The "Glee curse documentary" is a film that explores the notion of a curse surrounding the cast of the hit TV show, Glee. The show gained massive popularity during its run from 2009 to 2015, but tragedy seemed to follow many of its cast members long after the show ended. The documentary delves into the various misfortunes that have befallen the actors, referring to it as the "Glee curse." It examines the untimely deaths of several cast members, including Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, and Mark Salling, who portrayed Noah "Puck" Puckerman. Both actors died at young ages, Monteith from a drug overdose and Salling by suicide following child pornography charges. In addition to the deaths, the documentary also explores the legal and personal troubles faced by some of the actors.
Conversations about the handful of tragic deaths that occurred with the cast are also expected to be delved into, as well as controversies about the actors, including Mark Salling, who played Puck.
Another topic expected to be covered in the docuseries is the tragic death of Naya Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, as she sadly died in 2020 on a boating trip and was survived by her four-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey. Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams, likened the documentary to trash, and in December told a publication that he and his castmates had nothing to do with it.
In addition to the deaths, the documentary also explores the legal and personal troubles faced by some of the actors. For instance, Naya Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, faced a highly publicized arrest for domestic battery. Others, like Lea Michele, who portrayed Rachel Berry, have faced controversies and allegations of difficult behavior on set.
Five bombshells revealed in The Price of Glee documentary
In 2008, when Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuck and Ian Brennan pitched and eventually created a teen drama centred around show tunes, they couldn't have forseen the cultural precipice they teetered over.
Glee premiered in 2009 to an audience of young adults and teens who would not only develop a love for Patti Lupone and Barbara Streisand, but propel the cast into global fame.
Along with this fame came a string of controversies, drama, in-fighting and deaths. It is this double-edged phenomenon and fan fascination that has kept Glee at the forefront of pop culture to this day – and a new documentary, The Price of Glee, is only furthering that.
The documentary, which cast and crew have distanced themselves from, aired in the US last night, with a number of reveals revolving around cast feuds and the sad deaths of cast members Cory Monteith, Mark Salling and Naya Rivera. Read on for the five biggest bombshells.
The cast of Glee was propelled into global fame. (Domain Supplied)
Cast were 'forced' to resume filming after Monteith's death
It has long been reported the decision to resume filming mere weeks after the death of Monteith in 2013 was made by fellow cast lead, and Monteith's fiancé, Lea Michele.
"Ultimately, the person who made the decision was Lea, who felt that the best thing for the cast and crew was to be together and to get back to work and be together every day and talk about our memories of him," Ryan Murphy told People at the time.
"So we decided to do that with Lea's blessing and we're going to go back to work and have grief counsellors on the set for two weeks because people are really hurting."
However, according to the documentary, not everyone thought this was a good idea.
Lea Michele appeared on The Ellen Show not long after the death of castmate and fiancé, Cory Monteith. (YouTube)
"It was only a couple of weeks. All of the actors just had to pull themselves together and get back to work," Naya Rivera's stand-in Jodie Tanaka said.
"Everyone was just kind of forced to."
"It probably would've been better to just, you know, end the show. But there's no possible way they were going to do that. The show was like a giant, massive money machine," said Stephen Kramer Glickman.
Years later, Murphy himself also admitted that this may have been an error in judgement: "Now, if this had happened, I would be like, 'That's the end'. Because you can't really recover from something like that."
Cory Monteith was 'troubled'
Whilst none of the Glee cast members appear in this documentary, several people in proximity to them do, including Monteith's ex-roommate Justin Neill.
Neil said the actor, who played Finn Hudson, once revealed he thought his drug and alcohol use would lead to an untimely death.
"I remember him telling me once, 'I thought I was gonna die young'. Like 18 or something like that," Neill recalled.
Monteith was 31 when he was discovered dead in a hotel room in Vancouver after an accidental overdose in 2013.
Monteith played Finn Hudson, the quarterback with an affinity for performing. (YouTube)
Neill also alleges Monteith had a stalker who was so persistent he was forced to move.
"I was super emotional. We were like family," Neill said in the documentary.
In fact, the stalking and fan bombardment of the cast got so intense, one crew member claims they were forced to build tunnels between their trailers and filming locations for the young stars so they could travel safely from place to place.
Naya Rivera's dad called her moments before her death
Rivera's father also appeared in the documentary and revealed he spoke to the actress moments before she drowned at Lake Piru, California in 2020.
"I get a sinking feeling 'cause we've been boating forever. I was FaceTiming with her trying to talk her through the pitfalls of trying to anchor your boat," George said.
