The cast of Glee – along with Demi Lovato – came together to honor the late Naya Rivera and to celebrate her legacy on the show and within the queer community.
Rivera – who sadly passed away in a boating accident last summer – played Santana Lopez, an openly gay character, on the hit global sitcom.
The cast talked about Naya’s life and Demi (who played her one-time girlfriend on the show) said:
“I will always cherish the chance I got to play Naya’s girlfriend Dani on ‘Glee’. “The character Naya played, Santana Lopez, was ground-breaking for closeted queer girls, like I was at the time, and her ambition and accomplishments inspired Latina women all over the world.”
“It’s been 10 years since Santana Lopez came out,” remarked Lovato. “Look at what LGBTQ teens have done in a decade. Imagine what we can do in the next one.”
Jane Lynch, who played coach Sue Sylvester on the show, said: “I remember when Naya became a regular cast member. She was a dancer and I always thought she was cute,” said Lynch. “And then Ryan [Murphy] started giving her lines and I was like ‘Wow! This girl is really something.”
You can check out the full list of winners (inc. the likes of Schitt’s Creek) from the event right here and watch the Glee tribute below: