Glee star Heather Morris sends an emotional message to fans about her late co-star and friend Naya Rivera. Morris and Rivera played cheerleaders and glee club members Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez on the Fox musical comedy-drama series. Fans watched Brittany and Santana's relationship grow and evolve through six seasons, from a friendship to a romantic relationship. Her message follows Rivera's death from a drowning accident in California's Lake Peru in July.
Brittany and Santana's relationship, dubbed 'Brittana' by fans, was praised by the LGBTW+ community for being groundbreaking on television. Many fans found them to be role models and good representatives of the community. Though the characters had very different personalities, the two quickly became one of the most popular couples of the show. The two had their ups and downs as they explored their relationship, at one point splitting up when Santana went to college only to end up back together and marrying each other. Since Rivera's unexpected passing, several Glee cast members have shared a tribute to their late co-star.
Morris shared an emotional video on Instagram Sunday, honoring Rivera and acknowledging her grieving fans. "I want to thank all the fans for your love and support and want you to know that we are all here with you, that grief looks different on everybody," said Morris. "And I want you to be gentle and kind to yourself." In the video captioned, "You're not alone," Morris continued that she has been feeling "very heavy" and an "aching" to connect with her fans who have been feeling lost and confused since Rivera's death.
The actress and Dance Room podcast host went on to say that she didn't need to explain how vital Brittany and Santana's relationship was to the fans who saw the couple as an inspiration and gateway into their lives. "We both knew how special that was; I think she knew a little bit more than I did," said Morris. "I really felt it a lot later with all the messages and all the people reaching out, and I knew the writers also knew that as well." Morris tearfully continued to thank the Glee fans for supporting Brittany and Santana's relationship, acknowledging the impact their enthusiasm had on the show. Morris also shared that the support from fans allowed her to cope with Rivera's loss in her own way by writing a letter to her deceased friend.
It's no doubt that the passionate fan base surrounding Brittany and Santana was fueled by the off-screen friendship between Rivera and Morris. Morris' heartfelt message showed how much the characters impacted not only the fans but herself and Rivera. Brittany and Santana were truly groundbreaking characters on television. While Santana was known for never pulling her punches and delivering snappy comebacks, she also proved to have a lot of heart throughout the show, especially with Brittany. It's nice that Morris' tribute is a hopeful one that acknowledges the long-time Glee fans.
Source: Heather Morris/Instagram