November 11, 2024 • 46 mins
The McKinley High students say a heartbreaking goodbye to Finn Hudson.
Behind the scenes, the cast and crew were grieving the death of Cory Monteith … on-screen, they had to get into character and grieve for everyone's favorite quarterback, Finn. Jenna and Kevin share how tough it was to shoot this episode, revealing it sometimes felt like an intrusion into a private experience, having to disassociate to get through filming, the scenes that had the cast running out of the room in tears, and having the option to bow out of the episode, but why they chose to do it. Cory left such an indelible mark on those he met, so Kevin and Jenna are honoring his memory by sharing some of their fondest recollections and moments and revisiting their favorite Cory stories told by some of their podcast guests.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
And That's what you Really missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin and iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to and That's what You Really missed podcast. Today
is a unique and sad episode, if you will. This
is season five, episode three. This is the Quarterback. Now.
(00:30):
When Kevin and I started this podcast, we knew we
were not going to recap this episode from the very beginning,
and that was really driven by, I think Kevin correct
me if I'm wrong, the immense grief that we had
to experience while shooting this episode on camera. So while
(00:57):
we were grieving Corey behind the scenes, we were also
then put in front of the camera on this episode
to grieve as our characters and grief Finn and it
was not a great experience for anybody.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And I think what also sort of made us feel
not crazy for feeling that way was when we had
Ryan on this show. Initially, he talked about that exact
same thing and how if he could have gone back,
he wouldn't have done that episode, And like we talked
about together, there was sort of no it was a
(01:37):
lose lose of how to do this correctly. So having
the control of the situation now as we do, we
decided to do a different format for this episode. Yes,
because we all love Corey. Fans love Corey and Finn
(01:58):
and one of the best Experien says about doing this
podcast so far has and if you've listened every week,
every single person, almost every single person has a Corey story.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
And mentioned him as the one who they felt the
most connected to or felt the most seen by, the
heard by, or whatever it was. Corey is always, if
you listen, mentioned as like that guy.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Always and like the the way he would quietly go
about making everybody feel comfortable and safe. Truly was you know,
for lack of a better word, the quarterback of the
show in that way. And it's been surprising and in
some ways to hear some of these stories that you
know that we've heard over the past two years, but
(02:47):
also not surprising in the same sense because like, if
anyone is going to be that way, of course, it
was him always looking out for everybody. So we thought
for this episode, will go through it a little bit,
but we're not going to break down the episode because
we're not watching it.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
That's the main pointing.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
If you want, and I know it for some people
that bring some sort of comfort and solace that is great.
I'm glad that it is there for you. For us,
we want to highlight some of these stories, and we
have some new stories that people sent in. Talk about
our memories. We'll talk a little bit at the top
of this about the actual filming of the episode. But
(03:32):
that's how we're going to lay this out. And I
hope you know you will ride with us on this
and really have it be a celebration of Corey's legacy
more than anything.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yes, that is right. Well, let's get past all the info.
This was directed by Brad Faulchuk. Uh couldn't have done
it with anybody else. And there's some songs Seasons of
Love performed by all of.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Us by You by Mercedes.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Fire and Rain by Arnie and Sam Young by Santana,
No Surrender by Puck.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
And make You Feel My Love by Rachel.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Tell me about the empisode.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Sorry, So the McKinley high family, present and past joined
together and remember and celebrate the life of Finn Hudson.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, so this is interesting because we were we found
out that that Finn was going to also pass in
the show. That wasn't a decision that came lightly. I remember,
you know, the writers really kind of mulling and agonizing
(04:47):
over what to do, how to move the story forward,
and where do we go from here? And we also
were given the option to either do the episode or
not do the episode. I never felt and Kevin never
felt like we didn't want to be there. There was
(05:09):
just a certain group of people in this bubble who
understood stood what we were going through, and we really
didn't leave each other sides for a long time after
this happened Corey's passing in July, and I would have
felt like, I don't know, in hindsight, maybe you know,
(05:29):
we wouldn't have done it, but there would have been
something missing from the episode if somebody didn't do it right.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, And it also just felt like there wasn't a
lot of time to consider, like the schedule of how
this happened, as Corey passed away the early middle of July, Yeah,
and normally we'd start shooting around that same time, probably
within a couple of days of that. They pushed it
back ten days to two weeks, and then we immediately
(05:56):
started at the very beginning of August, which is still
very recent and an episode takes eight to nine days
to shoot, so we did two episodes and then went
straight into this episode. We had a break after this episode,
but there is still not a lot of time when
we get into this episode, so it was all very
(06:19):
very fresh, and I think because we sort of just
jumped back into doing the show, it didn't feel like
and I don't think this is anybody's fault, but like
for medn't it felt like a false choice of do
we actually say no to this, or get to say
no to this, or does it feel right to say
no to this?
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Right?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
There was no way to, like for me at least,
like check in with myself because this is like a
very unprecedented situation.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
And there was no time to really check in with yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
No, And we were at work, and it's like we
were just saying yes and you just go and like
if everyone's doing it, then let's all do it and
be there together because surely if we're all together, yeah,
that will be better.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
But the experience of shooting some of this, especially when
we got the song list of what songs were going
to be in this episode, and it.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Is just b it was not great.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It was really really hard.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
I remember, and and and that's the thing, like when
we were shooting the episodes of The Beatles, there was
like a solemness to back behind the scenes that we
were still grieving and going through all this together, but
we were shooting something joyful that gave I think our
cast and crew moments of levity where we could sing
(07:40):
happy songs and kind of find joy for those moments.
And even with like Katie Gaga right after this episode,
it's like there were there were just brief seconds of
like a deep breath where you are not thinking it
just for just one second. And during the Quarterback episode,
(08:04):
I mean, we were joking around Off's camera on camera.
You know us, we're crazy and you know we'd love
to laugh and dance and joke, but like this episode
is so was so different that there was like you
could hear a pin drop in between takes, You could
hear a pin drop when you showed up to set.
(08:26):
It was so gravely different as it as you would assume,
you know what I mean, like obviously, but it was
not our show. We were not shooting our show during
this time. That's what it didn't feel.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Like that, and I don't think any of us realized
that's what was going to happen in the sense that
as soon as the first take rolled around, I felt like, oh,
this is Kevin on camera. It was the first time
I had you know, we joke about how, oh they
started writing for our characters, blah blah blah blah blah.
(09:01):
This is very very different. It felt very much like
this is me sitting in the room where I spend
so much time with Corey, and the camera's on my
face and I feel very much like I am being
exposed in a way, or like the camera is capturing.
(09:24):
And although they set it up in a way where
like it's Brad doing it, it's our family and this
crew doing it. So it was the safest space possible,
but there was no way. I was just hyper aware,
and I think we all became hyper aware of like, oh,
millions of people are going to see this in a
different way than shooting a Beatles episode or any other
(09:45):
episode where it felt like an intrusion. Yes, totally into
like a really private experience, and we were having to
figure out how to deal with that anyways. You know, personally,
this was the first time I had lost somebody close
to me, and then he's a very famous public figure
at that time. Yes, and there was I don't know
(10:09):
exactly when we went on the Teen Choice Awards. I
know it sounds so silly.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But a couple of months it was it was like
it after this, yeah, yeah, because Lee asked us to
show up for her.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yes, And we hadn't been doing any public appearances obviously,
and so these things that would be public facing were
very hard to navigate because it's hard enough losing somebody.
Then it's additional things of having it be talked about
everywhere you went. You go into a grocery store, convenience store,
(10:41):
it's on the cover of all the magazines. And so
this was like the first public facing thing we were
doing it, yes, and putting it out into the world. Yeah,
And it was just very hard to conceptualize what that
was going to be and feel like until physically in
the chair the camera in your face.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yes for me, that's right now, that's totally right. Total.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I mean, when we were shooting some of these numbers,
I don't think there was a scene or specifically a
musical number where somebody didn't run out of the room.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Crying after they called caught. Yes, somebody would run out
crying and like need a second to like gather themselves,
like not just tears, but like full you know, you
get it.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, I mean I did. What broke me was Amber singing.
