More ‘Glee’ updates: What fans can expect

THE “GLEE” cast performs “Born to Hand Jive” from the show’s 2-episode tribute to “Grease.”

LOS ANGELES – Here’s the continuation of our report on a recent visit to the “Glee” set at the Paramount Studios lot. Let’s hear the second batch of cast members, plus the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, on what the audience can expect in coming “Glee” episodes.

Chris Colfer

I’m a huge fan of Sarah Jessica Parker. I didn’t want to embarrass myself while working with her. But she was great. I just fell in love with her. I hope she comes back.

Ryan Murphy: She is coming back.

Chris: She becomes his mentor … It’s really cute. She’s the big part of the story in New York so far. She gives him his first break. I love the whole vogue.com setting.

Dean Geyer

MELISSA Benoist

I’m glad you mentioned that (his black eye). Actually, Ryan doesn’t even know about it. I’ve done martial arts my whole life. But I’ve slowed down to the point where I’m only doing jujutsu. I’ve only had two black eyes in my life. It so happened that, last night, I got my second one.

Ryan: It makes me like you even more.

Dean: I started out on “Australian Idol” in 2006. That was my first experience in the public eye. I got to release an album through BMG in Australia which led to being offered a contract on a TV show called “Neighbours.” That came pretty quickly for me. I was hesitant to enter the acting world because music was my first passion. I asked them to take me through a couple of weeks of acting classes because I’ve never done acting before.

I was on the show for 12 months. I met my American manager toward the end of my contract. I was doing auditions like, sometimes, three a day. “Glee” came toward the end of my fourth pilot season of auditions. It felt like a perfect fit for me because I love singing and acting.

RYAN Murphy

Harry Shum Jr.: Ryan asks the right questions. We could just be sitting around, like we’re doing the interviews for “Glee: The 3D” tour. He was asking what will Mike Chang be doing this summer. I just started blurting stuff like, “My parents wouldn’t let me do something …” He was like, “There’s a storyline for you next season.” He’s able to bring out of us a lot of stuff.

Ryan Murphy

We’re doing a “Moulin Rouge” tribute episode.

Adele has been cool to us. She has said some wonderful things (about the show). She let us use all of her songs. I love her. We’re on the same label. So, if ever she would want to come on, I would do an entire season about Adele.

We’ve never really told a story of young girls in our society, body images and weight preconceptions and the pressures of those. So, when we were writing the Marley character (Melissa Benoist), we decided that was going to be her big arc this season. We see how tormented her mother has become. We really get into some heavy stuff with Marley where we talk about bulimia and anorexia. We’ve just started on that.

We’ve gotten so much feedback from young girls saying thank you for talking about that story. The best of “Glee” has always been about giving kids information, options and choices.

Melissa Benoist: That’s something I’ve experienced. It’s been a struggle so far but it’s rewarding to dig into those moments.

Chord Overstreet

We’re enjoying the new kids. It’s kind of rejuvenating. It gives everybody a boost. When you bring somebody who has something to prove, it makes everybody compete at a higher level. The New York stuff is entertaining with Kate Hudson and this new guy Dean stealing all these girls’ hearts.

FROM left: Harry Shum Jr., Chris Colfer and new “Glee” hunk, Dean Geyer

Amber Riley

A defining moment for me was singing Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” because that’s when I made the decision that I wanted to be a role model for young girls.

PHOTOS BY RUBEN NEPALES
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