Matthew Morrison Planned on Leaving Glee, But Cory Monteith’s Death Changed Plans, and More News

Matthew Morrison, best known for his role as teacher Will Schuester on Glee, opened up about his challenging times on set during an appearance on the And That’s What You REALLY Missed podcast. Morrison revealed his desire to leave the show to pursue new opportunities. “I actually was trying to get off the show,” he confessed. Motivated by a sense of underutilization in season 5, he expressed, “I'm no longer being used in the way I wanted to.”

Morrison sought different creative avenues beyond Glee, stating, “No disrespect to the show. We were riding high, and I thought maybe stepping away could open doors to other projects, maybe even a movie.” The show's producers initially agreed to his departure.

However, the unexpected passing of his co-star, Cory Monteith, in 2013 at the age of 31 dramatically altered these plans. “Cory passed, and then they said they couldn't do it,” Morrison shared. The loss meant that the show couldn't afford to let both of its leading men go. “It was definitely a complex time,” Morrison admitted, grappling with personal ambitions and the profound loss of a dear colleague.

Despite initial frustrations regarding his diminishing focus on the show, Morrison realized the shift made sense, given the show's evolving demographic interest. “Initially, I took it personally, thinking maybe I wasn't good enough. But, understanding that the audience preferred to see more of the students rather than Mr. Schuester helped me see the bigger picture.”

Throughout it all, Morrison maintained his professionalism. “Obviously I understood. Balancing my own desires with mourning a phenomenal friend was tough. There were mixed feelings. Yet, I stayed committed to my role, and fortunately, there was also a favorable bump in my pay,” Morrison concluded.

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