And here's the other thing, Like I think all these
songs mean different things to all of us. So for
me it was all stand by you like broke me right,
and for other people it was other songs right, And
like I had to run. I walked out of the
(11:52):
choir room and like sat out on the dock, and
I think Brad came and talked to me. Yeah, And
Brad is also just like he's the person you do want.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
There, yes, sounding bored, the.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Gentle under completely understands like we're all there to do
this job, which feels silly under the circumstances. And in
that moment, I was just like I'm not giving I'm
not giving you anything else. Yeah, because I'm going to
like I'm not for me to get through this episode.
(12:25):
I'm not going to be able to do this every
take and it's not like I'm performing, it's just real
and I can't allow myself. If you want me to
like get through this episode, I'll show up. But yeah,
I don't think I can allow myself to emotionally invest
like I have to sort of associate a little bit.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all started to do that. I
think I also remember doing maybe one or two takes
of each scene and song.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yes, it was a.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Very short process. We shot this episode very quickly. It
felt like a long time, but we everything was so
honest that there was no other options, you know what
I mean. You weren't giving people options. The director like
brad option. It was just shoot it, get it over with,
(13:12):
let's move on.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And there was sort of this craig if I'm wrong,
but there was this consensus. It felt like if it
felt like they wanted to go again, we were like, no, you.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Got yeah, yeah, we're good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
It was totally Obviously the set as a whole was protective,
but then with each other we were even more. It
was an extra layer of protection. Totally no, no, no,
she killed this. We need to move on.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yes, exactly, you got it.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
What you got is what you got, like I don't, Yeah,
just use it. I also remember at some point I
think I got a little like angry with the situation.
I think so, and I remember the camera turning to me, yeah,
(14:07):
and you being like because they knew I was having
a hard time at one of the scenes and then
the camera turned to me, and I looked into the
camera and just go, no.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, yeah, uh yeah, you had done you had it,
you had had it.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I know you're all doing your job, but I'm not
doing this.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And blessed that that crew and our are like camerat
A and B, like Dwayne and Andrew Mitchell who were
also graving the loss of their friend. And you know,
coworker crew was just as devastated as we were, as
they felt the most hard and felt seen by Corey.
(14:44):
But just to have to do that and understand that
they have a job to do as well, right, Like,
it was very hard because sometimes he would push in
on you just weeping, just fully weeping. I remember, like
there's a camera. I mean, I like put my head
and I was like, I have nowhere to hide right now,
I have nowhere to hide, And remembering like, don't get
(15:06):
angry at the people who are doing their jobs.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I felt bad about that too, because everybody was just
doing their best.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Oh yeah, I mean between takes, say would have tears
in their eyes.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
No, it's just it was really awful.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, and I think, you know, to like Ryan's point,
about if he could do it all over again, he
would do it differently. It is one of those things
where you don't know until you start doing it. Because
I understand we all talked about it, like what would
an ideal episode in this situation look like to us?
(15:41):
And nobody came up with a clear well answer that
was any different and it was just like, Okay, yeah,
here will see how this goes. And it wasn't not good.
I mean, like I really dreaded recording Fire and RAINA.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Was that really hard or did you just kind of
like also dissociate?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I think what's crazy is I mean the lyrics of
a lot of these songs are so fitting. Yeah, and
I think I did have to like associate, like let
me just technically figure out how to do this, and
and it's like a beautiful song, like and everyone is
really like doing a beautiful job on all of these
(16:26):
songs for usual. Yeah, but yeah, it was less about
I'm not going to like cry on the track, you know,
like let me just totally let me just feel good
about what I'm doing professionally, but like get.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Through it, get through it exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yeah. I don't remember a lot outside of like those
things I just shared it was sort.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Of like a big battler. Yeah, this season feels like
a big battler. You said stand By You was one
of your favorite Quory numbers or that got really got
you when Amber sang it. What songs remind you the
most or come to mind when you think about Corey
from that he's sang on the show has been?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean I think sort of the classics like Jesse's
Girl I still have a hard time listening to. Like
when I hear that song out in public, I'll stand
by You is definitely like I can't listen to that song.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Oh wow, Okay, that's like a never never do don't
play it?
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah no, no, what about you.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Losing My Religion? Yeah, that's the one. I can now
listen to it or if I hear it on you know,
the original like in a store, I can bear it.
But Corey's version really gets me. Yeah, Cory's version is
still hard to listen to. And and of course Jesse's
(17:56):
Girl mostly the tour, yes exactly. Yeah, yeah, those are
the cheer that really stick out to me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Both of those songs, This is my Religion and Jesse's Girls,
like he cared so much about what he was doing
on those songs.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
He loved it. When he like loved you could hear
the love of the music and of his role on
his job and like everything, he just felt like there
was passion behind all of his stuff. And even on set,
like there were times that Corey would have his moments
which we all had where you're like, my character wouldn't
do that, or does this doesn't fully make sense to me?
(18:35):
Why would I be here? Why would I walk there?
Or whatever? It was like when Corey did it, it
was always like very intentional and it was also very earned,
and it's because he cared. He wasn't just trying to
be difficult, which he didn't come across that way ever,
But like you know, there's some actors out there that
you've heard stories that just they want to be difficult
(18:56):
and they why would I stand here? And can cry
just stand here instead? And why would I say this line?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
My character wouldn't do it?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Like Corey really knew Finn and he really cared so deeply,
and so when when those moments came up, it was
like people listened, you know what I mean, Like people listened,
and he because he cared and the way he.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Would always approach things and I think you hear that
in the stories that we've heard on this podcast. Everything
was always from a place of respect in general and
genuine care. So nothing would ever come out of his
mouth that you'd be like, he's being advts Like no,
totally ever, totally ever be something associated with it, also.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Carrying a show in his back like why wouldn't you
make decisions and intentional ask questions and challenge people? And
you know what I mean like that, I.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Think that's the beautiful leader. Like juxtaposition from Finn to Corey. Yeah,
well Finn was sort of this puppy dog, I'm just
sort of bumbling through life trying to do the right thing,
where Corey could absolutely have those moments. Yeah, but as
a person was so much more like focused and serious
(20:08):
and intentional when it came to the work or caring
about your friends or making sure everybody's taken care of.
That was his focus all the time.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, And he like stayed out of the drama and
he like laughed at it and just like he was
such a good leader. He was such a good leader. Yeah,
and without really having to like say anything about it,
do you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Yeah, we all just sort of accepted that he was
the leader, like yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, okay, he was.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I think some of one of the best things that's
come from this podcast, like you said earlier, was like
every time we have a guest on, they have to
mention Corey, And I think that was part of really
why when we had decided we weren't going to recap
the quarterback, it felt like a no brainer to honor
him in some way because like everybody had something nice
(21:05):
to say, or something new we didn't know, or a
lot of that, like Samuel Larson saying that he took
him out to lunch and like welcomed him in just
makes I could burst into tears at this very moment
because like it's so generous and kind and speaks to
Corey and his character, his integrity, not his character, fim
(21:32):
of like who he was and like caring for everybody,
and nobody had to know about it except for Samuel
to feel like he had an ally on that set.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Yeah, And it's to think about the people, like the
stories that we don't know yet or haven't heard the
amount of times, because it's a pattern that wasn't a
one off, like Max Rowler was talking about how welcoming
Corey was, like went above and beyond for him on set,
and like, when you're coming into this gigan, having somebody
be the anchor that you can go to and having
(22:06):
it be someone who was the star of the show
like him, totally, it is really really valuable.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Totally. We revisited some of our old episodes and I
think there were just some highlights that we jotted down
because you know, there were just such notable, important people
to the show that had such notable moments and memories
about Corey that I thought we should mention, like Ryan
(22:35):
saying that Corey felt like his own child, yeah, and
how hard of a time he had when he was
going through all of that, you know, his his stuff,
and then when he passed away.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I also really enjoyed like when Robert Oric, the casting director,
was talking about how Finn and Mercedes were so hard
to cast, but seeing Corey's audition tape, even without him
singing yeah, was so magical, Like there was something about
him yeah yeah, and there was there was like all
the parts that you love about watching Finn are very
(23:13):
much there there from the very beginning. Yes, like that
magic he had with that role was totally unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
And then you have like you know, when we had
Mark malkoln On, Michael Assiello, you know, our publicist from Fox,
Tracy Rafferty, all of them saying how kind he was
at every interaction, which was a lot of interactions, and
like taking the time on set when they would come
(23:41):
to set and sit there for hours and be there
for a special shooting day or a tribute episode, and
him taking the time from which which is hard, like
there are some people who just you know, cannot kind
of socialize while they're on set or are too tired
or whatever. But always Corey always took hours and just
talked to them and made them feel welcome, un said,
(24:03):
and you know like became their friend. And then Tracy too,
like she spent so much time with us and so
much time with Corey, and she had such fond memories
of like deal, you know, experiencing his joy and his
person and then also having to deal with all the
(24:26):
stuff that came from when when the fallout happened.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
You know, I mean to that too. I think you
know Caylin Gorman, who was the behind the scenes producer,
she said something very similar to like when we were
all tired and had long days, and she would be
there trying to pull us away to do behind the
scenes stuff, like she could always count on Corey to
(24:50):
do what she needed to do, like his battery for
being sociable or professional. Those of us that would run
out be tapped out. He never tapped out. Yeah, they
would always do it. He was always there.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
And then also I would like, like I said about
Samuel Larson being taken out to lunch but by Corey.
