If you spent any time watching TV between 2009 and 2013, you knew that face. You knew the goofy grin, the slightly awkward dance moves, and the letterman jacket. But for those just discovering the halls of William McKinley High on streaming, the question pops up: who plays Finn in Glee? The answer is Cory Monteith.
It wasn’t just a role. For a lot of people, Monteith was the show. He played Finn Hudson, the star quarterback who risked his social status to sing "Don't Stop Believin'" in a damp basement. It’s easy to forget how radical that premise felt back then. Before Glee, the "singing athlete" was a trope mostly reserved for Disney Channel movies. Cory brought a grounded, almost painful sincerity to it. He wasn't a Broadway veteran like Lea Michele or Matthew Morrison. In fact, when he auditioned, he famously used a video of himself playing drums on Tupperware containers.
He was a kid from Victoria, British Columbia, who barely had any musical training. That’s probably why he was so perfect.
The Story of How Cory Monteith Became Finn Hudson
Casting directors Robert Ulrich and Jim Carnahan weren't looking for a polished pop star. They needed a "giant galoot." That’s how creator Ryan Murphy often described the character of Finn. They needed someone who looked like he could throw a touchdown but felt like he’d rather be listening to REO Speedwagon.
Cory's journey to the set of Glee is the stuff of Hollywood legend. He didn't even sing on his initial audition tape. He just acted. When the producers realized they actually needed the lead to, you know, sing, Cory submitted a second tape. He performed a version of "Can't Fight This Feeling" that was raw, a little pitchy, and incredibly charming. It was exactly what the show needed. He represented the "everyman."
If you watch those early episodes, you can see him growing in real-time. He went from a guy who looked terrified to hold a microphone to a legitimate leading man. By the time the cast was selling out arenas on the Glee Live! In Concert! tours, Cory was holding his own against powerhouse vocalists.
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Why Finn Hudson Broke the Jock Stereotype
The character of Finn Hudson was a mess. Let’s be real. He made terrible decisions. He was frequently confused. He struggled with his identity, his future, and his messy relationship with Rachel Berry. But that was the point. Before Finn, the "jock" in teen dramas was usually a one-dimensional bully or a perfect hero.
Finn was neither.
He was a guy who got manipulated into thinking he got a girl pregnant by a hot tub. He was a guy who felt the weight of his dead father's legacy. Cory Monteith played those moments with a specific kind of vulnerability. You could see the gears turning in his head. He had this way of furrowing his brow that made you want to root for him, even when he was being an idiot.
It’s also worth mentioning the chemistry. The "Finchel" (Finn and Rachel) dynamic worked because Cory and Lea Michele were actually a couple in real life. That wasn't just acting. The way he looked at her during their duets—like "Pretending" or "Faithfully"—had a weight to it that you can't fake. It anchored the show's more ridiculous plotlines.
The Tragic Reality Behind the Screen
It is impossible to talk about who plays Finn in Glee without acknowledging the tragedy that cut it short. In July 2013, the world stopped for a second. News broke that Cory Monteith had passed away in a hotel room in Vancouver. He was 31.
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The cause was a toxic combination of heroin and alcohol.
For fans, it was a gut-punch. For the cast, it was devastating. Cory had been open about his struggles with substance abuse in the past, having entered rehab as a teenager and again just months before his death. He was the "quarterback" of the set, the person everyone looked to for leadership and a laugh. When he died, the show lost its heart.
The producers had to decide how to handle it. They eventually aired "The Quarterback," which remains one of the most emotional episodes of television ever produced. They didn't give Finn a dramatic death. They didn't explain how he died. They just focused on the grief of those left behind. When Lea Michele sings "Make You Feel My Love," she isn't playing a character. She’s saying goodbye to her partner.
Surprising Facts About Cory as Finn
Most people know the broad strokes, but the details of Cory's time on the show are what really paint the picture of who he was.
- The Drumming: Cory was a legit drummer long before he was a singer. In many of the scenes where Finn is playing drums with the band, that’s actually him playing.
- The Age Gap: Like many teen shows, the actors were much older than their characters. Cory was 27 when the pilot aired, playing a 16-year-old.
- The Audition Song: Before the Tupperware video, he reportedly struggled to find his "voice." He eventually landed on "Honesty" by Billy Joel as a practice song.
- The "Finn-isms": Many of Finn’s clumsy dance moves were actually Cory’s real-life awkwardness. The choreographers, Zach Woodlee and Brooke Lipton, realized early on that trying to make him a "pro" dancer didn't fit the character. They leaned into the "tall guy trying his best" energy.
The Cultural Impact of the Character
When we ask who plays Finn in Glee, we are also asking about the legacy of a specific type of masculinity. Finn Hudson showed it was okay to be sensitive. He showed it was okay to step outside of the box people built for you.
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The show struggled after his passing. Many critics and fans feel that Glee never truly recovered its narrative footing without the Finn/Rachel endgame that Ryan Murphy had planned. Murphy has since revealed that the final scene of the entire series was supposed to be Rachel returning to Ohio and telling Finn, "I'm home."
Instead, the show had to find a new way forward. But even in the final seasons, Finn’s presence was everywhere. His photos hung on the walls. The choir room was named after him.
How to Revisit the Legacy
If you’re looking to dive deeper into Cory’s work or the history of the show, there are a few specific things worth doing.
First, watch the pilot episode again. Focus on the scene where Will Schuester hears Finn singing in the shower. It’s a moment of pure, accidental talent. Then, watch the "The Quarterback" tribute episode. It’s a hard watch, but it’s a necessary one to understand the impact he had on his colleagues.
There is also a documentary called The Price of Glee that explores some of the darker behind-the-scenes realities of the show, though it's controversial among the cast. For a more celebratory look, the And That's What You REALLY Missed podcast, hosted by cast members Kevin McHale (Artie) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), offers incredible first-hand stories about working with Cory. They talk about his kindness, his goofiness, and what he meant to the "Glee Family."
Cory Monteith wasn't just an actor playing a part. He was the soul of a cultural phenomenon. He made it cool for the popular kids to be kind, and he made the outcasts feel like they had a protector.
To honor the memory of the man who played Finn, consider supporting organizations like Covenant House, a charity Cory was deeply involved with that helps homeless and at-risk youth. It was a cause close to his heart because of his own turbulent teen years. Exploring his filmography beyond Glee, such as the indie film Sisters & Brothers or the movie Monte Carlo, also gives a glimpse into the versatile actor he was becoming before his time was cut short.