Glee Cast: Where Are The Actors Now?

Check your calendars, gleeks! The 10-year William McKinley reunion is already under way. As much as it pains us to acknowledge, a full decade has passed since "Glee" took its final bow on Fox in 2015. The landmark teen musical dramedy (created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan) was a cultural phenomenon in the early 2010s, running for six seasons and 121 episodes while helping to cement Murphy as one of the most successful television producers of all time.

Though Murphy's career trajectory toward follow-up hits "American Horror Story," "Pose," "Monster," and '9-1-1" is rather easy to chart, it gets a lot more complicated when it comes to the expansive ensemble of talented young actors he cast in "Glee." As we look back through the "Glee" yearbook, readers should be aware that many of these stories are more troubling than they might expect.

Here's what happened to the cast of "Glee."

Melissa Benoist joined the cast of "Glee" in the show's fourth season, during which the story began its ambitious attempt to simultaneously keep audiences invested in the original cast after they left William McKinley while introducing new students with the intent of making them the new core ensemble. It went about as smoothly as you'd expect, and Benoist and her fellow newcomers only lasted a single season as part of the main cast.

For Benoist's acting career, however, "Glee" was a huge deal. After recurring throughout season 4, she was cast in Damien Chazelle's acclaimed drama "Whiplash," playing the rejected girlfriend of Miles Teller's tragic protagonist. The following year, the end of her "Glee" tenure coincided with an offer to play the titular heroine in CBS' "Supergirl." The hit series (which was ultimately folded into the CW's Arrowverse, leading to numerous crossovers with fellow "Glee" alum Grant Gustin) ran for over 120 episodes before ending in 2021. She has since lent her voice to "Masters of the Universe: Revolution" and starred in the streaming series "The Girls on the Bus" and "The Waterfront."

Blake Jenner (no relation to the famous Kardashian-Jenner clan) joined the cast of "Glee" at the same time as Melissa Benoist, having won the second season of the Fox reality program "The Glee Project." The two co-stars met and began a relationship while working on season 4, and they were engaged by 2013 and married by 2015.

After "Glee," Jenner appeared in "The Edge of Seventeen," as well as episodes of "Supergirl." His most notable role was in the main cast of the 2019 Netflix miniseries "What/If." That same year (following their divorce in 2017), Benoist accused Jenner of domestic abuse in a video posted to her social media. In 2020, Jenner stated himself that he had unintentionally hit Benoist with a smart phone during an argument. He alleged that the abuse (emotionally, physically, and psychologically) was mutual in the same statement. Jenner was slated to star in Richard Linklater's buzzy film adaptation of "Merrily We Roll Along," but he was replaced by Paul Mescal in 2023.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Jacob Artist largely left "Glee" after season 5, returning only as a guest star in the series finale. He played Jake Puckerman, the younger half-brother of original Glee club member Noah "Puck" Puckerman (Mark Salling).

Artist's post-"Glee" acting career consists so far of recurring roles on the ABC thriller "Quantico," the second season of the E! drama series "The Arrangement," and the Starz comedy "Now Apocalypse," as well as a guest appearance on "American Horror Story: Roanoke." His most recent role was in Will Bakke's 2020 independent film "The Get Together" (pictured above). In 2024, he released a single titled "BEFORE," which can be streamed on Spotify.

Following their departure from "Glee" (having joined the cast as Unique Adams during season 4, after coming in second on "The Glee Project"), Alex Newell returned to their roots in musical theater, making their Broadway debut in the 2017 revival of "Once on This Island." In 2023, they were nominated for a Tony Award (the highest honor in American theater) for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for "Shucked." They have also been cast in star-studded productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Pippin," "The Drowsy Chaperone," and "Bat Boy: The Musical," and most recently joined the Broadway cast of "Chicago."

In the world of film and TV, Newell's most notable project is "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist," of which they were a main cast member for two seasons. They have also guest starred on "Empire" and "Hazbin Hotel," and had a supporting role in "Another Simple Favor."

The last of the season 4 newcomer quartet, Kitty Wilde actor Becca Tobin guest starred on several TV shows after leaving "Glee," including Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist." In 2021, she had a recurring role on the first and only season of the Disney+ police procedural "Turner and Hooch" (pictured above), playing the romantic interest of Josh Peck's titular character.

Since 2015, Tobin has been one of the hosts of "The LadyGang," a women's lifestyle podcast co-hosted by E! News anchor Keltie Knight and Jac Vanek. They have released over 900 episodes, as well as the books "Lady Secrets" and "Act Like a Lady."

