kids encyclopedia robot

Cory Monteith facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith at GLAAD Awards.jpg
Monteith at the 2010 GLAAD Media Awards
Born
Cory Allan Michael Monteith

(1982-05-11)May 11, 1982
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Died July 13, 2013(2013-07-13) (aged 31)
Resting place Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (cremated)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • musician
Years active 2004–2013

Cory Allan Michael Monteith ( May 11, 1982 – July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor and musician. He made his acting debut in the television series Stargate Atlantis (2004), and had other roles in shows including Smallville (2005), and Supernatural (2005). During his career, he starred in over eighteen dramas and seventeen films, with Monte Carlo (2011), Final Destination 3 (2006), and Sisters & Brothers (2011), all becoming commercially successful.

Monteith is best known for his portrayal of Finn Hudson in the first four seasons of the Fox television series Glee. For his portrayal he won a Screen Actors Guild Award and Teen Choice Award.

Early life

Monteith was born in Calgary, Alberta, on May 11, 1982, the younger son of Ann McGregor, an interior decorator, and Joe Monteith, a soldier who served in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He had an older brother named Shaun. Monteith's parents divorced when he was seven years old, and he and his older brother were raised by their mother in Victoria, British Columbia. After the divorce, he saw little of his father due to military service, and he had social difficulties at school. From age 13, he started playing truant from school.

After attending 16 schools, including alternative programs for troubled teens, Monteith dropped out altogether at age 16. He eventually received his high school diploma in 2011 from an alternative school he attended in his youth in Victoria.

Before breaking into show business, Monteith worked various jobs, including Walmart people greeter, taxicab driver, mechanic, school bus driver, roofer, and a drummer for a few bands.

Career

2004–2008: Career beginnings

Monteith began his acting career in Vancouver, British Columbia. He had minor roles in Final Destination 3, Whisper, and Deck the Halls. He had a recurring role in Kyle XY. He also made guest appearances in television serials such as Smallville, Supernatural, Flash Gordon, Stargate Atlantis, and Stargate SG-1. In 2006, he made a brief appearance in Bloody Mary, cast as Paul. After Maureen Webb suggested Cory take acting classes; Monteith started acting classes with Anthony Meindl. In 2007, he starred in the MTV series Kaya as Gunnar.

2009–2013: Glee and film roles

In 2009, Monteith was cast in the Fox series Glee as Finn Hudson.

Finn is the star quarterback of his high school football team, and risks alienation from his friends by joining the school's glee club. He is a popular jock at the top of the school's social hierarchy, but when forced to join the glee club, he finds he loves it. His story lines have seen him struggle with his decision to stay in the club, which is at the bottom of the social ladder, while he maintains his popular reputation and the respect of the other jocks. The character must deal with his attraction to both head cheerleader Quinn Fabray (Dianna Agron) and glee club star singer Rachel Berry (Lea Michele), and his storylines increasingly focus on his relationship with them both.

Monteith as Finn won the 2011 Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Actor Comedy, the same category he had been nominated for in 2010. Although he was not a singer before being cast as Finn, Monteith sang lead or joint lead on a large number of songs on the show.

In April 2010, Monteith was cast in the romantic comedy movie Monte Carlo. In December 2010, it was announced that Monteith would be starring in and co-producing a new untitled workplace-caper comedy for Fox 2000. On August 8, 2010, he co-hosted the Teen Choice Awards. Monteith hosted the Gemini Awards in Toronto on November 13, 2010.

In January 2011, Monteith shot the film Sisters & Brothers with Dustin Milligan, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11. Canadian director Gia Milani's film All The Wrong Reasons stars Monteith as "a big box department store manager whose wife is struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder." Milani suggests he was excited to play his own age in a "heavy role." He filmed his part on weekdays, flying to Los Angeles on weekends to do promotional work for Glee. In 2011, Monteith filmed a PSA for Straight But Not Narrow, an online PSA organization aimed at changing the minds of young straight people in their attitude and viewpoint towards the LGBT community. In 2012, he hosted the 23rd GLAAD Media Awards in New York City with co-star Naya Rivera.

