‘She made you feel protected’: Glee’s Chris Colfer writes moving tribute to co-star Naya Rivera
Actor wrote essay about Rivera, who died by drowning in July
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Glee star Chris Colfer has penned an emotional tribute to his late co-star Naya Rivera.
The actor, who played Kurt Hummel on the musical series from 2009 to 2015, remembered Rivera one week after her body was found in Lake Piru, California.
Writing for Variety, Colfer described losing Rivera as a “nightmare”, saying: “I’m not sure anyone on Earth could give Naya Rivera the tribute she deserves.
“When Naya sang, you could feel her soul resonating through your own… Naya didn’t just sing a song. She brought it to life. And with every note, she exposed the old sage living inside her young body.”
Colfer continued: “Naya could defuse a bomb with a witty remark… On particularly rough days of filming, you might find her outside enjoying a cigarette in her bright red cheerleading uniform. She would raise an invisible glass and say, ‘To being role models!’ or ‘City of dreams, huh?’
“Naya leaves behind a void that only Naya herself could fill. Her loss is a tragic reminder to celebrate every moment we possibly can with the people we love because the only thing we know for certain about life is how fragile it can be.”
Rivera went missing on 8 July after renting a pontoon boat at Lake Piru, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles, with her four-year-old son, Josey. Reports by local authorities found that the 33-year-old died by drowning.
Speaking about Rivera and her son, Colfer wrote: “For as long as I’ve known Naya, the thing she wanted most in life was to be a mother... When her son Josey was born in 2015, it was like a missing piece of Naya had finally arrived.
“Being a mom was perhaps Naya’s greatest talent of all, and as her final moments proved, Naya was an extraordinary mother until the very end.”