When Glee became the TV show in 2009, Naya Rivera Santana Lopez quickly became one of the most beloved characters of the high-school musical dramedy. Although it was originally intended to be a minor antagonist with a sharp tongue and a salacious methods of Rivera, his vibrant personality, hilarious one-liners, and the undeniable vocal power shot series regular for season two. She was casually cruel in a way that was both terrifying and endearing, only thanks to the Rivera of the ability to carry out their vulnerability through their defensive attitude.
Santana nuanced exploration of their sexuality resonated with many viewers, and his relationship with Heather Morris Brittany S. Pierce (the origin of several heartbreakingly stunning covers of Rivera) became one of the show’s focal plots in the entire series. They flirted, fell in love, came out to his parents, and eventually married. And while the “Brittana” a love story was a big part of Santana’s trip, your stay of the closet of the average high school girl to a proud artist was quite well developed by the banks of the graceful representation. Rivera’s role in Glee it helped change queer representation in television — especially for Latinas. She sang her way to self-discovery, a life full of love, and a legacy as one of the most fascinating characters to grace our screens.
In memory of Rivera, who died while sailing with his daughter, age 4, son, we are looking back on their most extraordinary Glee the performances of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” of Alicia Keys from “Girl on fire”.
