Cory Monteith seemed to have it all.
The late actor was at the height of his stardom on “Glee,” but finally could not triumph over his drug and alcohol demons and died in 2013 from an overdose at 31. A new docuseries hints that his good results — the Glee “curse” that noticed two other castmates die young — was to blame.
“I keep in mind the paparazzi variety of next all over the auto, and he’s like, ‘I consider they have a bug on my vehicle,’” suggests former roommate Justin Neill, on the new docuseries “The Cost of Glee,” premiering Jan. 16.
While the breakout star was at first taken in by his newfound fame, it in the long run took its toll on the “very private” actor. Monteith advised Neill, 41, that he “wouldn’t would like it on his worst enemy.”
“By the finish of the 2nd period, he didn’t have his personal time and he was … probably just one of the most personal men and women I knew. And now it’s like every person wishes to know almost everything about him,” Neill informed The Publish.
Immediately after remaining solid as significant school quarterback Finn Hudson in the Fox musical comedy in 2008, the Television star moved into Neill’s Culver City, Calif., pad.
Monteith experienced “several” stalkers, such as a person who managed to get his deal with. The shaken actor mounted a security digital camera himself.
“Instead of ready for a stability crew … he went to, like, Home Depot and he’s like, ‘Guys, this is significant,’” Neill explained.
The 3-component limited sequence, which will air on ID and Discovery+, also explores the premature deaths of Mark Salling, who committed suicide at 35, and Naya Rivera, who accidentally drowned at 33.
A number of crew members — though the collection didn’t give an precise selection — also perished because of to what some connect with the “curse” of the Fox sequence, which premiered in 2009.
Monteith struggled from a younger age. His mom and dad divorced when he was 7, and 13 he was skipping school and employing medicines and liquor. When he was 19, his mom staged an intervention, and he entered rehab in 2001.
Although the “smart as a whip, authentic and generous” actor was sober for most of the time he realized him, Neill found he did start off “having a beer here and there,” but confident his pals he was great.
“He’s like, ‘I’m all ideal, fellas. I have had results now. I’m a distinctive particular person. I have outgrown that,’” Neill, who works for a internet tech business, said.
That achievements arrived with grueling capturing schedules, which provided acting, singing and dancing — and involved 70-hour do the job weeks.
Monteith — whose humble beginnings provided growing up in Victoria, Canada, and performing positions as a Walmart greeter and roofer — “was constantly just grateful” for the opportunity.
Nevertheless, “there did certainly get to a position in which he was burned out,” Neill said.
Through the collection, which finished in 2015, Monteith also fell in really like with costar Lea Michele, whom he dated on and off until his dying.
Even though “The Value of Glee” pegs her as a managing narcissist, Neill spoke fondly of the actress.
“She was actually genuinely wonderful to cling out with,” he said. “She made eggplant parmesan for us just one time that was phenomenal.”
When he was not dating Michele, Monteith “had his fun” with the quite a few passionate prospects.
He the moment advised Neill, “You know, this will get so aged.”
“He didn’t trust these ladies. I think which is seriously why he gravitated in direction of Lea for the reason that they recognized what each just one was going through,” Neill mentioned of the pair, whose figures dated on the display.
Monteith was written out of the last few episodes of “Glee’s” Time 4 so he could enter rehab once again in March 2013.
At the time, his “Glee” costars desired to assistance him with his heroin habit and his mother was mindful he was using painkillers.
Soon after that stint, he traveled to Vancouver, and Neill arrived at out to a single of his buddies there when he hadn’t read from him.
“I’m like, ‘Cory hasn’t been texting me back again.’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s just hoping to no cost his head. I just saw him … and he seems really well,’” he remembered.
In July, he was found dead in a Vancouver hotel area with heroin, alcohol and depressants in his system.
Neill keeps his friend’s memory alive by maintaining in touch with Monteith’s mom, texting her on holidays and contacting himself her “California son.”
He also retained a present Monteith gave him — the surfboard he won at the Teenager Decision Awards.
“Because I grew up browsing,” he mentioned, smiling. “And he was like, ‘This would necessarily mean much more to you than me.’”