Dot-Marie Jones joined "Glee" during its second season as the tough but lovable new coach of the William McKinley football team. She recurred throughout the following three seasons before finally being elevated to the main cast in season 6, and she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

Jones appeared on a laundry list of series afterward, including "2 Broke Girls," "Jane the Virgin," "Days of Our Lives," "Modern Family," "The Resident," "The Rookie," "American Horror Story" ("Cult" and "Double Feature"), "The Goldbergs," and "9-1-1: Lone Star." She also had memorable roles in the lauded queer comedy "Bros," the underseen "Golden Arm" (which /Film's BJ Colangelo described as one of the best movies about buff women ever made), and "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story."

Jessalyn Gilsig had a few successful programs under her belt already before being cast as Will Schuester's overbearing wife Terri in the first season of "Glee." In addition to NBC's "Heroes," she was a known commodity for Fox viewers via "Boston Public" and had even previously collaborated with Ryan Murphy on the FX drama "Nip/Tuck."

She stopped appearing regularly on "Glee" after her character's storyline wrapped up in season 2. Her next major TV project came about in 2013 in the form of the History Channel series "Vikings," in which she starred as Siggy for the first three seasons. In 2021, Gilsig reunited with "Boston Public" creator David E. Kelley for the Disney+ series "Big Shot," which also starred John Stamos. It was cancelled after two seasons in 2023.

Jayma Mays is our first cast member on this list to have appeared in all six seasons of "Glee" (though only in a recurring capacity in the latter half of the series). After saying goodbye to Emma Pillsbury, Mays was cast as a recurring character on the FX comedy series "The League" and as a main character in the short-lived, multi-cam Will Arnett CBS sitcom "The Millers." She also voiced the character Dulcinea in the animated children's series "The Adventures of Puss in Boots."

From 2017 to 2018, Mays had a starring role in the NBC workplace sitcom "Trial and Error," though the series was cancelled after two seasons. More recently, she's recurred on the sitcoms "Leanne" and "The United States of Al." Other notable roles include Ruby in "Disenchanted," Joanna in "Bill and Ted Face the Music," and Jessica in "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp."

Original glee club member Mike Chang, played by Harry Shum Jr., appeared sporadically throughout all six seasons of "Glee." When the series ended, Shum was tapped to lead the hotly anticipated sequel to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (subtitled "Sword of Destiny"). The film, released on Netflix in 2016, was panned by critics.

Shum's luck turned fairly quickly, however, as he was cast by future "Wicked" director Jon M. Chu in his 2018 breakout feature "Crazy Rich Asians." Though his role was fairly small, Chu confirmed that Shum's character was set for a prominent role in a spin-off film. As of writing, fans are still awaiting any sequel to the original. Since 2022, Shum has played surgical resident Benson Kwan on the long-running medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" (pictured above). The same year he was cast, he also appeared in the Academy Award-winning science fiction film "Everything Everywhere All at Once."

Of the original "Glee" main cast members, Dianna Agron was one of the earliest to take a step back from the series. Having served as the tragic high school "villain" Quinn Fabray through season 3, she remained with the show only in a recurring capacity in its final seasons.

This may have had something to do with the major film opportunities that were coming Agron's way in the early 2010s. After landing a leading role in the sci-fi blockbuster "I Am Number Four," she was reportedly in the mix to co-star in the then-upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man" series at Sony (presumably as Gwen Stacy). Though that job ultimately went to Emma Stone, Agron's foothold in the film world held strong, leading to roles in several independent features, including Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott's breakout 2020 dramedy "Shiva Baby" (pictured above). As of writing, she has three features in development, and most recently guest starred on Ryan Murphy's "Doctor Odyssey."

Though Heather Morris' Brittany S. Pierce began "Glee" as a one-note bit player supporting Quinn Fabray's storyline, she quickly developed into a character with her own fascinating inner world. Morris even stayed within the series' main cast one season longer than Dianna Agron.

As an actor, Morris has popped up in shows like "Comedy Bang! Bang!" and "Raven's Home," as well as several independently produced series, including the sketch comedy series "I.R.L.," which she wrote and executive produced. From 2021 to 2023, she also executive produced and occasionally acted in the podcast series "The Bystanders." In 2024, she began recurring on the CBS sitcom "So Help Me Todd," though it was cancelled soon after.

Morris' dance career collided with her acting career, resulting in appearances on season 24 of "Dancing with the Stars" and season 2 of "The Masked Dancer" (pictured above). She was the latter series' second and final winner.

