The high school quarterback and the driven theater girl shared a deep, albeit offbeat connection throughout the majority of Glee’s run, which captivated fans worldwide. Yet life began to imitate art for actors Cory Monteith and Lea Michele, when they fell deeply in love while starring alongside each other on the hit musical series.
Their off-screen feelings for one another mirrored the dynamic between their characters Finn Hudson and Rachel Berry, but they kept these emotions hidden for a while, due to Michele being in a committed relationship at the time. Yet the romantic feelings between Monteith and Michele became so intense, that the Spring Awakening actress ended up leaving her then boyfriend, actor Theo Stockman, for Monteith. According to the actress, she just “knew” that her Glee co-star was “the one.” It wasn’t even a question.
Lea Michele Recalls the Moment She First Laid Eyes on Cory Monteith
View this post on Instagram
Lea Michele knew from the moment she first laid eyes on Cory Monteith that their relationship was going to bloom into something special. She was immediately enamored by his leading man’s looks, as well as his infectious personality. “From the minute I met Cory, I was like, This is the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in my whole life,” she revealed in a 2013 interview with Elle Magazine.
As time passed, the pair decided to take their romance to the next level by becoming an official couple. Both had no doubts about their connection, and were ready to fully commit. “One day we just looked at each other and we were like, ‘You wanna do this?’ We knew,” recalls Michele.
View this post on Instagram
Michele continued to gush about Monteith, saying that being with her Glee co-star made her feel like the “luckiest girl in the world.”
“I don’t even remember a time when he wasn’t my boyfriend,” she told Marie Claire back in 2012. “No one knows me better than Cory. No one knows what it’s been like to go through this more than he does.” She continued, adding, “For the first time in my life, I feel really, really settled and happy. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”
Lea Michele Continues To Honor Her Glee Co-Star Years Later
View this post on Instagram
It has been over 10 years since Cory Monteith’s tragic passing in 2013, yet Lea Michele has continued to pay homage to her former boyfriend years after his passing. It’s clear he left a lasting impact on Michele, and to showcase her love for Monteith, the Spring Awakening actress got a tattoo dedicated to him back in 2016. “For my quarterback,” the caption reads, referring to Monteith’s Glee character. The tattoo is of a number 5, which was Finn’s football number on the Fox series.
Similarly, Rachel Berry wore a necklace on the series which simply said “Finn”, honoring her true love after his unsuspecting death.
Lea Michele Praised Cory Monteith 10 Years After He Tragically Passed Away
View this post on Instagram
2023 marked a decade since the young actor’s tragic passing, and Michele felt compelled to share her love for Monteith in a heartfelt Instagram post. Alongside a beautiful picture of the two, she wrote, “Hey you. 10 years. It feels like only yesterday that you were here, and yet a million years ago all at the same time. I hold all of our memories in my heart where they will stay safe and never forgotten. We miss you every day and will never forget the light you to brought to us all. I miss you big guy.”
- Keanu Reeves Opened Up About His ‘Crush’ On Sandra Bullock As The Pair Team Up Again For Romantic Thriller - May 8, 2025
- White Lotus Feud Still On? S3 Cast Takes Met Gala Selfie Without Walton Goggins - May 7, 2025
- Simone Biles ‘Hurt’ Over ‘Divorce’ Comments From Fans Regarding Jonathan Owens - May 6, 2025
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://themusicessentials.com/entertainment/lea-michele-knew-cory-monteith-was-the-one/&media=https://themusicessentials.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/unnamed-17.webp&description=Lea Michele left her boyfriend for Cory Monteith after realizing he was "the one" during their Glee romance.){kind=link}