Cory Monteith’s heroin-overdose death continues to reverberate

Ripples from Cory Monteith’s death continued to spread through Hollywood and more details emerged in the week after his body was found in a Vancouver, Canada, hotel room.

The 31-year-old “Glee� actor accidentally overdosed on a mix of heroin and alcohol, according to the coroner. He was found around noon Saturday after he failed to check out on time.

“Glee� costars Jane Lynch and Dianna Agron expressed their grief publicly Wednesday, the former on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno� and the latter in a statement to Us Weekly.

“Cory’s one of the biggest hearts, a real bright light,� Lynch told Leno, who said he’d never met Monteith and asked what type of guy he was. “He knew he was breathing rarefied air with the gifts that this show, this wonderful show, gave us. He was always aware that it was a gift, and he was quite generous and one of those adventurous types of people. ...�

“I don’t think he left one day unlived,� she said.

Agron, who played Monteith’s character’s first love interest on the show, also spoke of her former costar’s big heart.

“I have never lost a friend,� Agron told Us. “In this difficult time, I am leaning on all of the wonderful memories we shared with Cory, how many ways he was able to make us smile. ... He was one of the most generous and kind people that I have ever met. He had a smart, curious mind, he was an enormous talent. He was loving to not only me but my family.�

“My heart goes out to his family, to Lea, to everyone that is struggling with the loss of our friend,� Agron said. “We will miss you Cory. We will always carry a piece of you with us.�

Agron was referring of course to “Glee� costar and girlfriend Lea Michele, who according to TMZ had a very strong influence on her beau’s life, helping keep him from relapsing when he was in the United States and moving to get him into rehab in April after he’d slipped. The website said Michele was also taking the lead in matters surrounding Monteith’s death.
A memorial gathering for Monteith, to which friends have reportedly been invited via Facebook, was set to take place at his home on Friday, according to InTouch.

InTouch also reported that “Glee� was taking a break from production to deal with Monteith’s passing. “Everyone on the show was told they were taking a two-week hiatus until [the producers] figure out what they want to do,� a source told the mag.

“Lea has been inconsolable and feels like she’s been hit by a truck,� a friend told Us Weekly on Thursday. “She didn’t know he’d started using again.� Michele reportedly got the call notifying her of her boyfriend’s death about 10 hours after his body was found but before the news broke publicly.

Finally, let’s smack down one rumor: Monteith did not OD on a “toxic grade� of heroin laced with the drug fentanyl, the coroner’s service said shortly after police in the area issued a warning for such a potent blend. There was no fentanyl present in the actor’s system, the coroner said.

ALSO:

Halle Berry marries actor Olivier Martinez in France

Queen among the ranks of those eager for royal baby to arrive

Jimmy Kimmel marries Molly McNearney in star-studded Ojai wedding

Follow Christie D’Zurilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip.