Glee | What the Cast Is Up to Now
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VOICE OVER: Phoebe de Jeu
WRITTEN BY: Emily Blair
From high school hallways to Hollywood heights! Join us as we catch up with the talented stars who once graced the McKinley High choir room. Discover how these former Gleeks have evolved their careers, from Broadway triumphs and Emmy wins to bestselling books and chart-topping music. Whether they're dancing, singing, acting, or producing, the New Directions alumni continue to shine in the spotlight! We're checking in with Chris Colfer, Jane Lynch, Lea Michele, Matthew Morrison, Jenna Ushkowitz, Darren Criss, Amber Riley, Chord Overstreet, Heather Morris, and Harry Shum Jr. to see what exciting projects they've tackled since their days of slushie facials and show choir competitions. Which former Glee star's career path surprised you most?
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re checking in on the talented cast of “Glee” to see what we’ve missed, and what they’re up to now.
After “Glee,” this talented dancer-turned-actor landed the major role of Magnus Bane in “Shadowhunters,” a series based on the bestselling book series “The Mortal Instruments.” While Shum played the centuries-old warlock from 2016 to 2019, he also appeared in a mid-credits scene in “Crazy Rich Asians,” teasing a romance between his character and Astrid Leong-Teo. A spin-off focusing on their relationship is currently in development. While you wait for the film to come out, you can get your Harry Shum Jr. fix by watching his performances in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Kung Fu Panda 4. ”
Beloved by fans, Brittany S. Pierce was just a background character until “Glee” writers realized Heather Morris had some serious comedic chops in addition to her impressive dance skills. Since then, she has returned to her dancing roots, appearing on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017 and winning the second season of “The Masked Dancer” in 2022. Morris has also served as a masterclass teacher and judge for HEAT Convention and Competition. Morris was a professional dancer and choreographer before her time on “Glee,” so it’s understandable that she would return to that industry. Still, we’d love to see her dust off her acting skills to return to a comedic role like Brittany.
With a name like Chord, it’s no surprise this “Glee” star pursued a music career after the show ended. But he didn’t fully leave his acting dreams behind either. Overstreet released his debut EP “Tree House Tapes” in 2017, and has performed on “Today” and “The Tonight Show.” His most recent EP was “Stone Man,” released in 2021. As an actor, Overstreet starred in the 2020 Hulu comedy “The Swing of Things” and starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in the 2022 holiday romance “Falling for Christmas.” Since 2021, he has appeared on the Apple TV+ series “Acapulco,” demonstrating that he definitely hasn’t lost his comedic skills.
During her time on “Glee,” Riley was known for her powerful voice, often heard belting out the impressive final notes of big group numbers. One of her strongest solos on “Glee” was the song “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from “Dreamgirls.” London-based Gleeks were lucky enough to see Riley performing this song live when she debuted the role of Effie White on the West End in 2016. Her show-stopping performance earned her an Laurence Olivier Award, an Evening Standard Theatre Award, and a WhatsOnStage Award. In 2022, Riley became the winner of season eight of “The Masked Singer,” competing as Harp. Riley has teased her debut album since February of 2023, but it appears to still be in production with no set release date.
Before his time on “Glee” made him a bonafide celebrity, Criss already had a cult following for his work with “StarKid Productions.” Anyone could tell he was destined for stardom. Post-“Glee,” Criss teamed up with Ryan Murphy again on “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” in 2018. Criss’ performance as Andrew Cunanan earned him both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2020, Criss created, produced, and starred in the series “Royalties” for the short-lived streaming service Quibi. So far this decade, Criss seems devoted to the stage. In 2022, he appeared in the Broadway Revival of “American Buffalo”, and is currently starring in the acclaimed South Korean musical “Maybe Happy Ending” on Broadway.
Jenna Ushkowitz already had a few Broadway credits under her belt before she was cast on “Glee,” so it’s no surprise that she’s returned to the stage since the show ended. She appeared as Dawn in “Waitress” and performed with Broadway’s “The 24 Hour Plays,” both in 2016. Her roles behind the scenes have been significant as well, earning her two Tony Awards for her part in producing a 2018 revival of “Once on This Island” and the 2020 play “The Inheritance.” Since 2019, Ushkowitz has teamed up with fellow “Glee” star Kevin McHale, who played Artie, on their “Glee” rewatch podcast, “And That’s What You Really Missed.” The podcast discusses all of their favorite memories and fun facts about their time on the show.