I also didn't know that Angie Warner on tour they
would have special coffee dates.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
This was my favorite story.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
And like get him coffee because he would spend all
the time with the fans and see all the fans,
you know, in the lobby of the hotel, or like
at the theater or at the venue, and like he
she would bring him coffee. And then it was a
tradition that they kept going after the tour was over
back in la which I love too. I thought that
(25:43):
was so special. I had no idea they had that relationship,
not that we needed to, but again, like everybody felt
so connected to him.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
He had more hours in the day than we did.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
He made them like he made them.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Like what was he had that clock of like his
his day was twenty six hours long.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know, yeah where those extra
two hours come from and that energy comes from and
to like care for others, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
And you always felt like it was that type of
person too, that never made you feel like he was
doing you a favor or wasting his time. No, you
were always the only person in the room. You were
the most important person in that moment if you're having
that conversation or having that coffee, whatever it may be. Yeah,
and would never make you feel bad about taking his
(26:33):
time for anything.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Someone like The most like vivid memories of Corey that
I have are like when we were waiting for him
in the Pilot because he got stuck without a visa
and he was cast and we knew we knew who
Finn was, but we didn't get to meet him for
like weeks before he came in like and we started shooting. Essentially,
(26:57):
he made it. And we had been rehearsing for like,
you know, been together doing music and costumes and dance
and all of these things with Zach and you know,
the five of us, and we were just waiting for
like our our like hero to come. Yeah, and we
were like so excited when he came. And we were
(27:17):
on set doing something at the cabrio where we shot
like the pilot before they built all of our sets,
and there was like cake one of the first days,
and we sat out in the courtyard at the picnic
tables and we were like eating cake and we were
all taking pictures of each other. I had like all
these pictures of all of us like hanging out. He's
in that blue striped sweater that he's in in the
(27:37):
beginning of the show. And then when we had rap
parties were always a weird thing and they never you know,
some years they were really good. In some years, like
we were doing tour and there was a lot going on,
and so they kind of like fell by the wayside,
especially as we got later into the seasons. And one
(27:58):
year was like they had a crew wrap party and
a cast rap party, but not one together. And Corey
was like very upset about that, and so he decided
to throw a rager rap party at his house for
everybody to join together because we all wanted to be together.
And he's he didn't really come down. He wasn't drinking
at the time. Again like he he came up. He
(28:23):
was up on the railing of his house looking down,
and I remember like all of us looking at being
like he's Gatsby.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
He doesn't.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
He like entertains and like revels in the joy of
other people. And I remember going up and like talking
to him for a while. We hung out on the
banister with him, like on the you know, on the balcony,
but he really didn't come down, but he was just
so happy that everybody was there having fun. And then
(28:53):
the photoshoot was the last time I ever saw him.
Was this photo shoot for season five with all the
Maybies and us and yes, and I mean we had
no idea, like we had, we had no clue, but
he was. He was there, and I remember saying to
him something about his watch, because he had a sub
(29:15):
Mariner and relex that I loved like a lot, and
he's had if he had for a long time. I
don't know if it was a family thing or if
he had had it himself. But I was thinking about
buying myself one. And we had joked about Rolexes obviously
a lot because Glee, you know, we got Rolexes for
as a gift on tour, and like some Brad had
one that he wore all the time, and so they
were just kind of like circulating around us, and I
(29:38):
was like, I think I'm gonna buy one for myself.
He was like, as you should, Jenna, as you should.
And we always my husband and I always say as
you should, know, and I've always taken that with me
because he'll always say like as you should, like Corey said,
because it's like take the trip, do the thing, buy
(29:58):
the watch, go, you know, like skip work, go do
your thing. It was just something that like I took
that I didn't even intentionally take. I just took it
with me. Yeah, So that was like those are a
couple of my favorite, like very vivid memories of Corey.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I remember that same photo shoot. We hadn't seen him
since he went to rehab, right, and so I just
remember like hugging him and being like I'm so proud
of you and he's like, oh, thanks, b and like
grabbed me and like squeezed me, and I was like, okay,
here we are, like we're back to right normal. Obviously
(30:40):
I didn't know what was going on, but like, right,
you would never know. Yeah, there were times like he
we were in New York and he took me out.
It was probably the only time like we hung out
one on one's New York Yeah, and we went to
like the Soho House and we just sat out there
and it felt so funny because I also felt like
(31:06):
he was like the big brother, like the jock, like
the he's the cool guy, and I'm like, I'm like
the little weirdo, quirky day kid. And obviously that dynamic
would there was never any separation between any of us
like that, but it felt really funny for us to
(31:26):
just be there by ourselves because I remember being like,
what are we going to talk about on this one?
I had known him for a couple of years, but
it was like, I don't know what, We've never had
a one on one And obviously it was great and
we had like just such a nice time hanging out.
I think it was I think it was during tour,
(31:48):
the second tour, and it was nice to just like
have a moment and like catch up and like he
was checking in. You know now, in hindsight, like talking
to all these people, it's like that his way to
sort of like check in, yeah, or vice versa be
able to like check in with me about himself totally,
(32:09):
which felt nice as well and special and like it's
nice for not taking these relationships for granted. Yeah, and yeah,
I think when we were around each other that often
and then you're on tour and you're shooting to be
able to make special one on one time for people,
clearly was something he was really good at and really
(32:29):
enjoyed and meant a lot to all of us.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Yes, definitely. So we wanted to share a couple of
our favorite stories told on this podcast because I think
they're just like really special moments. So first is from
Vanessa and GI's reflecting on one of her favorite Glee memories.
(32:56):
So let's listen.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
I have I have a really good memory of Corey
and I and it was like we were in the
in the holding room and there were set chairs everywhere
and almost everyone was napping in a different in a
different position. There were people lying on the floor. There
are people who had chairs set up in a row
of three and were sleeping on that, and it was
(33:19):
everyone was sleeping and Corey was sitting. Corey was the
only one awake, and I was sitting next to him,
and like I said, you know, we had been friends
from before, but it was very trippy. He was looking
at everyone with this kind of loving papa vibe. And
(33:40):
I remember we had this talk about his experience that's
that that you know to that point on Glee, and
he was talking about each of you as you slept
with so much love, and and it was it just
was a cosmic conversation I don't know how else to
describe it, where I really just saw his hold of
(34:00):
everyone and silently. You know, he wasn't he wasn't a
man of many words, but that conversation really stands out
to me.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Yeah, the consistency. Also, if you haven't listened to that
episode with Vanessa, she talks just beautifully about Corey at
great length throughout that episode. So you should go back
and listen to that because her memory is incredible, and yeah,
exactly the way she so eloquently speaks about him is
(34:31):
just it was really beautiful.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
And then I also mentioned a couple of times about
that Samuel Larson a story that like just took me
out of my body.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
It's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
So this is Samuel Larson, who joined the show in
season three.
