Mark Salling Returns To Glee: Actor Playing Noah Puckerman Admits Cory Monteith's Death Has Left A 'Big Hole' In The Final Season; Says Glee Cast Is 'Like Family' [PHOTO]
In an interview with People Magazine, Glee actor Mark Salling revealed how he feels about fellow co-star Cory Monteith's passing and more. Broadway World reports that Monteith passed away in 2013 at the age of 31 due to a drug overdose, breaking the hearts of his co-stars and fans and effectively causing a major void in the show's final season.
Salling, who plays the character of Noah 'Puck' Puckerman, stated, "Cory Monteith was a great leader as a character and person in real life... It's a big, obvious hole. I still think about him all the time." He continued, "He was kind of like the quarterback of the show, which sounds cliché because the [tribute] episode was called that, but he was kind of like that in real life," conveying how Monteith was the 'rock' of the cast.
When asked about how it feels to reunite with his cast members, Salling stated, "It's like we never left." He added, "I've been through so much with some of these cast members... Traveling the world, international tours ... it's really like family." However, a feeling of closure concerning Monteith's death has yet to come. Salling stated, "I don't think there will be any closure. Not yet."
Though he may not have found closure, there is a bright future ahead for Salling. Recently, he debuted songs for an original musical comedy project with his friend and collaborator Mike Miller. The project has been dubbed "Camp Coyote," and features tunes sung by the two men's alter egos, Saw and Mill.
And it seems Salling is fully committed to it - he stated, "I'm really open to any project, but my heart right now is getting Camp Coyote off the ground... If it's successful, it'll satisfy all my artistic inclinations, from writing to singing to acting." But he will always have a place in his heart for Glee - when asked about finally putting the show behind him, he said, "Am I going to miss it? Absolutely."