Top 20 Behind-the-Scenes Facts About Glee

#20: Lea Michele & Matthew Morrison Dated Before “Glee”

Although he played their teacher on “Glee,” Matthew Morrison isn’t much older than most of the cast – more on that later. So, while she was his student on the show, Lea Michele once probably held the title of “girlfriend” with Morrison. In her autobiography, “Brunette Ambition,” Michele revealed that while she met most of her castmates at the audition, she’d known Morrison for years, writing that they had “actually dated back in the day for a Broadway beat.” Her admission surprised many, especially since the pair had denied rumors of a romance for years until Michele chose to confirm it in 2014.

#19: The Reality Show Spin-off

Where do you think characters like Ryder, Rory, and Joe came from? That’s right, they were created specifically for actors who won a competition. The reality show spin-off, “The Glee Project,” was designed to crown a winner with a guaranteed seven-episode arc on the show. Despite not winning the series, multiple other contestants were granted shorter episode arcs as well. With a blend of acting, singing, and dancing, “The Glee Project” focused on contestants proving they had the skills to hang with the show’s demands, and regular cast members also popped up as special judges or mentors. While it might sound like an obscure reality series today, “The Glee Project” was actually syndicated across multiple regions worldwide before its cancellation after two seasons.

#18: Ryan Murphy Wrote the Cast’s Real-Life Experiences Into the Show

To many fans, it’s as if the actors can truly feel their characters’ emotions. That’s because a lot of them actually did. In an interview with “PR.com,” Chris Colfer revealed that Ryan Murphy would incorporate real-life elements into the story. One example came from Kurt’s performance of “Defying Gravity,” inspired by a personal story he’d shared about being denied the chance to sing the song back in high school. Colfer later found it included within the show’s storyline. Similarly, speaking at PaleyFest, Chord Overstreet revealed the song “Trouty Mouth” was used on the show as part of a running joke Murphy had about his distinct features in real life.

#17: An Extra Leaked Major Spoilers On Twitter

Fans took the show seriously. But at times, things could get out of hand, especially when spoilers were in the mix. Things took a dark turn when Nicole Crowther, an extra on the show, leaked the huge reveal that Kurt and Karofsky would be crowned Prom Queen and King on Twitter. Her post prompted a quick response from co-creator Brad Fulchuk, who publicly admonished Crowther on the platform. This began a wave of intense online hate toward Crowther, including harassment and even death threats. As a result of the fallout, Crowther claimed she was effectively blacklisted from the entertainment industry. Her story resurfaced once more in 2016, this time highlighting how dangerously fan reactions had escalated.

#16: Lea Michele & Naya Rivera’s Alleged Feud

Santana and Rachel’s love-hate dynamic has always stood out to many viewers. However, the docuseries “The Price of Glee” casts their rivalry in a different light. Glee's hair department head, Dugg Kirkpatrick, claimed that Naya Rivera and Lea Michele 'hated each other' and their constant competition was an open secret amongst the cast and crew. Rewatching the season five episode “Frenemies” on the “And That’s What You Really Missed” podcast, Kevin McHale felt the story setup was “self-referential” to the alleged tensions between the actors. At the same time, McHale also clarified that the intensity of the feud was “blown out of proportion.”

#15: The Original Script

Despite exploring heavy and sensitive topics, “Glee”’s charm comes from its bright, satirical tone. But the original concept was far darker. Appearing on the “And That’s What You Really Missed” podcast, Ryan Murphy revealed that co-creator Ian Brennan’s initial script followed Will Schuester as a teacher with substance use disorder who also engaged in inappropriate relationships with his students. Murphy called it the “NC-17 version of show choir with a weird protagonist who was unraveling.” If you can’t picture Matthew Morrison playing such a role, then you’re not alone – the character was written with Justin Timberlake in mind! Finding the story too dark, Murphy asked Brennan to pivot to a lighter tone, leading to the creation of Sue Sylvester as the show’s main villain.