Speaker 5 (34:46):
For every new guy that came in. Corey was just
the best. Corey would just completely take you under his wing.
I remember just always coming up to me. He's like,
what's up, TV star, how you doing? Take me out
to lunch, and just really it was really easy to
feel welcome with him, specifically because I could tell he
(35:07):
was paying extra attention to me to make sure I
felt welcomed and that was huge for me. And I
saw him do it with others as well, Like I
saw him do it when when Blake joined as well,
and I was like, I know what he's doing, Like
that's his thing, and I think that's great and it's
and it brought up the best of me. Like I
see certain scenes.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
And I'm like, we filmed this like right.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
After me and Corey just had lunch, and I think
that's why I'm doing better because I was more comfortable
having just hung out with him.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
So the magic there too is to like, you don't
know the changes you know subconsciously, Like he mentions here,
like after having lunch with Corey and then doing a
scene of all these little interactions right that he had
(35:56):
with cast and crew over the years, how far that
goes to make everybody's experience and therefore the product that
you're producing better because people are genuinely happy to be there.
You have this personal connection to everyone, and it wasn't fake.
It wasn't because he was trying to do something. He
just genuinely cared and I think we all benefited from
(36:18):
it on so many different.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Levels, yeah, creatively and personally. And we have some other
really great voice notes that we had asked some people
who I think we're very deeply touched by Corey and
have spoken so in depth about him in the past,
and also who have worked very closely with him. So
(36:39):
we have Telei Kusakas who has been on the podcast,
who's a dear, dear friend of ours who worked very
closely with Corey. He was on set while Corey was
still around with us as APA and was our first
team whisperer. And then we have Vanessa Lunji's again who
graciously shared another her you know, voice note of some
(37:03):
of her memories of Corey h And then we asked
romy Rosemont because she played Carol fnn's mom of course
on the show. Their scenes were so dynamic and so
powerful and impactful. Every time they came on screen together.
It's like you couldn't not cry, and I just felt
(37:24):
like who better to kind of reflect on him in
that way watching him work and then knowing him personally.
So here's Kelly, Vanessa and Roby.
Speaker 6 (37:37):
There isn't really one memory that springs to mind, but
more of like an amalgamation of memories and really just
like a feeling of being with Corey, which was he
was always so inviting, so accepting, so inclusive of everyone,
no matter who they were, what they were doing, where
(37:58):
they came from.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
He had like an open door policy at his house.
He was always.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Inviting us over for pool days and parties, and there
was just a sense about him. I would always catch
him in these moments just sort of looking out at
everyone having fun, and he just had this sense of
pride and comfort in having everyone around and especially I
think hosting everyone. I think a lot about how he
(38:29):
was with his fans, especially on the Glee tour. He
always took the extra time to you know, go out
the stage door, talk to fans, sign autographs, take pictures.
You know, I think we all probably collectively waited for
him for hours. You know, he was usually the last
(38:50):
person in the van, but you know, he never took
any moment. For granted, he was so appreciative of where
he was at and always acknowledging the people that, you know,
the people that were his fans and the people that
(39:11):
watched the show. And we also were both from Vancouver,
so we shared a sort of you know, hometown bond
in that way, we shared some mutual friends, and so
it kind of just Corey always felt like an old friend,
even if you just met him. I think after all
(39:32):
these years, that's always what sticks with me first and foremost,
Love you, Corey, Miss you always.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
I remember Corey being a larger than life forced to
be around. I can remember his smile and his almost
like beamed sunshine when I got to my first day
on the set of Glee, and different days after that,
(40:04):
just this warmth and brightness that radiated off of him,
and I felt like he had big Papa energy watching
over the cast and the crew. He was very observant
and very playful, but also grounded and mature. He just
(40:34):
loved everyone so much and cared for everyone, and I
just felt him watching over everyone in a very protective
and loving way. Yeah. It was a real special special
being for sure. Miss him all the time.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
The first time I met Corey was on the I
think second episode of the show. We'd never met on
the pilot, and the scene was teaching him to drive
and he hits the mailman and I go berserk.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
But we never met.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
He didn't know my style, he didn't know how nutty
cuckoo I can be. And when Ryan was kind of
explaining what we were gonna do, he just kind of
looked at me and went go for it.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And I said how big. He goes go for it.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
And so we're kind of doing this the very beginning
of the scene, just you know, idle chit chat, and
then he hits the mailman, goes over the car and
I went ape shit. I go like crazy, oh my god,
oh my god, you killed him. The oh my god,
You're gonna go to jail, you know, all the things
that I said, and the look on his face. He
jumped so high and he was like Jesus.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
This lady is nuts.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
And when Ryan yelled cut, I just looked him. I
was like, ye okay, he goes yeah, and then we
burst out into laughter.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
We just burst out laughing.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
And it was what an incredible introduction to playing mother
and son and having this this beginning be like really
really just guttural laughter.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
Oh, just adored him.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
I was so lucky because I got to do so
many emotional scenes with Corey and Corey as my scene partner.
Speaker 6 (42:32):
And.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
It was such.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
I felt such a beautiful bond with him that all
I had to do to be in that situation was
to look in that boy's beautiful brown eyes filled with
compassion and love and kindness, and it was like we
were absolutely mother and son, and I got everything I
(42:58):
wanted just by in his eyes. And what's extraordinary is
he always thought that emotional stuff wasn't his forte.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
He didn't like it. He's like, I can't cry, I
can't do this.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
I said, yes you can, Yes you can. And I
think some of his best stuff is kind of the
quieter emotional stuff. He was a beautiful human, he really was.
I feel so lucky that the majority of my scenes
on Glee were just with Corey. It wasn't until later
(43:36):
that I actually got to be with all of you guys,
which was also amazing because I adored.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
The entire cast.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
But one of my favorite stories was during the wedding
of Burton Carroll and we were out at that church
I think it was a church, and Corey was so
away of either paparazzi or fans, and that he did
not want anyone to see me, or he didn't want
(44:06):
it to be revealed who was getting married. So anywhere
I walked, whether it was to lunch or to set
or wherever, he would take his coat off and either
just like wrap me in it his jacket or he
would open it real wide and I would crouch down.
(44:28):
I didn't have to crouch down that much because he
was six or three and kind of walk alongside him.
He's like, I don't want anybody to know. I don't
want anybody to know. It's going to be such a
good episode. And that excitement was always infectious. And when
we were standing up at the altar to be married,
(44:49):
and I turned and I looked at him, I was
kind of overcome with how fortunate I was to play
his mom. That even though he was older than I
think all of you guys, he.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Was the hell of about younger than I am.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
And the sweetness and the simplicity and the kindness in
his eyes with something I will never forget.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You're just so sweet.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
God, I adore that boy.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
Well, thank you so much again to Romey Vanessa and
tell you for sharing some of your favorite Corey stories
with us. It's really we're so grateful.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
And thank you all for sticking with us through an
unusual recap episode. We just wanted to make sure that
we got the chance to honor Corey when we first
started talking about this episode, we also wanted to give
you guys, the fans, a platform to share your own
memories about Corey because we know how much he meant
to you as well.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
So yeah, we've received literally in outpouring of messages like
all over the world, so thank you so much for
taking the time to submit those. So we're actually just
going to make that a separate bonus episode, so check
back for that soon.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
And just you know, in honor of Corey, I think
a message that we've clearly seen through all these people's
stories is that a little time where someone can go
a long way and mean a lot for them for
the rest of their lives. So let that be a
lesson to all of us to make room and space
for everyone.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
Yes, I love you, Corey, Love you Corey.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and
that's what you really miss pod, make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars. See you
next time.
And That's what you Really missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin and iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to and That's what You Really missed podcast. Today
is a unique and sad episode, if you will. This
is season five, episode three. This is the Quarterback. Now.
(00:30):
When Kevin and I started this podcast, we knew we
were not going to recap this episode from the very beginning,
and that was really driven by, I think Kevin correct
me if I'm wrong, the immense grief that we had
to experience while shooting this episode on camera. So while
(00:57):
we were grieving Corey behind the scenes, we were also
then put in front of the camera on this episode
to grieve as our characters and grief Finn and it
was not a great experience for anybody.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And I think what also sort of made us feel
not crazy for feeling that way was when we had
Ryan on this show. Initially, he talked about that exact
same thing and how if he could have gone back,
he wouldn't have done that episode, And like we talked
about together, there was sort of no it was a
(01:37):
lose lose of how to do this correctly. So having
the control of the situation now as we do, we
decided to do a different format for this episode. Yes,
because we all love Corey. Fans love Corey and Finn
(01:58):
and one of the best Experien says about doing this
podcast so far has and if you've listened every week,
every single person, almost every single person has a Corey story.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
And mentioned him as the one who they felt the
most connected to or felt the most seen by, the
heard by, or whatever it was. Corey is always, if
you listen, mentioned as like that guy.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Always and like the the way he would quietly go
about making everybody feel comfortable and safe. Truly was you know,
for lack of a better word, the quarterback of the
show in that way. And it's been surprising and in
some ways to hear some of these stories that you
know that we've heard over the past two years, but
(02:47):
also not surprising in the same sense because like, if
anyone is going to be that way, of course, it
was him always looking out for everybody. So we thought
for this episode, will go through it a little bit,
but we're not going to break down the episode because
we're not watching it.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
That's the main pointing.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
If you want, and I know it for some people
that bring some sort of comfort and solace that is great.
I'm glad that it is there for you. For us,
we want to highlight some of these stories, and we
have some new stories that people sent in. Talk about
our memories. We'll talk a little bit at the top
of this about the actual filming of the episode. But
(03:32):
that's how we're going to lay this out. And I
hope you know you will ride with us on this
and really have it be a celebration of Corey's legacy
more than anything.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yes, that is right. Well, let's get past all the info.
This was directed by Brad Faulchuk. Uh couldn't have done
it with anybody else. And there's some songs Seasons of
Love performed by all of.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Us by You by Mercedes.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Fire and Rain by Arnie and Sam Young by Santana,
No Surrender by Puck.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
And make You Feel My Love by Rachel.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Tell me about the empisode.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Sorry, So the McKinley high family, present and past joined
together and remember and celebrate the life of Finn Hudson.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, so this is interesting because we were we found
out that that Finn was going to also pass in
the show. That wasn't a decision that came lightly. I remember,
you know, the writers really kind of mulling and agonizing
(04:47):
over what to do, how to move the story forward,
and where do we go from here? And we also
were given the option to either do the episode or
not do the episode. I never felt and Kevin never
felt like we didn't want to be there. There was
(05:09):
just a certain group of people in this bubble who
understood stood what we were going through, and we really
didn't leave each other sides for a long time after
this happened Corey's passing in July, and I would have
felt like, I don't know, in hindsight, maybe you know,
(05:29):
we wouldn't have done it, but there would have been
something missing from the episode if somebody didn't do it right.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, And it also just felt like there wasn't a
lot of time to consider, like the schedule of how
this happened, as Corey passed away the early middle of July, Yeah,
and normally we'd start shooting around that same time, probably
within a couple of days of that. They pushed it
back ten days to two weeks, and then we immediately
(05:56):
started at the very beginning of August, which is still
very recent and an episode takes eight to nine days
to shoot, so we did two episodes and then went
straight into this episode. We had a break after this episode,
but there is still not a lot of time when
we get into this episode, so it was all very
(06:19):
very fresh, and I think because we sort of just
jumped back into doing the show, it didn't feel like
and I don't think this is anybody's fault, but like
for medn't it felt like a false choice of do
we actually say no to this, or get to say
no to this, or does it feel right to say
no to this?
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Right?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
There was no way to, like for me at least,
like check in with myself because this is like a
very unprecedented situation.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
And there was no time to really check in with yourself.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
No, And we were at work, and it's like we
were just saying yes and you just go and like
if everyone's doing it, then let's all do it and
be there together because surely if we're all together, yeah,
that will be better.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
But the experience of shooting some of this, especially when
we got the song list of what songs were going
to be in this episode, and it.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Is just b it was not great.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It was really really hard.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
I remember, and and and that's the thing, like when
we were shooting the episodes of The Beatles, there was
like a solemness to back behind the scenes that we
were still grieving and going through all this together, but
we were shooting something joyful that gave I think our
cast and crew moments of levity where we could sing
(07:40):
happy songs and kind of find joy for those moments.
And even with like Katie Gaga right after this episode,
it's like there were there were just brief seconds of
like a deep breath where you are not thinking it
just for just one second. And during the Quarterback episode,
(08:04):
I mean, we were joking around Off's camera on camera.
You know us, we're crazy and you know we'd love
to laugh and dance and joke, but like this episode
is so was so different that there was like you
could hear a pin drop in between takes, You could
hear a pin drop when you showed up to set.
(08:26):
It was so gravely different as it as you would assume,
you know what I mean, like obviously, but it was
not our show. We were not shooting our show during
this time. That's what it didn't feel.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Like that, and I don't think any of us realized
that's what was going to happen in the sense that
as soon as the first take rolled around, I felt like, oh,
this is Kevin on camera. It was the first time
I had you know, we joke about how, oh they
started writing for our characters, blah blah blah blah blah.
(09:01):
This is very very different. It felt very much like
this is me sitting in the room where I spend
so much time with Corey, and the camera's on my
face and I feel very much like I am being
exposed in a way, or like the camera is capturing.
(09:24):
And although they set it up in a way where
like it's Brad doing it, it's our family and this
crew doing it. So it was the safest space possible,
but there was no way. I was just hyper aware,
and I think we all became hyper aware of like, oh,
millions of people are going to see this in a
different way than shooting a Beatles episode or any other
(09:45):
episode where it felt like an intrusion. Yes, totally into
like a really private experience, and we were having to
figure out how to deal with that anyways. You know, personally,
this was the first time I had lost somebody close
to me, and then he's a very famous public figure
at that time. Yes, and there was I don't know
(10:09):
exactly when we went on the Teen Choice Awards. I
know it sounds so silly.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
But a couple of months it was it was like
it after this, yeah, yeah, because Lee asked us to
show up for her.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Yes, And we hadn't been doing any public appearances obviously,
and so these things that would be public facing were
very hard to navigate because it's hard enough losing somebody.
Then it's additional things of having it be talked about
everywhere you went. You go into a grocery store, convenience store,
(10:41):
it's on the cover of all the magazines. And so
this was like the first public facing thing we were
doing it, yes, and putting it out into the world. Yeah,
And it was just very hard to conceptualize what that
was going to be and feel like until physically in
the chair the camera in your face.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yes for me, that's right now, that's totally right. Total.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
I mean, when we were shooting some of these numbers,
I don't think there was a scene or specifically a
musical number where somebody didn't run out of the room.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Crying after they called caught. Yes, somebody would run out
crying and like need a second to like gather themselves,
like not just tears, but like full you know, you
get it.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Yeah, I mean I did. What broke me was Amber singing.
And here's the other thing, Like I think all these
songs mean different things to all of us. So for
me it was all stand by you like broke me right,
and for other people it was other songs right, And
like I had to run. I walked out of the
(11:52):
choir room and like sat out on the dock, and
I think Brad came and talked to me. Yeah, And
Brad is also just like he's the person you do want.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
There, yes, sounding bored, the.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Gentle under completely understands like we're all there to do
this job, which feels silly under the circumstances. And in
that moment, I was just like I'm not giving I'm
not giving you anything else. Yeah, because I'm going to
like I'm not for me to get through this episode.