The final point in the Cheerios triangle, Naya Rivera as Santana Lopez was part of the main cast of "Glee" through its fifth season and continued to appear throughout its 6th. When the series ended, she went on to recur on the ABC series "Devious Maids" before landing a lead role in "Step Up: High Water" (pictured above). After premiering on YouTube Red, the show gained enough traction for a transfer to Starz for its 3rd and final season. Tragically, Rivera passed away at the age of 33 during production.

On July 13, 2020, Rivera was found dead near California's Lake Piru. The actor had been missing for several days, last known to be embarking on a boating trip with her young son (who was fortunately found unharmed). Based on his testimony, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department ruled the cause of death as accidental drowning, coming to the conclusion that Rivera had likely been caught in a rip current. Her final role was in the two-part DC Comics Tomorrowverse animated film "Batman: The Long Halloween," in which she voiced Selina Kyle / Catwoman. Both films were released in 2021 and dedicated to Rivera's memory.

In many ways, Cory Monteith was the heart of "Glee." His character, star quarterback turned glee club frontman Finn Hudson, encapsulated the show's central themes of self-expression, compassion, and transformation. Sadly, aside from a role in 2011's "Monte Carlo," "Glee" fans saw little of Monteith outside the series.

Monteith lived with a substance abuse disorder from the age of 13. While filming the fourth season of "Glee" in March of 2013, he was admitted to a drug rehabilitation facility, leaving the show before shooting the final episodes of the season with the intent of returning for season 5. Though he completed treatment, Monteith died in July of that same year of an apparent accidental drug overdose. He was 31.

The creators of "Glee" wrote the season 5 episode "The Quarterback" specifically to address the actor's passing. It is the series' highest-rated episode on IMDb as of writing.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Prior to being cast in "Glee" as Finn Hudson's best friend Noah "Puck" Puckerman, Mark Salling's acting credits were scant. He had roles in the direct-to-DVD movies "The Graveyard" and "Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering," and had appeared on a single episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger" in 1999. Salling was part of "Glee's" main cast for its first four seasons and recurred for its final two. He appeared in no other films or television shows after its end — and for good reason.

Salling was sued for sexual battery in 2013 by a former girlfriend, an allegation which he denied and attempted to countersue against before reportedly settling with the alleged victim out of court. Two years later, Salling was arrested after another former girlfriend of his reported him to the police, alleging that he was in possession of child sexual abuse material. Salling ultimately pled guilty in 2017. In 2018, he died by suicide.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

With admittedly no means of gracefully segueing out of such unbelievably disturbing information, we're at the very least happy to report that Jenna Ushkowitz — who played underrated gleek Tina Cohen-Chang for all six seasons of the series — appears to be doing quite well since its finale. In addition to appearing on reality programs like "After Midnight" (pictured above) and "RuPaul's Celebrity Drag Race," Ushkowitz had roles in the films "Yellow Fever," "Hello Again," and "1 Night in San Diego." Most recently, she has recurred on the TV series "Unconventional" and "Princess Power."

In 2022, Ushkowitz partnered with another former "Glee" cast member to produce and host "And That's What You REALLY Missed," a podcast that takes "Glee" fans behind the scenes of their favorite episodes. The podcast has featured a wide range of guests including former cast members, musical theater legends, and even Ryan Murphy himself.

"Glee" was essentially the professional screen acting debut of Amber Riley, her only previous credit being an obscure and unsuccessful TV pilot produced in 2002. For five of the show's six seasons, she was part of its main cast as oft-overlooked founding glee club member Mercedes Jones.

Following the end of "Glee," Riley appeared in several TV movies, including "One Christmas Wish," "Single Black Female," and "Savvy Sheldon" (pictured above). She has also guest starred on "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend," "A Black Lady Sketch Show," and "Monster High." Since 2024, she has voiced the character Ursula on the Disney Junior animated series "Ariel." As a recording artist, she releases music under the name RILEY.

One of the first new members of the glee club to be introduced after they began to rise in popularity at William McKinley, Chord Overstreet's Sam Evans began appearing on the show during its 2nd season. He was promoted to the main cast in season 4 and remained as such for the rest of its run.

Overstreet has had a few guest starring roles on shows like "Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!," "The Bold Type," and "Doctor Odyssey," but seemingly spent the latter half of the 2010s focused on his music career. Since 2017, he has released four EPs — "Treehouse Tapes," "Stone Man," "Man on the Moon," and "OVERSTREET" — and has collaborated with artists Hot Chelle Rae and LEVI.