After “Glee”, Morrison appeared onstage in the Broadway debut of “Finding Neverland” and on screen in season nine of “American Horror Story.” But his 2020 role in NBC’s “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical Live!” garnered the most attention from former Gleeks. His cheesy performance and intensely green makeup were peak meme fodder that holiday season. More recently, Morrison was a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2022, until he was dismissed from the show mid-season for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a contestant. Morrison denies the messages were inappropriate, but we’ll leave that for you to judge. Most recently, Morrison played Billy Flynn in a Japanese production of “Chicago” in 2024.
Life imitated art in 2022 when Lea Michele took on the role of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on Broadway, just like her character Rachel Berry did in season five of “Glee.” Unsurprisingly, her performance was widely praised by critics, credited to her phenomenal singing voice. Offstage, several of Michele’s “Glee” co-stars have come forward in recent years to say that Michele was particularly rude and difficult to work with on set, often acting like a “prima donna.” Michele also has faced a bizarre Internet rumor that she’s illiterate. Michele vehemently denies this rumor, yet conspiracy theorists still won’t let it go. The singer has also released four studio albums and has two children with husband Zandy Reich.
Jane Lynch’s impeccable comedic timing turned brash Coach Sylvester into one of “Glee” fans’ most beloved characters from the series, and thankfully she’s continued to grace our screens with her talents post-”Glee.” Lynch has had significant roles in “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Space Force,” and “Only Murders in the Building,” all showcasing her dry wit and hilarious character work. Lynch has also hosted several game shows, including the American version of “The Weakest Link.” Like Lea Michele, Lynch was cast in the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” in the role of Rosie Brice, although the two never overlapped during their time with the show.
You might have expected this talented performer to move on to a career on the stage or continuing his work in television, but Colfer surprised us the most with his post-”Glee” pursuits. Almost immediately following “Glee,” Colfer began to pursue his childhood dream of writing, and has since published a whopping 20 books. His most popular books come from his “The Land of Stories” series, a bestselling children’s fantasy series with six installments. Colfer has been working on a film adaptation of “The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell” since 2017, but the project has faced significant delays. While no official dates have been announced, Colfer assured fans in 2024 that the project was still active. So it’s truly only a matter of time.
Which cast members are you Gleeks still wondering about? Let us know in the comments below!
#10: Harry Shum Jr.
Mike ChangAfter “Glee,” this talented dancer-turned-actor landed the major role of Magnus Bane in “Shadowhunters,” a series based on the bestselling book series “The Mortal Instruments.” While Shum played the centuries-old warlock from 2016 to 2019, he also appeared in a mid-credits scene in “Crazy Rich Asians,” teasing a romance between his character and Astrid Leong-Teo. A spin-off focusing on their relationship is currently in development. While you wait for the film to come out, you can get your Harry Shum Jr. fix by watching his performances in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Kung Fu Panda 4. ”
#9: Heather Morris
Brittany S. PierceBeloved by fans, Brittany S. Pierce was just a background character until “Glee” writers realized Heather Morris had some serious comedic chops in addition to her impressive dance skills. Since then, she has returned to her dancing roots, appearing on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2017 and winning the second season of “The Masked Dancer” in 2022. Morris has also served as a masterclass teacher and judge for HEAT Convention and Competition. Morris was a professional dancer and choreographer before her time on “Glee,” so it’s understandable that she would return to that industry. Still, we’d love to see her dust off her acting skills to return to a comedic role like Brittany.
#8: Chord Overstreet
Sam EvansWith a name like Chord, it’s no surprise this “Glee” star pursued a music career after the show ended. But he didn’t fully leave his acting dreams behind either. Overstreet released his debut EP “Tree House Tapes” in 2017, and has performed on “Today” and “The Tonight Show.” His most recent EP was “Stone Man,” released in 2021. As an actor, Overstreet starred in the 2020 Hulu comedy “The Swing of Things” and starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in the 2022 holiday romance “Falling for Christmas.” Since 2021, he has appeared on the Apple TV+ series “Acapulco,” demonstrating that he definitely hasn’t lost his comedic skills.
