Cory Monteith Remembered: Exclusive Photos

THR's 'Glee' Cover

The cast of Glee appeared on The Hollywood Reporter's cover in May 2011. Series co-creator Ryan Murphy stopped by the shoot but did not pose for pictures; he had previously been featured on a THR cover for Glee and wanted the crew and cast to have their moment. During the cover shoot, a lot of the cast were singing along to the music including Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)."

VIDEO: 'Glee' Cover Shoot

In Times Square

"New York has a totally infectious energy," Monteith told THR during a May 2011 photo shoot in Times Square during season two. The actor was found dead at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel on Saturday, July 13. Police have not yet given a cause of death, but no foul play is suspected.

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On the Set

Monteith relaxes with co-star Chord Overstreet between shooting scenes for Glee. The 2011 episode found the kids of New Directions traveling to New York City to compete in Nationals. 

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Central Park

Monteith is photographed in May 2011 standing on the Bow Bridge in Central Park, where his character Finn shared a romantic stroll with Rachel (Lea Michele) in Glee. While Monteith and Michele were dating at the time of his death, they weren't yet a couple when THR's cameras captured their photos for a cover shoot. After news of his death broke, Michele's reps released a statement: "We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea's privacy during this devastating time."

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Cover Shoot

The cast of Glee posed at THR's photo shoot. During the shoot, Monteith remained humble, easygoing and low maintenance. Front row, from left: Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Heather Morris, Lea Michele and Naya Rivera. Back row, from left: Cory Monteith and Chris Colfer.

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Hugging It Out

Monteith hugged Glee costume designer Lou Eyrich during THR's cover shoot. The actor's Hollywood Hills home became the location of an impromptu wake as about a dozen people gathered late Saturday night to reminisce and grieve over the loss of their friend, sources told THR. At the home were Monteith's roommates including Justin Neill, who runs the electronic cigarette company SmokeStik, and actor Dustin Milligan, who did a stint on the first season of the CW's 90210 reboot, and a couple of Monteith's bandmates from his group, Bonnie Dune.

Hard Times

The good-natured actor admittedly had a difficult past. He checked himself into rehab in March; it was at least his second stint. Monteith also described a difficult, tumultuous past that included attending more than a dozen schools and eventually dropping out of high school at age 16 (he did go on to earn a high school diploma). “I don’t want kids to think it’s okay to drop out of school and get high, and they’ll be famous too,” he said at the time. “But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it.”

All Smiles

Many of Monteith's co-stars paid tribute to him following news of his death. Tweeted Dot-Marie Jones: "I HAVE NO WORDS! MY HEART IS BROKEN CORY WAS NOT ONLY A HELL OF A FRIEND HE WAS ONE AMAZING MEN THAT I WILL HOLD CLOSE TO MY HEART FOREVER."

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Taking a Break

Monteith chilled out with co-star Chord Overstreet between takes in New York, where several NYPD officers were put on patrol inside the metal barriers while PAs were left to tame nearly a dozen paparazzi. Monteith and some of his co-stars took to whipping out their phones and shooting their own pictures of their shutterbug stalkers, while remaining gracious toward their fans, waving and in Times Square running a gantlet to slap hands with them.

Fan Frenzy

Glee's New York shoot attracted an overflow crowd to the park's Poet's Walk. Fans lined the grass on either side of the concrete promenade, and 10 teenage girls waited outside Monteith's trailer.

Reluctant Star

Monteith at times seemed to wear his fame uncomfortably. When the show traveled to New York to film the second season finale, the actor uneasily but politely signed autographs and posed for pictures with the hoards of fans that materialized at every location including Central Park and Lincoln Center.

Finn's Future

When Monteith entered rehab last March, Glee was nearing the end of production on its fourth season. His character, Finn, was last seen returning to the New Directions choir room to be a co-coach of the glee club as he continued to pursue teaching at a college in Ohio. He was slated to be a series regular in season five, which is scheduled to premiere Sept. 19 on Fox, but it's now unclear what will happen to his character.

Launching a Career

Two days before he was found dead, Monteith had dinner at Vancouver’s East of Main Café with Maureen Webb, an early acting mentor and co-founder of Project Limelight, a nonprofit aid organization servicing homeless youth that Monteith helped Webb launch last year. It was Webb, then a casting director, who met the 19-year-old Monteith through a mutual friend, who suggested he pursue acting. 

An Inspiration

In a promotional video for the launch of Project Limelight, Monteith once admitted that as a teen he struggled to find a purpose in life. “I was fortunate to have the arts inspired me,” he says in the video. “If it weren’t for the teachers and actors who showed me, I would have never gotten into acting. I’d never have been able to find my way. I kind of wish this was around when I was a kid.”