Almost a year after Glee actress Naya Rivera died at the age of 33, her former castmates gathered at the 2021 GLAAD Media Awards to honor her legacy in the LGBTQ community. Speaking about her Glee character, Santana Lopez, and how she gave a generation of queer people a deeply human role model, the cast remembered their “incredible friend†and how she helped usher in a new era of diverse representation and acceptance in the entertainment industry. “There was always so much more than met the eye with Naya,†they collectively explained in the tribute. “She made everybody laugh onscreen and off, but the real win was when you made her laugh. With the exception of our show, there were almost no LGBTQ teens on television at the time. Especially young, Latina, LGBTQ women. And as an ally, Naya was so honored to represent them. But things are getting better, because every year there’s more LGBTQ representation on TV.†Watch the tribute above, which includes an intro from Glee guest star Demi Lovato.
Glee Cast Honors Their ‘Ally’ Naya Rivera at This Year’s GLAAD Awards
