awakening with Glee Co-Star Lea Michele. His 15 episodes on Glee may end up only being a blip in a very successful career. Post Glee, Groff went on to star in Hamilton as King George III, and then starred in The Bobby Darin Story at the 92nd St Y in 2018.

Kevin McHale started out in a boy band, which definitely primed him for some sweet harmonies. McHale has continued to work, post Glee, but acting has definitely taken a back seat. He created the +ONE in 2016, and finally came out as gay in 2018. He is currently dating Austin McKenzie, a fellow actor.

Mike O'Malley became a household name hosting the 1990s kid show, Guts. He continued to star in the spotlight with several TV roles, but stole hearts as the loving and supportive dad, Burt Hummel, on Glee. Post show, O'Malley had a role in the movie Sully, and created the show Survivor's Remorse, which lasted for four seasons.

Naya Rivera rose to fame as sharp-tongued Santana on Glee. Post-show her career has continued to blossom. She published a memoir in 2016, and began starring in the YouTube RED show Step Up: High Water in 2018. She was married to Ryan Dorsey from 2014 until 2018. The two have a son together, but their marriage wasn't made to last—they made headlines for a domestic dispute (that got Rivera arrested) in 2017.

Melissa Benoist took over in the Glee club as "the new Rachel" when Lea Michele's character graduated. She has gone on to great success in TV and film. She has starred as the title character in the CW hit, Supergirl since 2015, and she made her Broadway debut in 2018 as Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

Cory Monteith played the lovable football player, Finn Hudson. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 31. He'd recently gotten out of rehab, but had a relapse. He died as a result of an accidental drug overdose. Before his death, Monteith dated co-star Lea Michele for a year and a half. Monteith was mourned by the entire cast of Glee, and the world—his character was ultimately killed off on the show, with the cause of death left out of the storyline.

Mark Salling launched his career with his portal of Puck on Glee. Post show, he was in the news and in court for possession of child pornography, and was expected to spend four to seven years in prison, but Salling took his life on January 30, 2018.

Many cast members reunited in March of 2018 for a Reunion. Though they have been through some tragedies together, many of them remain close!

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