Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith Culled After Glee Season Three

July 14, 2011 by Hollywoodite

This is confirmation of something we already knew; Glee creator Ryan Murphy – in between tacky, public spats with musicians who don’t cower to him – already said he’d replace the ageing cast, some of whom will be in their 30s and playing high schoolers by the end of next season (OT, but did you know “Teddy” from 90210, played by Trevor Donovan, is 32-years-old?)

It had been confirmed that “Trouty Mouth” Chord Overstreet would be booted in season three; returning only occasionally, as a guest star. Today, Murphy confirms specifics of how the main cast will graduate and not return for season four. This includes Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, and Cory Monteith, who’s already 29-years-old (and looks it; not in a bad way, but in a “You’ve been playing a 17-year-old? Take a seat over there” way).

“You can keep them on the show for six years and people will criticize you for not being realistic,” Murphy tells The Hollywood Reporter, “or you can be really true to life and say when they started the show they were very clearly sophomores and they should graduate at the end of their senior year.”

Michele, 24, and Colfer, 21, are on-board with Murphy’s decision to write their characters off the show. “I involved Chris and Lea and they thought that was a good idea,” he says. “They both trust the writing and trust me and felt that it would be great to have an open and closed experience for them to go out while they were on top.”

“I’m much more interested in Lea’s character – not so much on her relationship with Finn, but more on what her dreams are beyond high school and how she plans on getting them,” he adds. “That’s what my senior year was about.”

Murphy has yet to discuss the casting changes with Monteith, 29, but he doesn’t think the actor will be too shocked by the news. “He knows he was a sophomore when the show started,” Murphy explains. “More characters are leaving than are staying.” – via Us Weekly.

Um, he told Michele and Colfer first and then he told Us Weekly before he told Monteith? Stay classy, Murphy.