Cory Monteith, a Canadian actor and musician, gained fame for his role as Finn Hudson on the popular Fox show Glee during its first four seasons. In recognition of his performance, he was honored with a Screen Actors Guild Award and Teen Choice Award.
Early Life & Family
Cory Allan Michael Monteith was the second child of Ann McGregor, an interior decorator, and Joe Monteith, a soldier who was a member of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. He was born on May 11, 1982, in Calgary, Alberta, and had an older brother named Shaun.
Monteith’s parents went through a divorce when he was only seven years old. As a result, he and his older brother were brought up by their mother in Victoria, British Columbia. Due to his father’s military service, Monteith had limited contact with him after the divorce.
He also faced challenges with socializing at school. By the time he was 13, he had already started drinking and using marijuana, as well as skipping school.
Personal Struggles
At age 16, Cory Monteith decided to drop out of school after attending a total of 16 schools, including alternative programs for troubled adolescents. His reliance on drugs and alcohol had intensified by then, leading him to resort to small-scale thefts from loved ones to support his habits.
At the age of 19, his mother and a group of friends organized an intervention for him, leading him to enroll in a rehabilitation program.
In 2011, he finally obtained his high school diploma from an alternative school he had previously attended in Victoria during his youth. Before his career in show business, Cory Monteith held a variety of jobs, such as being a people greeter at Walmart, a taxi driver, a mechanic, a school bus driver, a roofer, and a drummer for several bands.
Cory Monteith’s Career
Cory Monteith started his journey as an actor in Vancouver, British Columbia. He had small parts in Final Destination 3, Whisper, and Deck the Halls. He played a recurring character in Kyle XY and also had cameo appearances in TV shows like Smallville, Supernatural, Flash Gordon, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate SG-1.
In 2005, he was featured in Killer Bash, a film about a nerdy individual’s spirit seeking vengeance on the offspring of his killer by inhabiting the body of a twin girl. The next year, he had a small role in Bloody Mary, playing the character of Paul.
Upon the recommendation of Maureen Webb, Cory began taking acting lessons with Anthony Meindl. In 2007, he played the lead role of Gunnar in the MTV show Kaya.
In 2006, Cory Monteith had a jam-packed schedule as he took on a small part in the horror movie ‘Final Destination 3’, directed by James Wong. This film marked the third installment in the popular ‘Final Destination’ series and was a major hit at the box office.
He had roles in various films in 2007, including ‘Hybrid,’ ‘White Noise: The Light,’ and ‘The Invisible.’ However, all of his movies from that year were unsuccessful both in terms of reviews and box office earnings.
After landing the role of Finn Hudson in the musical comedy series ‘Glee’ in 2009, he quickly gained immense popularity. Playing the part of a high school football team’s star quarterback and a popular jock who joins the school’s musical club, he received numerous accolades and nominations for his performance.
Cory Monteith had a significant part in the adventure romance comedy ‘Monte Carlo’ in 2011. Following that, he starred in the drama ‘Sisters & Brothers’. During the same year, he also had a role in the film ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie’, which was a hit at the box office, making double its budget.
He starred in two major roles in the films ‘All the Wrong Reasons’ and ‘McCanick’ in 2013, which were his last projects before his unfortunate passing. Both movies were released after his death.
Personal Life
It was reported that Cory Monteith and American actress Lea Michele, who played his love interest on ‘Glee’, were in a romantic relationship. According to the media, they began dating at the beginning of 2012 and stayed together until Monteith’s passing in 2013.
After the passing of Monteith, Michele has put out several songs dedicated to him. One of these is “If You Say So”, which she started working on just seven days after his death and relates to their last conversation. Additionally, “Hey You” was released in April 2017 as a continuation of “If You Say So”.
Cause of Death
On July 13, 2013, Cory Monteith passed away in his hotel room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. “Mixed drugs toxicity” was determined to be the cause of his death.
Despite briefly seeking treatment at a rehab facility in March, he was unable to overcome his drug addiction, resulting in his untimely demise. Today, July 13, 2024, marks 11 years since Cory Monteith’s passing at the young age of 31.
