‘Glee’ Cast Then & Now: See The Show’s Stars’ Transformations Ahead Of Reunion

Learn more about what the cast members of ‘Glee’ have been up to prior to their reunion at the 32nd GLAAD Media Awards!

Glee premiered on May 19, 2009, and nearly 12 years later some of the remaining cast members are reuniting at the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards tonight, April 8. The cast of Glee has been through so much over the course of the last decade. Not only have cast members gone on to achieve great things in their respective careers, but they have also endured incredible heartbreak and shocking loss. Before the ensemble comes together tonight, learn more about where the cast members are today.

Amber Riley

Amber Riley was a major breakout star on the Golden Globe winning FOX musical/comedy series. She played Mercedes Jones on the show and appeared in more than 110 episodes over the series’ six season run. After Glee, Amber kept singing, and appeared as Addapearle in the TV movie adaptation of the musical The Wiz. She also made a small appearance as one of the daughters of Triton in The Little Mermaid Live! in 2019. More recently, she appeared in the 2020 film Infamous and won the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars with pro Derek Hough in 2013. Amber got engaged to her beau, Desean Black, in November 2020.

Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer earned a ton of praise for his vulnerable and sweet performance as Kurt Hummel on Glee. Chris was just in his late teens when he landed the role, his very first on TV. In 2011, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television. He also earned two Emmy nominations for his work. After Glee, Chris turned his focus back on writing his young adult series Land of Stories. 

Kevin McHale

Kevin McHale became a fan favorite as Artie Abrams on Glee. He went on to appear in the series When We Rise after starring in Glee‘s six seasons. Kevin is an accomplished singer and dancer, who showed off his talent on the FOX series. After the show ended, he and co-star Jenna Ushkowitz (who played Tina Cohen-Chang) created the Showmance: The Glee Recap Edition podcast.

Lea Michele was a well-established Broadway star at the time that she joined Glee as Rachel Berry. Lea continued to work with show-creator, Ryan Murphy, after the series ended in 2015, appearing in the comedy Scream Queens for the full two-season run. Lea has also continued her music career, releasing two albums since the series wrapped. After the devastating loss of her boyfriend Cory Monteith, who played Rachel’s love interest Finn Hudson, in July 2013, Lea took time to privately mourn the loss of her love. In 2019, she married Zandy Reich and the couple share a son born in August 2020. To learn more about the rest of the cast of Glee and where they are today, take a look at the gallery above!