How did Dianna Agron react to Naya Rivera’s death? Glee actress makes rare comment about late costars

Glee actress Dianna Agron recently opened up about the death of her former castmates, Naya Rivera, Cory Monteith, and Mark Salling.

Agron reminisced about their friendship and revealed how she still carries the memories of her late co-stars on the And That's What You REALLY Missed podcast on August 13, 2025.

She said:

“It’s hard to think of our loved ones from the show not being present with us anymore because they feel so present in my heart, body, mind, soul - all of it."

She continued:

“I think that tenderness I feel and the memories that I have of who Cory, Naya and Mark were as people, as cast members, as our friends and family [are] just so vivid.”

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Agron opens up about the death of her

Glee Castmates

On the podcast, Agron also spoke about her other Glee castmates, Cory Monteith, who died of an accidental overdose at the age of 31 in 2013, calling him a "teddy bear" with a "big brotherly presence". She shared an anecdote:

“I remember this one time that he was having people swim in his backyard. My brother had come down and [Cory] said, ‘Oh, you’re squinting a lot. Do you not have a pair of sunglasses?’ He was like, ‘Oh, no, I don’t,’ and [Cory] took him into his room. He’s, like, ‘These are all my sunglasses. Just take a pair’… That’s who he was, always."

Mark Salling, who had died by suicide in 2018, was also remembered as Agron as she kept him in her thoughts, remembering him.

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Dianna Agron earlier remembered Rivera in a podcast in 2022

On the Allison Interviews podcast in 2022, Agron spoke about how she has dealt with losing loved ones:

"Death has been prevalent in my life, because I've lost many people that I loved, and it always feels like it wasn't the right time. I, unfortunately, lost many people when I was very young, and my father is very ill and only 66 years old."

She added:

"I pride myself in being very present in the moment with my family and my friends, and knowing that your health and wellness are not guaranteed. That centers me a lot."

Reflecting on Rivera's absence, Agron remarked that it still feels unreal:

"She had years and years of love and gifts to give people. And I was so lucky to know her."

Agron described the Glee star as her "first friend on set" when the show started production:

"Naya was my first friend on set. We were quite isolated, because we weren't involved in the entire pilot. We had our very brief moments in the pilot, and everybody else was very involved in the singing, dancing and all the rehearsals. So she was my point person and we kind of instilled each other with confidence in those moments."

She went on to describe Naya:

"She was just very unique and special in the way she carried herself with such confidence and certainty. If she believed in something or in you as a person, she would always uplift those ideas."

Agron continued on how she found the Glee star remarkable, as she had an incredible resilience and possessed an inner strength. She added that Rivera was able to face any challenges with courage and determination. That was something that she tried to adapt in her life.

According to her, the misfortunes that the Glee star had faced at a younger age made her stronger. Agron emphasized that Naya had 10 times the strength she had, which made her inspiring and nurturing. She also added on Naya's comedic timing, recalling her being "wickedly funny."

The Glee actress died in July 2020 in an accidental drowning in California's Lake Piru while saving her then 4-year-old son, Josey. She was 33 years old at the time.

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Agron's tribute to Naya Rivera on social media

After Rivera's death, Agron and her other Glee castmates had taken to social media to pay tribute. Agron wrote on Instagram:

"Naya and I fell into stride with such ease, she was my first friend and ally on our show. In the pilot, our characters came and went with such swiftness. Our enthusiasm brimmed with all of the unknown. We tried to grasp what the other cast members must be feeling as we were working in such separate manners."

She continued:

"We dared to dream. What if this show worked? Wouldn't that be something? Something was brimming, it was palpable. And thank god it worked. Naya's magnetic talent was going to be unleashed, we just didn't know it yet."

Agron reflected on her experience working with the Glee star, calling it a great gift. She recalled that there was a lot to learn from Rivera, like the work ethic that she possessed, her bravery, and her talent, which she regarded as unparalleled. She wrote that Rivera's smile had the power to hold people around her captive.

She concluded:

"I loved her sense of curiosity and wanderlust. I was lucky enough to be her travel partner for some of my most favorite adventures. As I write this, I'm grinning with swelling memories of a spontaneous 36-hour excursion one might even say diversion to Paris. With Naya, everything was possible and would often simply unfold before us, almost magically.⁣⁣"

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