Lea Michele is mourning the loss of boyfriend and Glee costar Cory Monteith through song. The 26-year-old singer has returned to work on the Fox musical show and hit the recording studio a little more than three weeks after Monteith died at the age of 31.
"Thank you Alex Anders an Adam Anders for a great recording session today . . . You guys are the best," Michele tweeted Monday, Aug. 5. "Couldn't have picked a more beautiful & perfect song to start the year with."
Executive music producer Adam tweeted back, "Lea Michele you are the strongest person I know. That was truly amazing. Love you xoxo." Vocal producer and recording engineer Alex also wrote, "Lea Michele you were absolutely magnificent today. I am in awe of your strength and your sweet spirit. Love you."
Monteith was found dead in his Vancouver hotel on July 13 after overdosing on heroin and alcohol. The actor, who starred as beloved jock Finn Hudson on Glee, spent a month in rehab in April, but a source close to Michele told Us Weekly she "didn't know" he had relapsed and was "inconsolable."
The fifth season of Glee premieres on Fox Sept. 26, and co-creator Ryan Murphy said Michele decided how and when the show would handle Monteith's death. "She was very adamant that she thought it was best for the cast and crew to get back together sooner [rather] than later," he explained to TV Line. "Cory was so beloved that she felt people really needed to be together in this time. So we sort of followed her lead."
On Aug. 1, Michele tweeted, "First day of glee today . . . And at my first wardrobe fitting for Rachel Berry for Season Five! I've missed her so much."
Fox Entertainment Chairman Kevin Reilly explained at the TCA Tour panel on Aug. 1 that "the third episode will deal with the Finn Hudson character being written out of the show . . . that episode will deal directly with the incidents involved in Cory's passing and with the drug abuse in particular."
The show also plans to include PSAs from the cast that will "speak directly to the audience" about Monteith's death. Proceeds from the music sales for the third episode will go toward a fun in the late actor's memory.
