Glee star Cory Monteith was found dead Saturday in his room at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver, British Columbia. The cause of the death of the 31-year-old Canadian actor was not immediately apparent, and an autopsy was set for Monday.
“We are so saddened to confirm that the reports on the death of Cory Monteith are accurate,” his representative said in a statement. “We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss.”
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic news. Cory was an exceptional talent and an even more exceptional person,” representatives for “Glee” executive producers, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company said in an official statement. “He was a true joy to work with and we will all miss him tremendously. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.”
The tragic death of Monteith comes just before Season 5 was supposed to begin production next week. Now Glee writers are scrambling to figure out what to do with his character, Finn Hudson, who was to be prominently featured in the upcoming shows. Production may be delayed as writers decide how to write Finn out of the script.
Hollywood entertainment and pop culture expert, Scott Huver told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column:
“He leaves a major hole in the heart of the show that will be challenging for the writers and producers to address. While the ‘Glee’ staff and especially series creator Ryan Murphy have never shied away from handling controversial, tragic or dark subject matter, translating Monteith’s loss into a ‘death of Finn’ storyline may simply prove too sad and all-consuming for the show, but glossing over his absence seems unrealistic. Whatever they decide, the writers will have to proceed very delicately lest dealing with the outcome overwhelm the show’s generally light, fun-loving tone.”
Monteith checked himself into a drug treatment facility late last March and he was absent from the final episodes of last season. His return as Finn Hudson was much anticipated by fans.
In addition to his work on “Glee,” Monteith appeared on television shows such as Supernatural and Smallville. He also worked alongside Selena Gomez in the 2011 movie Monte Carlo and currently has two completed films in post-production – the crime drama McCanick and a comedy-drama about four people struggling with the aftermath of trauma entitled, All the Wrong Reasons.
