The idea of a “Glee curse” has lingered for years, fueled by the tragic deaths of three cast members. While some continue to point to those heartbreaking losses as evidence the show is “cursed,” Kevin McHale is pushing back against the narrative, arguing that it unfairly overshadows the lives of those involved.
The “Glee” curse narrative emerged following the deaths of some cast members. It gained traction following the release of the three-part miniseries, “The Price of Glee,” in which the tragic passing of Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, and Naya Rivera were explored.
Kevin McHale, who played Artie Abrams in the musical TV series, took to X on July 29 to share his thoughts about the so-called curse surrounding the show.
“Let me log off today because the way too many of you talk about real people who have passed as a ‘sacrifice’ or a ‘curse’ in regards to a tv show is f-cking diabolical and untethered from any sort of humanity or reality. get f-cked,” McHale wrote.
Many agreed with the actor’s sentiment. One user noted, “It’s so f-cking disrespectful to their memory and to their families and friends.” “When entertainment starts making people forget they’re talking about actual human beings, it’s time to step away from the screen,” another added.
The Actor Previously Talked About The ‘Curse’
In an interview on “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” in 2024, McHale discussed the so-called curse, admitting that they make jokes about it.
“The amount of times we’ve said some things that everyone gets really quiet, we’re like, ‘No no. Understand, if we don’t laugh about this, we will all just be sad, cause it’s insane. It really is crazy,” McHale said.
The actor added he wasn’t superstitious and didn’t believe in curses. As for what happened to his “Glee” co-stars, he said they were just coincidental. “I just think a lot of unfortunate, really horrible accidents do happen,” he stressed. Later, he said there’s nothing to be gained by believing “Glee” is cursed.
Three ‘Glee’ Main Cast Members Passed Away Tragically
Cory Monteith (Finn Hudson) passed away in 2013 due to an accidental overdose. The loss was a big blow to the cast and crew, and it was written into the fifth season of “Glee.” The show intentionally left out his character’s cause of death, and the cast sang emotional tributes to honor his memory.
Mark Salling (Noah “Puck” Puckerman) faced legal troubles in the years before his death. In late 2015, he was arrested for possessing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse materials. Salling agreed to a plea agreement and pleaded guilty in 2017. He died by suicide in January 2018, a few months before his sentencing hearing.
Naya Rivera (Santana Lopez) died of an accidental drowning in 2020. She went out boating on a lake with her then-4-year-old son, who was later found alone in the boat. Authorities concluded that the actress helped her son back into the boat before she drowned.
Several Of The Show’s Crew Members Also Died
“The Price of Glee” also mentioned the deaths of some other people associated with the show. An assistant director and a props crew member both died of a heart attack. A rigger and production assistant died by suicide, and a stand-in for actor Matthew Morrison died in a vehicular accident.
Many fans heavily criticized the docu-series for leaning into the “curse,” saying it exploited real-life tragedies for the sake of entertainment. Amid the backlash, a writer for the documentary claimed some “Glee” cast and crew were involved in the project, which was refuted by McHale, Chord Overstreet, and Jenna Ushkowitz.
“I think that’s all bullsh-t. I think anybody that knows anything about that show and experienced it doesn’t have anything to do with that from what I know,” Overstreet said.
Is Ryan Murphy Rebooting ‘Glee’?
It has been more than a decade since “Glee” aired its final episode, and co-creator and showrunner Ryan Murphy teased it may be time to reboot the series.
“That show is interesting because it’s come back around. So many young people now watch it. And I’m like, ‘Maybe we should revisit that show’,” Murphy told PEOPLE.
While he didn’t confirm that a reboot is in the works, Murphy seems keen on the idea of creating “a new incarnation” of the Emmy-winning musical series.