(12:25):
I'm not going to be able to do this every
take and it's not like I'm performing, it's just real
and I can't allow myself. If you want me to
like get through this episode, I'll show up. But yeah,
I don't think I can allow myself to emotionally invest
like I have to sort of associate a little bit.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all started to do that. I
think I also remember doing maybe one or two takes
of each scene and song.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yes, it was a.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Very short process. We shot this episode very quickly. It
felt like a long time, but we everything was so
honest that there was no other options, you know what
I mean. You weren't giving people options. The director like
brad option. It was just shoot it, get it over with,
(13:12):
let's move on.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
And there was sort of this craig if I'm wrong,
but there was this consensus. It felt like if it
felt like they wanted to go again, we were like, no, you.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Got yeah, yeah, we're good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
It was totally Obviously the set as a whole was protective,
but then with each other we were even more. It
was an extra layer of protection. Totally no, no, no,
she killed this. We need to move on.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Yes, exactly, you got it.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
What you got is what you got, like I don't, Yeah,
just use it. I also remember at some point I
think I got a little like angry with the situation.
I think so, and I remember the camera turning to me, yeah,
(14:07):
and you being like because they knew I was having
a hard time at one of the scenes and then
the camera turned to me, and I looked into the
camera and just go, no.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, yeah, uh yeah, you had done you had it,
you had had it.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
I know you're all doing your job, but I'm not
doing this.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And blessed that that crew and our are like camerat
A and B, like Dwayne and Andrew Mitchell who were
also graving the loss of their friend. And you know,
coworker crew was just as devastated as we were, as
they felt the most hard and felt seen by Corey.
(14:44):
But just to have to do that and understand that
they have a job to do as well, right, Like,
it was very hard because sometimes he would push in
on you just weeping, just fully weeping. I remember, like
there's a camera. I mean, I like put my head
and I was like, I have nowhere to hide right now,
I have nowhere to hide, And remembering like, don't get
(15:06):
angry at the people who are doing their jobs.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I felt bad about that too, because everybody was just
doing their best.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Oh yeah, I mean between takes, say would have tears
in their eyes.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
No, it's just it was really awful.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, and I think, you know, to like Ryan's point,
about if he could do it all over again, he
would do it differently. It is one of those things
where you don't know until you start doing it. Because
I understand we all talked about it, like what would
an ideal episode in this situation look like to us?
(15:41):
And nobody came up with a clear well answer that
was any different and it was just like, Okay, yeah,
here will see how this goes. And it wasn't not good.
I mean, like I really dreaded recording Fire and RAINA.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Was that really hard or did you just kind of
like also dissociate?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I think what's crazy is I mean the lyrics of
a lot of these songs are so fitting. Yeah, and
I think I did have to like associate, like let
me just technically figure out how to do this, and
and it's like a beautiful song, like and everyone is
really like doing a beautiful job on all of these
(16:26):
songs for usual. Yeah, but yeah, it was less about
I'm not going to like cry on the track, you know,
like let me just totally let me just feel good
about what I'm doing professionally, but like get.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Through it, get through it exactly.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Yeah. I don't remember a lot outside of like those
things I just shared it was sort.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
Of like a big battler. Yeah, this season feels like
a big battler. You said stand By You was one
of your favorite Quory numbers or that got really got
you when Amber sang it. What songs remind you the
most or come to mind when you think about Corey
from that he's sang on the show has been?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean I think sort of the classics like Jesse's
Girl I still have a hard time listening to. Like
when I hear that song out in public, I'll stand
by You is definitely like I can't listen to that song.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
Oh wow, Okay, that's like a never never do don't
play it?
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah no, no, what about you.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
Losing My Religion? Yeah, that's the one. I can now
listen to it or if I hear it on you know,
the original like in a store, I can bear it.
But Corey's version really gets me. Yeah, Cory's version is
still hard to listen to. And and of course Jesse's
(17:56):
Girl mostly the tour, yes exactly. Yeah, yeah, those are
the cheer that really stick out to me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
Both of those songs, This is my Religion and Jesse's Girls,
like he cared so much about what he was doing
on those songs.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
He loved it. When he like loved you could hear
the love of the music and of his role on
his job and like everything, he just felt like there
was passion behind all of his stuff. And even on set,
like there were times that Corey would have his moments
which we all had where you're like, my character wouldn't
do that, or does this doesn't fully make sense to me?
(18:35):
Why would I be here? Why would I walk there?
Or whatever? It was like when Corey did it, it
was always like very intentional and it was also very earned,
and it's because he cared. He wasn't just trying to
be difficult, which he didn't come across that way ever,
But like you know, there's some actors out there that
you've heard stories that just they want to be difficult
(18:56):
and they why would I stand here? And can cry
just stand here instead? And why would I say this line?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
My character wouldn't do it?
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Like Corey really knew Finn and he really cared so deeply,
and so when when those moments came up, it was
like people listened, you know what I mean, Like people listened,
and he because he cared and the way he.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Would always approach things and I think you hear that
in the stories that we've heard on this podcast. Everything
was always from a place of respect in general and
genuine care. So nothing would ever come out of his
mouth that you'd be like, he's being advts Like no,
totally ever, totally ever be something associated with it, also.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Carrying a show in his back like why wouldn't you
make decisions and intentional ask questions and challenge people? And
you know what I mean like that, I.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
Think that's the beautiful leader. Like juxtaposition from Finn to Corey. Yeah,
well Finn was sort of this puppy dog, I'm just
sort of bumbling through life trying to do the right thing,
where Corey could absolutely have those moments. Yeah, but as
a person was so much more like focused and serious
(20:08):
and intentional when it came to the work or caring
about your friends or making sure everybody's taken care of.
That was his focus all the time.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, And he like stayed out of the drama and
he like laughed at it and just like he was
such a good leader. He was such a good leader. Yeah,
and without really having to like say anything about it,
do you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Yeah, we all just sort of accepted that he was
the leader, like yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Yeah, okay, he was.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I think some of one of the best things that's
come from this podcast, like you said earlier, was like
every time we have a guest on, they have to
mention Corey, And I think that was part of really
why when we had decided we weren't going to recap
the quarterback, it felt like a no brainer to honor
him in some way because like everybody had something nice
(21:05):
to say, or something new we didn't know, or a
lot of that, like Samuel Larson saying that he took
him out to lunch and like welcomed him in just
makes I could burst into tears at this very moment
because like it's so generous and kind and speaks to
Corey and his character, his integrity, not his character, fim
(21:32):
of like who he was and like caring for everybody,
and nobody had to know about it except for Samuel
to feel like he had an ally on that set.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Yeah, And it's to think about the people, like the
stories that we don't know yet or haven't heard the
amount of times, because it's a pattern that wasn't a
one off, like Max Rowler was talking about how welcoming
Corey was, like went above and beyond for him on set,
and like, when you're coming into this gigan, having somebody
be the anchor that you can go to and having
(22:06):
it be someone who was the star of the show
like him, totally, it is really really valuable.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Totally. We revisited some of our old episodes and I
think there were just some highlights that we jotted down
because you know, there were just such notable, important people
to the show that had such notable moments and memories
about Corey that I thought we should mention, like Ryan
(22:35):
saying that Corey felt like his own child, yeah, and
how hard of a time he had when he was
going through all of that, you know, his his stuff,
and then when he passed away.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I also really enjoyed like when Robert Oric, the casting director,
was talking about how Finn and Mercedes were so hard
to cast, but seeing Corey's audition tape, even without him
singing yeah, was so magical, Like there was something about
him yeah yeah, and there was there was like all
the parts that you love about watching Finn are very
(23:13):
much there there from the very beginning. Yes, like that
magic he had with that role was totally unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
And then you have like you know, when we had
Mark malkoln On, Michael Assiello, you know, our publicist from Fox,
Tracy Rafferty, all of them saying how kind he was
at every interaction, which was a lot of interactions, and
like taking the time on set when they would come
(23:41):
to set and sit there for hours and be there
for a special shooting day or a tribute episode, and
him taking the time from which which is hard, like
there are some people who just you know, cannot kind
of socialize while they're on set or are too tired
or whatever. But always Corey always took hours and just
talked to them and made them feel welcome, un said,
(24:03):
and you know like became their friend. And then Tracy too,
like she spent so much time with us and so
much time with Corey, and she had such fond memories
of like deal, you know, experiencing his joy and his
person and then also having to deal with all the
(24:26):
stuff that came from when when the fallout happened.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
You know, I mean to that too. I think you
know Caylin Gorman, who was the behind the scenes producer,
she said something very similar to like when we were
all tired and had long days, and she would be
there trying to pull us away to do behind the
scenes stuff, like she could always count on Corey to
(24:50):
do what she needed to do, like his battery for
being sociable or professional. Those of us that would run
out be tapped out. He never tapped out. Yeah, they
would always do it. He was always there.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
And then also I would like, like I said about
Samuel Larson being taken out to lunch but by Corey.
