Lea Michele’s Tearful Tribute to Cory

Lea Michele Image by Getty Images

By Anne Cohen August 12, 2013

During her first major public appearance since the death of boyfriend Cory Monteith, Lea Michele used her acceptance speech at the Teen Choice Awards to thank fans for being so supportive of her in this difficult time.

Wearing a necklace that spelled out the actor’s name, Michele fought back tears as she accepted the award for Choice TV Actress — Comedy.

“I wanted to dedicate this award to Cory,” she said. “For all of you out there who loved and admired Cory as much as I did, I promise that, with your love, we’re going to get through this together.

“He was very special to me, and also to the world, and we were very lucky to witness his incredible talent, his handsome smile, and his beautiful, beautiful heart,” she added. “So whether you knew him personally or just as Finn Hudson, Cory reached out and he became a part of all of our hearts — and that’s where he’ll stay forever, so thank you guys so much.”

Prior to the speech, the whole “Glee” cast came onstage to accept the Choice Comedy award, and paid their own tribute to their departed co-star.

The fifth season of “Glee” premieres on Fox on Thursday, September 26. A tribute to Monteith is planned for the third episode.

Watch the emotional speech below:

Anne Cohen was the Forward’s deputy digital media editor. When she’s not looking for the secret Jewish history of Voodoo in New Orleans, or making lists about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she writes for The Assimilator. She graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S. magazine concentration in 2012.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO