The "Glee" cast, crew and fans were completely shocked surrounding the death of one of the show's most beloved actors, Cory Monteith. The sudden and tragic death of the 31-year-old took everyone by surprise.
As the show tries to figure out how to rework season five, the producers are moving forward with the idea to introduce two new characters in the upcoming season, E! News reports.
The casting announcement went out last week, before the death, and the show's producers have decided not to postpone the search. The new roles include a "cute and quirky" girl in her twenties named Jenny who will be a major recurring guest star on the show. She will appear in the second episode of the new season. The other character is going to a new African-American student at McKinley High School. Both roles will require singing.
Executives and producers will be sitting down in the next couple days to decide how to go forward with the fifth season. Monteith was supposed to return to the show with his on-screen and real-life girlfriend Lea Michele.
It had been previously announced that Mark Salling, Heather Morris, Amber Riley, Harry Shum Jr. and Dianna Agron will not be returning for season 5 but they might make guest appearances. Jacob Artist, Melissa Benoist, Becca Tobin and Blake Jenner, who all appeared in season four as new members of New Directions, will be bumped up to regulars.
Production for season five was scheduled to begin at the end of July with the premiere date set for Sept. 19. It has not been announced yet whether producers plan on delaying production or pushing back the premiere date, E! reports.
"Everyone is in shock," a source told E! News. "To say that Cory was much loved on the 'Glee' set doesn't even do him justice."
In 2011, Monteith told Parade magazine that he was "lucky to be alive" after opening up about his addiction. In April he checked himself in a treatment facility to help him deal with and overcome his substance abuse. He died over the weekend of a "mixed drug toxicity."