#14: Gwyneth Paltrow Met Her Husband On the Show

Despite being her first role on scripted television, Gwyneth Paltrow made a memorable impact as Holly Holiday, even winning an Emmy Award. However, the role shaped her personal life more than her career, as the actress met her future husband, co-creator Brad Falchuk, on “Glee.” The pair met in 2010 when Paltrow made her debut, but didn’t start dating until 2014 when she appeared for the final time. Falchuk, who had finalized his divorce by then, didn’t acknowledge the relationship until 2015, when he and Paltrow debuted as a couple at Robert Downey Jr.’s 50th birthday party. The pair married by 2018, and fans can catch Falchuk making the occasional appearance on Paltrow’s “Goop Podcast.”

#13: Famous Names Who Nearly Appeared

From Oscar winners to Grammy-winning artists, “Glee” was never short of A-list star power. Still, there were some big names that nearly made a trip down to William McKinley High School. Speaking on the “And That’s What You Really Missed” podcast, Ryan Murphy revealed several major A-listers had reached out to appear on the show, including Whitney Houston, Anne Hathaway, Javier Bardem, and Jennifer Lopez. While these rumors did create buzz at the time, they ultimately never materialized due to scheduling issues. Although the show remains fabulous on its own, there’s no doubt that stars of this caliber would’ve shot “Glee”’s level of prestige through the roof.

#12: Chris Colfer’s Role Was Written for Him

Before starring in “Glee,” Chris Colfer’s only onscreen credit was a short film titled “Russel Fish: The Sausage and Eggs Incident.” But Ryan Murphy was instantly taken with the young actor, telling “The Los Angeles Times” that Colfer was so “mind-blowing” that he carried himself like “he’d been at Juilliard for six years.” Colfer, who originally auditioned to play Artie Abrams, inspired Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan to create Kurt Hummel specifically to include him on the show. As a result, a character named Rajish was written out to retain the planned number of cast members. Their confidence paid off, as Kurt became one of “Glee”’s biggest breakout characters, with Colfer also winning a Golden Globe Award for his performance.

#11: Huge Production Costs

Many fans wish “Glee” had lasted longer than six seasons. But given the mind-boggling cost it took to make just one episode, it’s remarkable the show produced as many as 121. According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” a single episode of the first season cost between $3.2 to $3.8 million. This increased by 20% each season to accommodate staff salaries, among other production overheads. The price tag for special episodes could jump twice as high – the New York-set second season finale reportedly carried a $6 million-dollar budget. Music licensing was one of the major cost drivers, with a reported $100,000 per episode just to secure the rights alone.

#10: Matthew Morrison Is Less Than 4 Years Older Than Some of His Students

It’s no secret that Hollywood often casts much older actors as high school students, and “Glee” was no different, as various actors portraying the students of McKinley were only a few years younger than Mr. Schue. Matthew Morrison was born in October 1978, making him nearly 31 years old when the extended pilot aired in September 2009. Harry Shum Jr. was born in April 1982, and Cory Monteith in May 1982, making them all less than four years younger than their fictional teacher. As if you couldn’t tell.

#9: Kristin Chenoweth Was Everyone's Favorite Guest Star

Kristin Chenoweth is theater royalty, so it only makes sense she'd nail her time on glee. When the cast attended Paleyfest, Amber Riley admitted that Kristin Chenoweth was everyone’s favorite guest star. And this show had a lot of freaking guest stars! Amber revealed that Chenoweth was always very energetic and happy and that she often brought gifts for her fellow actors. She has the voice of an angel, she’s beautiful, she’s a great actor, and she’s seemingly a fantastic and encouraging person to be around. Is Kristin Chenoweth the perfect person?

#8: Some of the Actors’ Audition Songs Were Used for Their Characters’ Audition Songs

When it comes to filming, why not stick with what works? We imagine that this is what Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan figured when it came to their actors Lea Michele and Chris Colfer. Lea Michele auditioned for “Glee” by singing “On My Own” from “Les Misérables,” while Chris Colfer auditioned with “Mr. Cellophane” from “Chicago.” In the pilot, Rachel sings “On My Own” for her New Directions audition, while Kurt sings, you guessed it, “Mr. Cellophane.” It’s a neat little case of art imitating life, even if it was planned.