"First of all, I said, 'Naya, you're on a pontoon boat, that's not a boat … why are you on a pontoon boat?' I said, 'Do not jump off that effin' boat. If you've got an anchor, you can anchor it, but do you know how to anchor it?'
"We went through a couple iterations like that, and then the FaceTime call hung up and that was the last time I talked to her."
Rivera, who played Santana Lopez, was reported missing when she failed to return her boat at Lake Piru. When authorities found the boat on the water, the only person on board was her son, Josey. It was revealed that in her final moments, Rivera mustered the energy to save her son but was not able to save herself.
Naya Rivera's father spoke to the actress just moments before her untimely death, according to the documentary. (Fox)
The ' Glee curse' affected the crew as well as the cast
While these deaths were highly publicised, The Price of Glee reveals a number of crew also died behind-the-scenes.
These include assistant director Jim Fuller, who died of a heart attack; production assistant Nancy Motes, who died by suicide; and Matthew Morrison's stand-in Mark Watson, who apparently died in a car fire.
Mark Salling, who portrayed Noah Puckerman, died by suicide in 2018 after being convicted for possession of child pornography.
An on-set rigging gaffer J.A. Byerly sensationally concluded he partly blames Glee for the suicide of his brother, who worked on the show's sets.
He alleges his brother was run down by the pressure to keep up with the set piece demands of Glee' s musical numbers, which became increasingly over-the-top in the later seasons to keep the show's declining viewership invested.
The cast competed for followers
Hair department head and Monteith's friend Dugg Kirkpatrick alleges the young stars were in competition with each other over who had the most social media followers.
"I would often see the actors gathered, talking about how many people they'd acquired as followers," Kirkpatrick recalled.
"And there was a competition. In the beginning, when they had to tweet every day, it was Lea that really had the numbers."
While The Price of Glee unloaded a number of bombshells and revelations, members of the cast have been less than impressed with the production.
Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams, likened the documentary to trash, and in December told a publication that he and his castmates had "nothing to do with it."
Similarly, Chord Overstreet, who played Sam Evans, called it "bulls--t" during an appearance on Elvis Duran's radio show.
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It has long been reported the decision to resume filming mere weeks after the death of Monteith in 2013 was made by fellow cast lead, and Monteith's fiancé, Lea Michele.
The film raises questions about the phenomenon of a curse, and whether there is any truth to it or if it is merely coincidence. It features interviews with cast members of the show, industry professionals, and experts in the field of supernatural beliefs, attempting to shed light on the curse theory. Throughout the documentary, the narrative follows the rise and eventual decline of the Glee cast, exploring the impact this has had on the actors' lives, careers, and mental well-being. It also reflects on the cultural significance of the show itself and its lasting legacy. Ultimately, the "Glee curse documentary" aims to provoke thought and conversation about the concept of curses, superstitions, and the price of fame within the entertainment industry. It provides a comprehensive examination of the tragedies that have followed the cast members of Glee and attempts to uncover any underlying connections, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions about the alleged curse..
Reviews for "Unmasking the Curse: Debunking Myths and Rumors Surrounding Glee"
1. Sarah - 1/5
I was really excited to watch the "Glee Curse Documentary" as a fan of the show, but I was severely disappointed. The documentary lacked depth and felt more like a tabloid gossip piece rather than a serious exploration of the tragedies surrounding the cast members. It focused more on sensationalizing the events and didn't provide any new insights or perspectives. Overall, it felt exploitative and disrespectful to the memory of the actors who passed away.
2. Jason - 2/5
As someone who followed "Glee" when it was still on air, I had high hopes for this documentary. However, I found it to be quite underwhelming. The storytelling was disjointed, and it failed to capture the emotional impact of the tragedies that affected the cast. The interviews felt superficial, and it seemed like the documentary was more interested in speculating about a supposed "curse" than honoring the lives of the actors. It missed the mark and left me disappointed.
3. Michelle - 2/5
I was intrigued by the concept of the "Glee Curse Documentary" but felt let down after watching it. The documentary seemed to be more focused on capitalizing on the tragedies that surrounded the cast rather than offering a sensitive and nuanced exploration of their lives and the challenges they faced. The interviews lacked depth, and it felt like the filmmakers were more interested in generating controversy and drama rather than paying tribute to the actors. It missed the opportunity to shed light on important issues and instead felt exploitative.
4. Andrew - 1/5
I found the "Glee Curse Documentary" to be a tasteless attempt at exploiting the tragedies surrounding the cast members. The documentary seemed more interested in generating morbid curiosity rather than offering a respectful and insightful examination of the circumstances surrounding their deaths. It lacked sensitivity and failed to provide any meaningful analysis or discussion. Overall, it left me feeling uncomfortable and disappointed.