On July 20, 2013, Ryan Murphy stated in various media outlets that Monteith was set to have a tribute in the third episode of season five, which also dealt with the death of his character Finn Hudson. Monteith's final two films, All the Wrong Reasons and McCanick, premiered posthumously at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

Personal life

Relationships

Monteith began working with American actress Lea Michele in 2008 when they were cast as love interests on Glee. In early 2012, the media reported that they had begun dating. They remained together until his death a year and a half later. In December 2013, a few months after Monteith's death, Lea Michele stated that he was a very private person. Michele has released a number of songs about Monteith since his death. These include "If You Say So", which Michele began writing a week after his death and references the last words he said to her, and "Hey You", a follow-up to "If You Say So", released in April 2017.

Philanthropy

Monteith was involved in a charitable organization called Project Limelight, a nonprofit performing arts group for children in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside area. He was also an ambassador for Virgin Unite, which changes how businesses and governments run and interact, and unites people and entrepreneurship to improve people's lives, and was also involved in Chrysalis, which helps homeless people and those living in low-income households maintain employment.

Monteith was also a strong supporter of LGBT rights and contributed to different organizations of its kind, including the youth-support organization The Trevor Project. Monteith furthermore collaborated with the organization Straight But Not Narrow to promote respect and encouragement from young straight people to their gay counterparts.

Death

Monteith was found dead in his Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel room on July 13, 2013 in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was 31.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Roles Notes
2005 Killer Bash Douglas Waylan Hart
2006 Bloody Mary Paul Zuckerman
Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep Michael
Deck the Halls Madison's date
Final Destination 3 Kahill
2007 Hybrid Aaron Scates TV film
White Noise: The Light Scooter guy
Gone Davis Calder Short film
The Invisible Jimmy
Whisper Teenage boy
2008 The Boy Next Door Jason
2011 Teaching the Life of Music Himself/narrator Documentary
Wannabe Macks Stu
Monte Carlo Owen Andrews
Sisters & Brothers Justin Montegan
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Finn Hudson
2013 All the Wrong Reasons James Ascher Posthumous release
McCanick Simon Weeks

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2004 Stargate Atlantis Genii Private Episode: "The Storm"
2005 Young Blades Marcel Le Rue Episode: "To Heir is Human"
Supernatural Gary Episode: "Wendigo"
Smallville Frat cowboy Episode: "Thirst"
Killer Instinct Windsurfer Bob Episode: "Forget Me Not"
2006 Whistler Lip Ring Episode: "The Burden of Truth"
Stargate SG-1 Young Cameron Mitchell Episode: "200"
Kyle XY Charlie Tanner 7 episodes
2007 Flash Gordon Ian Finley Episode: "Life Source"
Kaya Gunnar 10 episodes
2008 Fear Itself James Episode: "New Year's Day"
2009 Mistresses Jason
The Assistants Shane Baker 2 episodes
2009–2013 Glee Finn Hudson Lead role (seasons 1–4); 81 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Actor Comedy (2011)
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Breakout Star Male (2009)
Nominated – People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actor (2012)
2010 The Simpsons Himself Episode: "Elementary School Musical"
2011 The Cleveland Show Finn Hudson Episode: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Roberta?"
2012 The Glee Project Himself Episode: "Vulnerability"
2013 MasterChef Himself Season 4, Episode 10; Last TV appearance

Awards and nominations

Year Title Award Category Result
2009 Glee 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Won
2009 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Actor Breakout Star Male Nominated
2010 Hollywood Style Awards 2010 Male Future Style Icon Award Won
Glee 17th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2010 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Comedy Actor and Choice Smile Nominated
2011 2011 Grammy Awards Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Nominated
2011 Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Actor Comedy Won
Monte Carlo 2011 Teen Choice Awards Summer: Movie Star – Male Nominated
Glee 18th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated
2012 Do Something Awards 2012 TV Star: Male Won
People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Comedy Actor Nominated
19th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated

Discography

Awards and nominations

Awards won

  • Hollywood Style Awards 2010
    • Male Future Style Icon Award
  • SAG Awards 2010
    • Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Nominations

  • SAG Awards 2011
    • Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
  • Teen Choice Awards 2009
    • Choice TV: Actor Breakout Star Male
  • Teen Choice Awards 2010
    • Choice TV: Comedy Actor
    • Choice Smile

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cory Monteith para niños

kids search engine
Cory Monteith Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.