Dianna Agron Shares Rare Memory Of Late 'Glee' Co-Star Cory Monteith

Dianna Agron is opening up about the lasting bond she still feels with her "Glee" family, including the co-stars who are no longer here.

The 39-year-old actress, who famously played Quinn Fabray on the hit Fox series from 2009 to 2015, grew emotional as she reflected on Cory Monteith, Naya Rivera, and Mark Salling.

Agron appeared on the "And That's What You REALLY Missed" podcast this week, telling host Jenna Ushkowitz, "It's hard to think of our loved ones from the show not being present with us anymore because they feel so present in my heart, body, mind, soul, all of it."

"I think that tenderness I feel and the memories that I have of who Cory, Naya, and Mark were as people, as cast members, as our friends and family, are just so vivid," she added. "That will never dissipate for me, ever."

Agron recalled Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson before tragically dying of an overdose at 31 in 2013, as a gentle giant.

"He was a teddy bear. I mean that in a way of his kindness and groundedness in himself was so perfect," she said. "He was this tall, big brotherly presence in all of our lives. He just felt so safe and equally excited about what he was getting to experience with his character."

The actress even shared a sweet memory of Cory's generosity:

“I remember this one time that he was having people swim in his backyard. My brother had come down and [Cory] said, ‘Oh, you’re squinting a lot. Do you not have a pair of sunglasses?’ He was like, ‘Oh, no, I don’t,’ and [Cory] took him into his room. He’s like, ‘These are all my sunglasses. Just take a pair.’ That’s who he was always. It was so amazing to have.”

Agron also reflected on Naya Rivera, who died in 2020 after a tragic drowning at Lake Piru that left her young son Josey without his mother. Rivera was just 33.

She included Mark Salling in her remembrance, too. The actor died by suicide in 2018 at 35 while awaiting sentencing on child pornography charges.

Though the memories are bittersweet, Agron emphasized the beauty in keeping their spirits alive. "I could replay memory after memory after memory," she said. "That tenderness will never fade."

Dianna Agron isn't the only "Glee" alum who's found ways to keep the memory of her late co-stars alive.

In 2023, Heather Morris, who played Brittany Pierce, the on-screen soulmate of Naya Rivera's Santana Lopez, paid tribute to her friend in a powerful and heartfelt way.

While joining her fellow cast members in Los Angeles to rally in support of the Hollywood strikes, Morris carried a sign that featured one of Santana's most iconic lines, "The only straight I am is straight-up broke."

The 36-year-old actress shared snapshots and videos from the day on Instagram, showing her reunion with the "Glee" family while wearing a Paper 8 t-shirt that cheekily read, "Heather Morris is an actor."

The playful but meaningful gesture was a reminder of Rivera's impact, not just on her castmates, but also on the fans who grew up with Santana as a groundbreaking queer character on primetime TV. For Morris, it was a way to keep Naya's voice alive in the middle of another historic moment for actors.

Lea Michele also continues to honor the memory of Cory Monteith, a decade after his passing.

On July 13, 2023, the 10th anniversary of his death, Michele took to Instagram with an emotional tribute to her late ex-boyfriend and "Glee" co-star.

"Hey, you. 10 years. It feels like only yesterday that you were here and yet a million years ago all at the same time," she wrote at the time. "I hold all of our memories in my heart, where they will stay safe and never forgotten. We miss you every day and will never forget the light you brought to us all. I miss you, big guy."

The post included a throwback black-and-white photo of the couple cuddling, smiling together in happier days.

Michele, who was still dating Monteith at the time of his tragic overdose in 2013, closed her message with a poignant note that seemingly referenced the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in 2022.

"I hope you found Taylor up there and are playing the drums together," she added.