Content Warning: This article mentions suicide and death

The tragic death of Naya Rivera on the 8 July left many devastated. Rivera‘s portrayal of Santana Lopez in Glee served as a cultural icon for teenagers of the 2010s, a legacy that has certainly not been forgotten in the month since her death. With her body found on the anniversary of fellow co-star Cory Monteith’s death seven years prior, messages to the pair from their former castmates flooded the internet in tribute to them. A dialogue around the subject has inevitably arisen: should the death of their co-star Mark Salling, whose suicide in 2018 had profoundly darker undertones, have received similar attention? Is it possible to view these deaths in the same light without being grossly ignorant to the circumstances?

Among fans of the show, there appears to be a divide. Salling’s death is one rich with controversy. Having been charged with the possession of 25,000 images of child pornography after being arrested in 2015, Salling committed suicide mere weeks before his sentencing was scheduled to take place. These circumstances have contributed to the intense dialogue surrounding how people are to grieve him. Whilst any death is tragic, it does mean that victims will not have their day in court. It is important to remember these things when considering the way that Salling is remembered. 

One of the most common responses to grieving Salling appears to be to separate the man from his crime. I find this to be grossly inappropriate to his victims. At no point should his criminality leave the forefront of conversations surrounding him; his victims do not have the opportunity to separate themselves from the consequences of his crime and as a result it would be almost negligent to allow his legacy to be separated. Regardless of his contributions to Glee, Salling’s death does not exonerate him from the wrongdoings of his life. His legacy was solidified from the moment his guilty plea was entered. To claim that his ‘demons’ should not be a part of the narrative is to disregard the pain that he has caused. 

However, his death should not be celebrated. A line must be found between ignorance and inhumanity. We must not glorify Salling, but it must be remembered that he leaves behind a family that did not commit a crime. Acknowledging his death as a tragic event for his family does not equate to acceptance of his behaviour and this is an important distinction to be made in the discussion surrounding Salling. The situation is one fraught with complexity but this does not mean that conversation on the topic should be shied from. He must not be relieved of his criminality in death, but his family must also be respected. 

It is for this reason that it is almost impossible to compare the death of Mark Salling to those of his co-stars Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera in any meaningful way. The nature and circumstances of their deaths are so drastically different. Monteith’s struggle with sobriety was well documented at the time of his death, having recently finished a stint in rehab. His death taps into the similar tragedy surrounding actors like River Phoenix, young people at the peak of their career tragically succumbing to addiction. Rivera’s death was a tragic accident in which a woman was only able to save her son. This distinction is what separates them from the death of Mark Salling. 

Death is always a difficult topic to navigate. The ‘Glee curse’ is no exception. Whilst these deaths are undeniably a series of unfortunate coincidences, to compare the attention brought to them seems almost entirely redundant. Regardless of how one feels about each of the people mentioned, there are people who are inevitably devastated by this situation. The focus now should turn to their surviving castmates, family members and victims; our condolences should be with them as they process their grief.

More from Comment:

‘Super Saturday’: A Case Study of Britain’s Drinking Culture

Why Return to Lockdown in Melbourne Should Serve as a Warning to the UK

Is the Introduction of Compulsory Face Masks Too Little Too Late?