“Glee” Cast to Reunite for Special Tribute to Naya Rivera’s Character Santana Lopez at GLAAD Media Awards

Posted on March 25, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Naya Rivera will be the focus of a special tribute at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards…

Glee cast members Jacob Artist, Chris Colfer, Darren Criss, Vanessa Lengies, Jane Lynch, Kevin McHale, Heather Morris, Matthew Morrison, Alex Newell, Amber Riley, Harry Shum Jr., Becca Tobin, and Jenna Ushkowitz will reunite at the virtual edition of the awards show on April 8 for a special tribute to the legacy of the Santana Lopez, the character portrayed by the late half-Puerto Rican actress/singer and Glee star, who drowned last July while on an outing with her son on California’s Lake Piru.

The tribute will honor the 10-year anniversary of Santana’s coming out as lesbian in the musical comedy. Glee is a GLAAD Media Award winning series and the reunion will spotlight Santana’s impact on LGBTQ teens and Latinx LGBTQ representation on television. Demi Lovato, who played Santana’s girlfriend on Glee, will introduce the special tribute.

The GLAAD Media Awards will be hosted by Niecy Nash and stream on YouTube on April 8 at 8:00 pm ET. The event will also stream on Hulu on April 8 starting at 10:00 pm ET, and will be available to stream on-demand on the streamer until the end of June.

Rivera to Perform “Valerie” on the 100th Episode of “Glee”

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Naya Rivera is preparing to reinterpret one of her most memorable Glee performances…

The 27-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer will offer a new take on her acclaimed performance of Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson’s version of “Valerie” for the Fox musical dramedy’s 100th episode.

In the second season episode entitled “Special Education,” Rivera sang lead on the track by The Zutons during the New Directions’ performance at the 2010 Western Ohio Sectional Championship.

Rivera also performed the track in the Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, which was released in 2011.

This time around, she’ll perform the song alongside Heather Morris (Brittany).

In addition, Rivera will also perform Britney Spears’ “Toxic” with Morris and Diana Agron (Quinn), and “Be Okay” with Lea Michele.

The music in the two-part episode was chosen by the show’s fans, who were asked to pick 10 of the show’s 30 most beloved performances to be remixed and featured on the series’ landmark episode.

Set to air on March 18 and 25 at 8 p.m., the 100th episode will center on Jane Lynch‘s principal Sue Sylvester, who after years of disdain for the New Directions and Matthew Morrison‘s Will Schuester, finally succeeds in ending the glee club in Lima.

Many original castmembers — Morris (Brittany), Harry Shum Jr. (Mike), Mark Salling (Puck), Dancing With the Stars winner Amber Riley (Mercedes), Agron (Quinn) as well as Kristin Chenoweth (April) and Gwyneth Paltrow (Holly Holliday) — will return to say their final goodbyes to Will and each other in the emotional episode.

To honor the milestone, Columbia Records will release Glee: The Music Celebrating 100 Episodes, which will include brand-new versions of Glee favorites from the original cast — including Journey‘s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Pink‘s “Raise Your Glass” and the original song “Loser Like Me.”

The album will be released on March 25.

Here’s the complete 100th Glee tracklist:

1. “Keep Holding On”* featuring Mark Salling (Puck)
2. “Valerie”* featuring Naya Rivera (Santana) and Morris (Brittany)
3. “Defying Gravity”* featuring Lea Michele( Rachel), Chris Colfer (Kurt) and Riley (Mercedes)
4. “Raise Your Glass”* featuring Morrison (Will) and Chenoweth (April)
5. “Toxic”* featuring Rivera (Santana), Morris (Brittany) and Agron (Quinn)
6. “Happy” featuring Paltrow (Holly), Chenoweth (April), Morrison (Will), Darren Criss(Blaine) and Riley (Mercedes)
7. “Party All the Time” featuring Paltrow (Holly)
8. “Total Eclipse of the Heart”* featuring Morrison (Will) and Chenoweth (April)
9. “Loser Like Me”* featuring Criss (Blaine), Kevin McHale (Artie), Chord Overstreet(Sam) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina)
10. “Be Okay” featuring Michele (Rachel) and Rivera (Santana)
11. “I Am Changing” featuring Riley (Mercedes) and Colfer (Kurt)
12. “Just Give Me a Reason” featuring Agron (Quinn) and Salling (Puck)
13. “Don’t Stop Believin’”* featuring Michele (Rachel), Criss (Blaine), Colfer (Kurt), Morrison (Will), McHale (Artie) and Ushkowitz (Tina)