#7: Amber Riley
Mercedes JonesDuring her time on “Glee,” Riley was known for her powerful voice, often heard belting out the impressive final notes of big group numbers. One of her strongest solos on “Glee” was the song “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from “Dreamgirls.” London-based Gleeks were lucky enough to see Riley performing this song live when she debuted the role of Effie White on the West End in 2016. Her show-stopping performance earned her an Laurence Olivier Award, an Evening Standard Theatre Award, and a WhatsOnStage Award. In 2022, Riley became the winner of season eight of “The Masked Singer,” competing as Harp. Riley has teased her debut album since February of 2023, but it appears to still be in production with no set release date.
#6: Darren Criss
Blaine AndersonBefore his time on “Glee” made him a bonafide celebrity, Criss already had a cult following for his work with “StarKid Productions.” Anyone could tell he was destined for stardom. Post-“Glee,” Criss teamed up with Ryan Murphy again on “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” in 2018. Criss’ performance as Andrew Cunanan earned him both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2020, Criss created, produced, and starred in the series “Royalties” for the short-lived streaming service Quibi. So far this decade, Criss seems devoted to the stage. In 2022, he appeared in the Broadway Revival of “American Buffalo”, and is currently starring in the acclaimed South Korean musical “Maybe Happy Ending” on Broadway.
#5: Jenna Ushkowitz
Tina Cohen-ChangJenna Ushkowitz already had a few Broadway credits under her belt before she was cast on “Glee,” so it’s no surprise that she’s returned to the stage since the show ended. She appeared as Dawn in “Waitress” and performed with Broadway’s “The 24 Hour Plays,” both in 2016. Her roles behind the scenes have been significant as well, earning her two Tony Awards for her part in producing a 2018 revival of “Once on This Island” and the 2020 play “The Inheritance.” Since 2019, Ushkowitz has teamed up with fellow “Glee” star Kevin McHale, who played Artie, on their “Glee” rewatch podcast, “And That’s What You Really Missed.” The podcast discusses all of their favorite memories and fun facts about their time on the show.
#4: Matthew Morrison
Will SchuesterAfter “Glee”, Morrison appeared onstage in the Broadway debut of “Finding Neverland” and on screen in season nine of “American Horror Story.” But his 2020 role in NBC’s “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical Live!” garnered the most attention from former Gleeks. His cheesy performance and intensely green makeup were peak meme fodder that holiday season. More recently, Morrison was a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2022, until he was dismissed from the show mid-season for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a contestant. Morrison denies the messages were inappropriate, but we’ll leave that for you to judge. Most recently, Morrison played Billy Flynn in a Japanese production of “Chicago” in 2024.
#3: Lea Michele
Rachel BerryLife imitated art in 2022 when Lea Michele took on the role of Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” on Broadway, just like her character Rachel Berry did in season five of “Glee.” Unsurprisingly, her performance was widely praised by critics, credited to her phenomenal singing voice. Offstage, several of Michele’s “Glee” co-stars have come forward in recent years to say that Michele was particularly rude and difficult to work with on set, often acting like a “prima donna.” Michele also has faced a bizarre Internet rumor that she’s illiterate. Michele vehemently denies this rumor, yet conspiracy theorists still won’t let it go. The singer has also released four studio albums and has two children with husband Zandy Reich.
#2: Jane Lynch
Sue SylvesterJane Lynch’s impeccable comedic timing turned brash Coach Sylvester into one of “Glee” fans’ most beloved characters from the series, and thankfully she’s continued to grace our screens with her talents post-”Glee.” Lynch has had significant roles in “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Space Force,” and “Only Murders in the Building,” all showcasing her dry wit and hilarious character work. Lynch has also hosted several game shows, including the American version of “The Weakest Link.” Like Lea Michele, Lynch was cast in the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” in the role of Rosie Brice, although the two never overlapped during their time with the show.
#1: Chris Colfer
Kurt HummelYou might have expected this talented performer to move on to a career on the stage or continuing his work in television, but Colfer surprised us the most with his post-”Glee” pursuits. Almost immediately following “Glee,” Colfer began to pursue his childhood dream of writing, and has since published a whopping 20 books. His most popular books come from his “The Land of Stories” series, a bestselling children’s fantasy series with six installments. Colfer has been working on a film adaptation of “The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell” since 2017, but the project has faced significant delays. While no official dates have been announced, Colfer assured fans in 2024 that the project was still active. So it’s truly only a matter of time.
Which cast members are you Gleeks still wondering about? Let us know in the comments below!
