Glee Creators Honor Naya Rivera’s Memory & Set Up College Fund For Her Son

Naya Rivera’s talent touched so many lives.

As friends and fans alike process Naya’s loss, touching tributes to her life and legacy have shown just how special and loved the actress was. Words and remembrances from her Glee castmates have been a particular comfort to fans of the beloved show.

On Tuesday, Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan released a statement regarding the 33-year-old’s passing via 20th Century Fox.

The statement read:

“We are heartbroken over the loss of our friend Naya Rivera.

Naya wasn’t a series regular when we cast her on Glee. She didn’t have more than a few lines in the pilot. But it didn’t take more than an episode or two for us to realize that we had lucked into finding one of the most talented, special stars we would ever have the pleasure of working with. Naya could act, she could dance, and she could sing (could she ever sing!) She could nail a joke as well as she could crush you with an emotional scene. She could move between being scary tough and deeply vulnerable with ease. She was a joy to write for, a joy to direct and a joy to be around.”

While the remembrance cited some iconic performances such as Valarie and Songbird, the producers claimed Rivera’s “greatest Glee legacy” was the relationship that blossomed between Santana and her eventual wife, Brittany (played by real-life BFF Heather Morris). They explained:

“It was one of the first times an openly lesbian, high school relationship was seen on network television and Naya understood what “Brittana” meant to the many young women who were seeing themselves represented on television for the first time. Naya always made sure that Santana’s love for Brittany was expressed with dignity, strength and with pure intentions. Naya was always moved by the girls who reached out to her to tell her how much Santana and Brittany’s love affected them. Naya’s obligation to them- and to all of her fans- was obvious. She had the rare combination of humility and endless confidence in her talent.”

Noting, as others have, Rivera’s powerhouse monologues that were a staple of her character, they continued:

“Naya was a real pro. Always on time, always knew her lines (which wasn’t easy considering the giant mouthfuls of dialogue we often gave her), always kept everyone laughing on the set. She was warm and caring and fiercely protective of the rest of the cast. She was tough and demanding. She was fun. She was kind. She was generous. There were ups and downs during the wonderful and stressful years we spent making Glee. We disagreed, we fought, we made up, then we fought some more, than we made up again. The kinds of things that happen in a family. Naya was more than just an actor on our show- she was our friend.”

The producers sent love to Naya’s family, particularly her mother and son Josey Hollis Dorsey. They concluded by announcing: