Jane Lynch has reacted to the news of Mark Salling’s apparent suicide.
“Sad and very tragic,” Lynch told TMZ on Tuesday, January 30, of her former Glee costar’s passing.
The 57-year-old actress also revealed how she will remember the late actor. “As the guy who made that really sweet video in the beginning of Glee when he was so happy to be a part of this group,” she said. “It’s tragic and I’m brokenhearted over it.”
Lynch and Salling were both featured on all six seasons of FOX’s Glee from 2009 to 2015. Months after the show aired its final episode, Salling was arrested for felony possession of child pornography. The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2017, after striking a plea deal that included four to seven years in prison and registering as a sex offender after his stint in jail. He was set to appear in court on March 7.
Other cast and crew members from the hit musical series took to social media to react to Salling’s death, which the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Us Weekly on Tuesday. Us also confirmed that a member of Salling’s family reported him missing at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, which prompted officers to do a welfare check at his Los Angeles home.
Matthew Morrison shared a photo with Salling and late actor Cory Monteith via Instagram. Monteith was a series regular on Glee until he died of a drug overdose in July 2013. Morrison captioned the photo with two angel emojis and one sad emoji, and fellow cast member Jenna Ushkowitz commented a heart emoji on the post.
Glee producer Tim Davis tweeted, “Yes, he committed crimes against children. Yes, it’s horrific. But #MarkSalling was a broken man, no doubt an abuse victim himself. I loved Mark, and am sad when I consider the devastation of his parents. PLEASE withhold your cruel comments.”
Davis added in a second tweet, which Lynch retweeted, “Let me be clear. Having compassion for #MarkSalling in no way minimizes his crimes, nor does it minimize the pain and devastation of the victims of those crimes,” Davis added of the late actor, who pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in December 2017 and was awaiting his March sentencing. “I’m just saying stop adding to his family’s pain. This was their son. If you’re without sin, feel free to cast stones.”
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