* Season-five version

Glee returns from its midseason break on February 25 in its new night and time on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Rivera Returning to “Glee” Next Season

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Naya Rivera’s headed back to school…

Even though she graduated from William McKinley High School, the 25-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer/actress will be returning to Fox’s Glee next season.

Following the hit musical dramedy’s last season, which saw several of the show’s seniors graduate, series co-creator Ryan Murphy extended an open invitation to all 15 regulars, including Rivera, to return for Season 4. And, it looks like virtually all accepted the offer and are set to return, although not everyone will be in every episode.

Along with Rivera, other returning Glee stars include Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Darren Criss, Amber Riley, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jayma Mays, Dianna Agron, Mark Salling, Harry Shum Jr. and Heather Morris.

Each actor’s workload will vary as the show works to accommodate the large cast and make room for new characters, including American Idol runner-up Jessica Sanchez. Glee has already booked Kate Hudson and Sarah Jessica Parker for multi-episode arcs.

In addition to storylines reasons, some cast members may have reduced presence on the show as they pursue other projects, including features, theater and music.

Rivera to Sing Whitney’s Music

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Naya Rivera will be lending her voice to some of Whitney Houston’s most iconic songs…

The 25-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer—who recently received the Cause You’re Hot award at Logo’s NewNowNext Awards—will perform the late singer’s music during Glee’s upcoming tribute episode to Houston later this month.

Newly released photos from the episode—slated for April 24—offer a glimpse at Rivera’s character Santana performing with her on-screen love interest Brittany (Heather Morris) on the auditorium stage.

In another pic, Santana and Rachel (Lea Michele) join voices for a duet in the choir room, while Brittany sings in front of a grand piano.

Still no word on which Whitney songs Rivera and her costars on Fox’s hit dramedy will perform.

Images courtesy of Fox.

Rivera to Emcee the GLAAD Media Awards…

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Naya Rivera will be the hostess with the mostest later this month…

The 25-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer/actress—nominated for Logo’s NewNowNext Awards in the “Cause You’re Hot” category—will host the upcoming GLAAD Media Awards, along with her Glee co-star Cory Monteith.

Rivera, who plays lesbian cheerleader Santana Lopez on Fox’s hit musical dramedy, is a proud supporter of gay rights and has hosted the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s event in the past.

Rivera’s character became extremely popular in the gay community after her character began dating her fellow Cheerio Brittany (Heather Morris) and came out to her grandmother in a heartbreaking scene.

The GLAAD Media Awards will take place in New York City on March 24th.

Glee’s Rivera & Morris to Share First On Screen Kiss

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Earlier this season, Naya Rivera sang Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” on Glee… But now she’s getting ready to kiss a girl on camera.

The 25-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/singer’s character Santana Lopez, who performed a dancetastic version of Madonna’s “Las Isla Bonita” with Ricky Martin this week, will seal her romance with Brittany S. Pierce (Heather Morris) with a kiss during the Fox musical dramedy’s Valentine’s Day-themed episode.

And, love is definitely in the air throughout the entire episode…

Along with Santana and Brittany’s first kiss, Finn and Rachel announce to their fellow New Directions members that they are engaged and Kurt receives a Valentine’s Day gift delivered by a man dressed in a gorilla costume.

And if that wasn’t enough l-o-v-e, McKinley High holds a Valentine’s dance and Will challenges the New Directions to pick and perform the world’s greatest love songs.

“Heart,” which will include an appearance by Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes as Rachel’s gay dads, is set to air on Tuesday, February 14 at 8:00 pm ET on FOX.

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