His next major TV project came in 2021, when he was cast as one of the leads in the ongoing Apple TV+ comedy "Acapulco." In 2022, he was cast opposite Lindsay Lohan in the Christmas romantic comedy "Falling for Christmas" (which made our list of the best Christmas rom coms available on streaming).

The other half of the "And That's What You REALLY Missed" podcasting duo is Kevin McHale, who played founding gleek (and Tina Cohen-Chang's occasional love interest) Artie Abrams. Aside from podcasting, McHale has continued to act in guest starring roles on shows like "When We Rise," "We Bare Bears," and "American Horror Stories." He also voices a character on the podcast series "Moonburn."

Like Jenna Ushkowitz and Heather Morris, McHale is a seasoned game show contestant, having competed in "The X Factor: Celebrity" and "RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race." He also appeared on the reality shows "Nailed It," "Whose Line is it Anyway?," and "MTV Cribs UK." In 2016, he helped launch the social networking app +ONE. The extent of his involvement is unclear, and it appears to have since gone offline.

Breaking out in the early days of internet virality thanks to the StarKids parody musicals, Darren Criss saw his career absolutely explode after he was cast as rival singer Blaine Anderson during season 2 of "Glee." He made his Broadway debut while part of the cast of "Glee," then returned for a revival of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" the same year the show ended.

In 2018, he was tapped to lead the 2nd season of Ryan Murphy's lauded anthology series "American Crime Story," in which he played Andrew Cunanan, the murderer of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez). The role earned him a Primetime Emmy Award, making him the first actor of Filipino descent to win Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie.

Criss has had a successful career as a voice actor as well, taking on the role of Superman in the DC Tomorrowverse series of animated films that spanned from 2020 to 2024. He made his way back to Broadway in 2024 as well, earning his first two Tony Awards for producing and starring in the new musical "Maybe Happy Ending."

Chris Colfer's groundbreaking portrayal of gay high schooler Kurt Hummel was a landmark in 2000s and early-2010s queer representation. It also earned him two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Colfer appeared in a few films and TV shows after "Glee," but he has dedicated most of his time to writing. In 2012, he created the children's fantasy book series "The Land of Stories," which presently consists of 10 books released in the span of a decade. They are set to be adapted by Warner Bros. and screenwriter Phil Johnston ("Wreck-It Ralph," "Zootopia").

Given that she earned an Emmy Award for screaming at cheerleaders as Sue Sylvester, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that Jane Lynch has found plenty of work as a voice actor. Her most notable work includes "Wreck-It Ralph" and its sequel and the Apple TV+ adaptation of "Harriet the Spy."

Whether in the recording booth or in front of a camera, her post-"Glee" career has been exhaustive. There's not enough space to mention every popular series that cast her as a guest star since 2015 — all the more baffling, considering she also had several major projects going on during this period, including "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (which earned her another Emmy Award), "Angel from Hell," "Final Space," "Hollywood Game Night" (yup, another Emmy Award), and the reboot of "Party Down." Most recently, she has recurred on "Velma" and "Only Murders in the Building."

For all the star power "Glee" earned Broadway breakout Lea Michele, it came with an equal measure of (seemingly self-inflicted) headache. Multiple former cast members described her as one of the most difficult actors to work with in the entertainment industry, alleging several instances of on-set bullying and abuse.

Apart from roles on ABC's "The Mayor" and Ryan Murphy's horror comedy series "Scream Queens," Michele has mostly maintained her presence on Broadway. She reunited with the casts of "Ragtime" and "Spring Awakening" (the latter including Jonathan Groff, a "Glee" alum himself) for anniversary concerts, before returning to Broadway in full force to lead a revival of "Funny Girl." As of writing, she shares the stage with Broadway veteran (former "Glee" hopeful) Aaron Tveit in a revival of "Chess."

Matthew Morrison was nominated for one Emmy Award during his time on "Glee" for anchoring the series as the big-hearted, well-meaning high school teacher Will Schuester. Several TV series brought him on for guest starring and recurring roles after the show ended, including "The Good Wife," "Grey's Anatomy," and "American Horror Story: 1984." He also played the Grinch in an NBC live musical broadcast in 2020.

In 2022, Morrison was tapped to be a judge on "So You Think You Can Dance" season 17. He was fired mid-season, however, after one of the contestants alleged that he had sent text messages that made her uncomfortable. Morrison denied any impropriety, but he had acknowledged in an earlier statement that his messages broke show protocol. In 2024, he led the Japanese tour of the musical "Chicago." 

And... that's what you missed on "Glee."