Naya Rivera's Glee Costars, More Hollywood Fans and Friends Pay Tribute After Her Death

News By TooFab Staff |
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Glee co-creators vow to set up college fund for Rivera's son, while Matthew Morrison, Lea Michele, Kevin McHale, Amber Riley and more pay tribute.

Stars have turned to social media to pay tribute to Naya Rivera, whose body was recovered on Monday, days after she went missing at a California lake.

During a press conference, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department said "we are confident the body we found is that of" the actress. The department searched the area in and around Lake Piru -- where Rivera rented a pontoon boat with her 4-year-old son Josey on Wednesday, July 8.

According to authorities, the two had gone swimming and, after putting her son back in the boat, he "looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water." She was not wearing a life preserver and there was no indication of foul play or that her death was a suicide.

The boy was found alone, asleep on the boat in "good condition."

On Monday, some of Rivera's "Glee" costars joined Rivera's family at the lake, where they were seen holding hands. Both Amber Riley and Heather Morris were reportedly there.

Jane Lynch, meanwhile, was one of the first to share their condolences on social media. "Rest sweet, Naya," she wrote, "What a force you were. Love and peace to your family."

On his own page, Chris Colfer wrote, "How can you convey all your love and respect for someone in one post? How can you summarize a decade of friendship and laughter with words alone? If you were friends with Naya Rivera, you simply can't."

"Her brilliance and humor were unmatched. Her beauty and talent were otherworldly," he continued. "She spoke truth to power with poise and fearlessness. She could turn a bad day into a great day with a single remark. She inspired and uplifted people without even trying. Being close to her was both a badge of honor and a suit of armor. Naya was truly one of a kind, and she always will be."

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On Tuesday, "Glee" creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan told THR they were "currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all."

"Naya wasn't a series regular when we cast her on 'Glee.' She didn't have more than a few lines in the pilot. But it didn't take more than an episode or two for us to realize that we had lucked into finding one of the most talented, special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with," they said in a group statement.

They went on to praise her work ethic and pointed out how important Santana's coming out story and relationship with Brittany was for many viewers. "Naya's obligation to them - and to all of her fans - was obvious," they added. "She had the rare combination of humility and endless confidence in her talent."

Max Adler, who played Dave Karofsky on the series, also reacted with a series of heartbroken emojis. He also posted a middle finger emoji to July 13, as today's date is also the same day Corey Monteith died in 2013.

Lea Michele, who had a sometimes-contentious history with Rivera, also shared a brief tribute to her Instagram Story.

Along with a solo shot of Naya (below) she posted another of Monteith, and a third throwback photo of what appears to be some of her cast mates.

From Lea Michele's Instagram Story

Kevin McHale posted that he felt confident that Monteith helped in the search for Rivera, seeing significance on her being found on the anniversary of his death. He also shared a lengthy tribute to their friendship where he says she was the most talented in the cast and reveals they were talking about running away to Hawaii.

Below are more reactions from the show's cast, guest stars and Fox, which broadcast the series:

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Keep reading for more reactions from Hollywood as a whole, including Taj Mowry, who once dated the actress.

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Her death makes Rivera the third series regular from "Glee" to die since the show's debut. Monteith died at the age of 31 from an alcohol and heroin overdose in 2013, while the show was still on the air. Mark Salling committed suicide at the age of 35 in 2018, after he was found guilty of possession of child pornography.

Rivera, 33, got her start as a child actress, first starring on CBS' short-lived sitcom "The Royal Family" before making appearances on "Family Matters," "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Baywatch." After a stint on "The Bernie Mac Show," she got her big break with "Glee."

In addition to her work on "Glee," Rivera also appeared on "Devious Maids" and was starring on "Step Up: High Water" at the time of her death. The show, which initially aired on YouTube Red, was picked up in 2020 for a third season on Starz. It's unclear whether the show will continue without her.

Rivera released a single, "Sorry," with Big Sean in 2013, though a full record never materialized. She and Sean got engaged that same year, before calling it off in 2014. She wound up keeping her wedding date, however, and married Ryan Dorsey that day instead. They welcomed son Josey in 2015, before on-and-off divorce proceedings from 2016-2018, when it was finalized.

She also appeared in the films "At the Devil's Door" and "Mad Families" and released the memoir "Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up" in 2016.

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