I also didn't know that Angie Warner on tour they
would have special coffee dates.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
This was my favorite story.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
And like get him coffee because he would spend all
the time with the fans and see all the fans,
you know, in the lobby of the hotel, or like
at the theater or at the venue, and like he
she would bring him coffee. And then it was a
tradition that they kept going after the tour was over
back in la which I love too. I thought that
(25:43):
was so special. I had no idea they had that relationship,
not that we needed to, but again, like everybody felt
so connected to him.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
He had more hours in the day than we did.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
He made them like he made them.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Like what was he had that clock of like his
his day was twenty six hours long.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't know, yeah where those extra
two hours come from and that energy comes from and
to like care for others, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
And you always felt like it was that type of
person too, that never made you feel like he was
doing you a favor or wasting his time. No, you
were always the only person in the room. You were
the most important person in that moment if you're having
that conversation or having that coffee, whatever it may be. Yeah,
and would never make you feel bad about taking his
(26:33):
time for anything.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Someone like The most like vivid memories of Corey that
I have are like when we were waiting for him
in the Pilot because he got stuck without a visa
and he was cast and we knew we knew who
Finn was, but we didn't get to meet him for
like weeks before he came in like and we started shooting. Essentially,
(26:57):
he made it. And we had been rehearsing for like,
you know, been together doing music and costumes and dance
and all of these things with Zach and you know,
the five of us, and we were just waiting for
like our our like hero to come. Yeah, and we
were like so excited when he came. And we were
(27:17):
on set doing something at the cabrio where we shot
like the pilot before they built all of our sets,
and there was like cake one of the first days,
and we sat out in the courtyard at the picnic
tables and we were like eating cake and we were
all taking pictures of each other. I had like all
these pictures of all of us like hanging out. He's
in that blue striped sweater that he's in in the
(27:37):
beginning of the show. And then when we had rap
parties were always a weird thing and they never you know,
some years they were really good. In some years, like
we were doing tour and there was a lot going on,
and so they kind of like fell by the wayside,
especially as we got later into the seasons. And one
(27:58):
year was like they had a crew wrap party and
a cast rap party, but not one together. And Corey
was like very upset about that, and so he decided
to throw a rager rap party at his house for
everybody to join together because we all wanted to be together.
And he's he didn't really come down. He wasn't drinking
at the time. Again like he he came up. He
(28:23):
was up on the railing of his house looking down,
and I remember like all of us looking at being
like he's Gatsby.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
He doesn't.
Speaker 1 (28:32):
He like entertains and like revels in the joy of
other people. And I remember going up and like talking
to him for a while. We hung out on the
banister with him, like on the you know, on the balcony,
but he really didn't come down, but he was just
so happy that everybody was there having fun. And then
(28:53):
the photoshoot was the last time I ever saw him.
Was this photo shoot for season five with all the
Maybies and us and yes, and I mean we had
no idea, like we had, we had no clue, but
he was. He was there, and I remember saying to
him something about his watch, because he had a sub
(29:15):
Mariner and relex that I loved like a lot, and
he's had if he had for a long time. I
don't know if it was a family thing or if
he had had it himself. But I was thinking about
buying myself one. And we had joked about Rolexes obviously
a lot because Glee, you know, we got Rolexes for
as a gift on tour, and like some Brad had
one that he wore all the time, and so they
were just kind of like circulating around us, and I
(29:38):
was like, I think I'm gonna buy one for myself.
He was like, as you should, Jenna, as you should.
And we always my husband and I always say as
you should, know, and I've always taken that with me
because he'll always say like as you should, like Corey said,
because it's like take the trip, do the thing, buy
(29:58):
the watch, go, you know, like skip work, go do
your thing. It was just something that like I took
that I didn't even intentionally take. I just took it
with me. Yeah, So that was like those are a
couple of my favorite, like very vivid memories of Corey.
Speaker 2 (30:17):
I remember that same photo shoot. We hadn't seen him
since he went to rehab, right, and so I just
remember like hugging him and being like I'm so proud
of you and he's like, oh, thanks, b and like
grabbed me and like squeezed me, and I was like, okay,
here we are, like we're back to right normal. Obviously
(30:40):
I didn't know what was going on, but like, right,
you would never know. Yeah, there were times like he
we were in New York and he took me out.
It was probably the only time like we hung out
one on one's New York Yeah, and we went to
like the Soho House and we just sat out there
and it felt so funny because I also felt like
(31:06):
he was like the big brother, like the jock, like
the he's the cool guy, and I'm like, I'm like
the little weirdo, quirky day kid. And obviously that dynamic
would there was never any separation between any of us
like that, but it felt really funny for us to
(31:26):
just be there by ourselves because I remember being like,
what are we going to talk about on this one?
I had known him for a couple of years, but
it was like, I don't know what, We've never had
a one on one And obviously it was great and
we had like just such a nice time hanging out.
I think it was I think it was during tour,
(31:48):
the second tour, and it was nice to just like
have a moment and like catch up and like he
was checking in. You know now, in hindsight, like talking
to all these people, it's like that his way to
sort of like check in, yeah, or vice versa be
able to like check in with me about himself totally,
(32:09):
which felt nice as well and special and like it's
nice for not taking these relationships for granted. Yeah, and yeah,
I think when we were around each other that often
and then you're on tour and you're shooting to be
able to make special one on one time for people,
clearly was something he was really good at and really
(32:29):
enjoyed and meant a lot to all of us.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Yes, definitely. So we wanted to share a couple of
our favorite stories told on this podcast because I think
they're just like really special moments. So first is from
Vanessa and GI's reflecting on one of her favorite Glee memories.
(32:56):
So let's listen.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
I have I have a really good memory of Corey
and I and it was like we were in the
in the holding room and there were set chairs everywhere
and almost everyone was napping in a different in a
different position. There were people lying on the floor. There
are people who had chairs set up in a row
of three and were sleeping on that, and it was
(33:19):
everyone was sleeping and Corey was sitting. Corey was the
only one awake, and I was sitting next to him,
and like I said, you know, we had been friends
from before, but it was very trippy. He was looking
at everyone with this kind of loving papa vibe. And
(33:40):
I remember we had this talk about his experience that's
that that you know to that point on Glee, and
he was talking about each of you as you slept
with so much love, and and it was it just
was a cosmic conversation I don't know how else to
describe it, where I really just saw his hold of
(34:00):
everyone and silently. You know, he wasn't he wasn't a
man of many words, but that conversation really stands out
to me.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Yeah, the consistency. Also, if you haven't listened to that
episode with Vanessa, she talks just beautifully about Corey at
great length throughout that episode. So you should go back
and listen to that because her memory is incredible, and yeah,
exactly the way she so eloquently speaks about him is
(34:31):
just it was really beautiful.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
And then I also mentioned a couple of times about
that Samuel Larson a story that like just took me
out of my body.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
It's beautiful.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
So this is Samuel Larson, who joined the show in
season three.