#7: Chris Colfer Had His 1st Drink During Filming

Everyone remembers their first proper drink. Well, maybe not everyone. Some nights get a little wild. During Paleyfest in 2015, the cast revealed some behind-the-scenes secrets from their five-plus years of filming. During the discussion, Chris Colfer revealed that he had his very first drink while filming “Glee” at Kevin McHale’s apartment. At the time, he was with Amber Riley and Jenna Ushkowitz. Before you jump to any conclusions, he doesn’t reveal WHEN during filming he had the drink. If it was during Season One in 2009, however, then that would’ve made Colfer only 19 years old.

#6: Heather Morris Was Not Supposed to be an Actor

Heather Morris’ Brittany was one of the show’s breakout characters. Her role began rather small, but her ridiculous statements, unbelievable stupidity, and hilarious monotone delivery made her an instant fan favorite. And to think, this may never have been. At the time, Heather Morris was a professional dancer who had danced with Beyoncé during her Beyoncé Experience world tour in 2007. “Glee” choreographer Zach Woodlee took notice, and Morris was brought on to teach the cast the “Single Ladies” dance. It just so happened that the producers were looking for a third Cheerio, and Morris showed interest. She landed the gig and the rest is history.

#5: Dianna Agron Was Cast the Night Before Filming

Have you ever received a phone call stating that you start at your new job the very next day? How about, like, several hours before? This was the case that Dianna Agron found herself in. The producers had an immense amount of difficulty casting Quinn, and they still didn’t have an actress the night before filming was set to begin. Dianna Agron auditioned and got the role, and she was quickly shipped off to set the following day. To make matters worse, her first day of filming involved making out with Cory Monteith, and Agron was so nervous that she couldn’t focus.

#4: Ryan Murphy Has a Lot of Regrets Concerning the Show

Sometimes we all wish we could go back and do things a little differently. While talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Murphy admitted that his cast could never keep it together and that “to this day, [he’s] devastated by everything that happened with that show.” Murphy states that he regrets the way he treated some of his actors and that various cast members left the show and Murphy on less-than-ideal terms. He also feels that he didn’t handle the personal drama between actors particularly well and that Cory Monteith’s death had a major effect on both him and the cast.

#3: Lea Michele Was in a Car Accident Right Before Her Audition

Now this is like something out of a movie. In a special feature of the Season One DVD, Lea Michele admits that she was in a nasty car accident right outside the Fox studio. According to Lea, she totaled her car and was literally pulling glass from her hair as she stepped into the audition room, prompting everyone to ask if she was alright. Apparently, she was, because she totally nailed “On My Own” and secured the role of Rachel, totaled car, glass hair and all.

#2: Darren Criss Auditioned for the Role of Finn

It’s amazing how many breakout characters came about through sheer luck. Like Heather Morris and Brittany, Darren Criss’ Blaine was one of the show’s biggest breakout stars, and arguably the best post-Season One addition to the show. However, Criss originally auditioned for the role of Finn, although he admits that it was a long shot and that he wouldn’t have cast himself in the role. Luckily for Criss, the casting director remembered his audition and thought that he would be perfect for the new role of Blaine. Criss auditioned for Blaine on a Friday, got the role, and started work the next Monday.

#1: Ryan Murphy Had to Implement a "No Hookups" Rule on Set

What can we say? Young adults will be young adults. According to Ryan Murphy, he had to implement a “no hookups” rule on set, which meant no sex in the trailers. According to Murphy, the rule was implemented to stymie any awkward hookups and resulting drama, stop potential romances from developing, and to maintain professional discipline on his set. Unfortunately, some actors didn’t adhere to the rule, with Murphy stating that “they’ve broken that rule on many occasions.” Although he never revealed who had been hooking up, he admitted to feeling like a father on set from trying to control a bunch of what was like hormonal teenagers.

Can you think of any other “Glee” facts you’d have liked to see on this list? Let us know in the comments.