Behind the Scenes Drama: Shocking Revelations of Glee Stars Confronting Kevin McHale Over Alleged Steroid Use
Glee's Kevin McHale opens up about a confronting encounter with Naya Rivera and Jenna Ushkowitz during a trip to London, shedding light on his alleged steroid use Get the inside scoop on their intense conversation here!
Kevin McHale, Naya Rivera and Jenna Ushkowitz. Shutterstock (3)
Content: The New Directions also maintained a strong bond off-screen, as Glee alum Kevin McHale shared that Naya Rivera and Jenna Ushkowitz once organized an intervention to address his steroid usage. In 2010, during a dinner with Cory Monteith, the 35-year-old actor, known for his role as Artie Abrams on the popular Fox series, disclosed that his fellow cast members confronted him about his drug habits.
“I remember simultaneously filming two episodes of Glee and in the midst of it, traveling to England for our performance on X-Factor,” he shared during an episode of his podcast "And That's What You REALLY Missed" with Ushkowitz on June 26th. "I was incredibly ill and had to rely on various medications, including prednisone, a steroid, which ended up altering my personality." While the medication did give him the confidence to fight for his solo in the season 2 "Thriller/Heads Will Roll" mashup, both Ushkowitz, 37, and Rivera noticed the negative effects it had on his behavior.
“You all asked, ‘Hey, why are you using these steroids?’ And I replied, ‘Well, because I’m ill. It's necessary for me to take them,'” McHale stated. “[You were] like, ‘But it's not an antibiotic, right?’ And I responded, ‘No.’ You suggested, ‘Okay, I believe you should discontinue their use.’”
Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, and Naya Rivera. Amanda Schwab/Starpix/Shutterstock
Even though he still had a few steroids left to consume, the Texan heeded the advice of his fellow cast members and decided to refrain from taking any more prescription medication. McHale stated, "[Jenna said], 'You're not getting any sleep. You're behaving erratically. You should stop taking them.' And I agreed, thinking she was right. I hadn't slept for days. I was going insane."
Content: Despite their close bond and the launch of their podcast in October 2022, Ushkowitz's friend Rivera tragically passed away at the young age of 33 in July 2020. Rivera heroically saved her son, Josey, from drowning during a boating trip in Lake Piru, California.
It should be noted that McHale is not the only former Glee cast member who has faced struggles with substance abuse. In July 2013, Monteith tragically died at the age of 31 due to an accidental drug overdose. The British Columbia Coroners Service confirmed that the Canadian native's cause of death was a mixture of heroin and alcohol, known as mixed drug toxicity.
The podcast cohosts have openly discussed the impact of the loss over the years. In November 2022, Ushkowitz revealed to We that she believed the show changed significantly after Cory's passing, saying, "When Cory died, it felt like the show died with him in many ways." She went on to express that it was difficult to continue without him and that it never felt the same, at least for her.
Glee aired for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. During the show's fifth season, Monteith's character, Finn Hudson, was tragically written off.
McHale revealed that he had faced criticism for expressing his opinion on the show after Monteith's passing. He clarified that he was not speaking negatively about the show but simply acknowledging that it had changed significantly since Cory's untimely demise.