Speaker 5 (34:46):
For every new guy that came in. Corey was just
the best. Corey would just completely take you under his wing.
I remember just always coming up to me. He's like,
what's up, TV star, how you doing? Take me out
to lunch, and just really it was really easy to
feel welcome with him, specifically because I could tell he
(35:07):
was paying extra attention to me to make sure I
felt welcomed and that was huge for me. And I
saw him do it with others as well, Like I
saw him do it when when Blake joined as well,
and I was like, I know what he's doing, Like
that's his thing, and I think that's great and it's
and it brought up the best of me. Like I
see certain scenes.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
And I'm like, we filmed this like right.
Speaker 5 (35:29):
After me and Corey just had lunch, and I think
that's why I'm doing better because I was more comfortable
having just hung out with him.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
So the magic there too is to like, you don't
know the changes you know subconsciously, Like he mentions here,
like after having lunch with Corey and then doing a
scene of all these little interactions right that he had
(35:56):
with cast and crew over the years, how far that
goes to make everybody's experience and therefore the product that
you're producing better because people are genuinely happy to be there.
You have this personal connection to everyone, and it wasn't fake.
It wasn't because he was trying to do something. He
just genuinely cared and I think we all benefited from
(36:18):
it on so many different.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Levels, yeah, creatively and personally. And we have some other
really great voice notes that we had asked some people
who I think we're very deeply touched by Corey and
have spoken so in depth about him in the past,
and also who have worked very closely with him. So
(36:39):
we have Telei Kusakas who has been on the podcast,
who's a dear, dear friend of ours who worked very
closely with Corey. He was on set while Corey was
still around with us as APA and was our first
team whisperer. And then we have Vanessa Lunji's again who
graciously shared another her you know, voice note of some
(37:03):
of her memories of Corey h And then we asked
romy Rosemont because she played Carol fnn's mom of course
on the show. Their scenes were so dynamic and so
powerful and impactful. Every time they came on screen together.
It's like you couldn't not cry, and I just felt
(37:24):
like who better to kind of reflect on him in
that way watching him work and then knowing him personally.
So here's Kelly, Vanessa and Roby.
Speaker 6 (37:37):
There isn't really one memory that springs to mind, but
more of like an amalgamation of memories and really just
like a feeling of being with Corey, which was he
was always so inviting, so accepting, so inclusive of everyone,
no matter who they were, what they were doing, where
(37:58):
they came from.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
He had like an open door policy at his house.
He was always.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Inviting us over for pool days and parties, and there
was just a sense about him. I would always catch
him in these moments just sort of looking out at
everyone having fun, and he just had this sense of
pride and comfort in having everyone around and especially I
think hosting everyone. I think a lot about how he
(38:29):
was with his fans, especially on the Glee tour. He
always took the extra time to you know, go out
the stage door, talk to fans, sign autographs, take pictures.
You know, I think we all probably collectively waited for
him for hours. You know, he was usually the last
(38:50):
person in the van, but you know, he never took
any moment. For granted, he was so appreciative of where
he was at and always acknowledging the people that, you know,
the people that were his fans and the people that
(39:11):
watched the show. And we also were both from Vancouver,
so we shared a sort of you know, hometown bond
in that way, we shared some mutual friends, and so
it kind of just Corey always felt like an old friend,
even if you just met him. I think after all
(39:32):
these years, that's always what sticks with me first and foremost,
Love you, Corey, Miss you always.
Speaker 7 (39:40):
I remember Corey being a larger than life forced to
be around. I can remember his smile and his almost
like beamed sunshine when I got to my first day
on the set of Glee, and different days after that,
(40:04):
just this warmth and brightness that radiated off of him,
and I felt like he had big Papa energy watching
over the cast and the crew. He was very observant
and very playful, but also grounded and mature. He just
(40:34):
loved everyone so much and cared for everyone, and I
just felt him watching over everyone in a very protective
and loving way. Yeah. It was a real special special
being for sure. Miss him all the time.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
The first time I met Corey was on the I
think second episode of the show. We'd never met on
the pilot, and the scene was teaching him to drive
and he hits the mailman and I go berserk.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
But we never met.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
He didn't know my style, he didn't know how nutty
cuckoo I can be. And when Ryan was kind of
explaining what we were gonna do, he just kind of
looked at me and went go for it.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
And I said how big. He goes go for it.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
And so we're kind of doing this the very beginning
of the scene, just you know, idle chit chat, and
then he hits the mailman, goes over the car and
I went ape shit. I go like crazy, oh my god,
oh my god, you killed him. The oh my god,
You're gonna go to jail, you know, all the things
that I said, and the look on his face. He
jumped so high and he was like Jesus.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
This lady is nuts.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
And when Ryan yelled cut, I just looked him. I
was like, ye okay, he goes yeah, and then we
burst out into laughter.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
We just burst out laughing.
Speaker 3 (42:06):
And it was what an incredible introduction to playing mother
and son and having this this beginning be like really
really just guttural laughter.
Speaker 2 (42:21):
Oh, just adored him.
Speaker 3 (42:23):
I was so lucky because I got to do so
many emotional scenes with Corey and Corey as my scene partner.
Speaker 6 (42:32):
And.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
It was such.
Speaker 3 (42:37):
I felt such a beautiful bond with him that all
I had to do to be in that situation was
to look in that boy's beautiful brown eyes filled with
compassion and love and kindness, and it was like we
were absolutely mother and son, and I got everything I
(42:58):
wanted just by in his eyes. And what's extraordinary is
he always thought that emotional stuff wasn't his forte.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
He didn't like it. He's like, I can't cry, I
can't do this.
Speaker 3 (43:11):
I said, yes you can, Yes you can. And I
think some of his best stuff is kind of the
quieter emotional stuff. He was a beautiful human, he really was.
I feel so lucky that the majority of my scenes
on Glee were just with Corey. It wasn't until later
(43:36):
that I actually got to be with all of you guys,
which was also amazing because I adored.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
The entire cast.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
But one of my favorite stories was during the wedding
of Burton Carroll and we were out at that church
I think it was a church, and Corey was so
away of either paparazzi or fans, and that he did
not want anyone to see me, or he didn't want
(44:06):
it to be revealed who was getting married. So anywhere
I walked, whether it was to lunch or to set
or wherever, he would take his coat off and either
just like wrap me in it his jacket or he
would open it real wide and I would crouch down.
(44:28):
I didn't have to crouch down that much because he
was six or three and kind of walk alongside him.
He's like, I don't want anybody to know. I don't
want anybody to know. It's going to be such a
good episode. And that excitement was always infectious. And when
we were standing up at the altar to be married,
(44:49):
and I turned and I looked at him, I was
kind of overcome with how fortunate I was to play
his mom. That even though he was older than I
think all of you guys, he.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Was the hell of about younger than I am.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
And the sweetness and the simplicity and the kindness in
his eyes with something I will never forget.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
You're just so sweet.
Speaker 3 (45:23):
God, I adore that boy.
Speaker 1 (45:25):
Well, thank you so much again to Romey Vanessa and
tell you for sharing some of your favorite Corey stories
with us. It's really we're so grateful.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
And thank you all for sticking with us through an
unusual recap episode. We just wanted to make sure that
we got the chance to honor Corey when we first
started talking about this episode, we also wanted to give
you guys, the fans, a platform to share your own
memories about Corey because we know how much he meant
to you as well.
Speaker 1 (45:53):
So yeah, we've received literally in outpouring of messages like
all over the world, so thank you so much for
taking the time to submit those. So we're actually just
going to make that a separate bonus episode, so check
back for that soon.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
And just you know, in honor of Corey, I think
a message that we've clearly seen through all these people's
stories is that a little time where someone can go
a long way and mean a lot for them for
the rest of their lives. So let that be a
lesson to all of us to make room and space
for everyone.
Speaker 1 (46:24):
Yes, I love you, Corey, Love you Corey.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and
that's what you really miss pod, make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars. See you
next time.
Host
Jenna Ushkowitz
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