Friends and colleagues have expressed shock at the death of Glee star Cory Monteith, who they said seemed fine in recent weeks. The 31-year-old actor was found dead at Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver just after noon on Saturday.
Adam Shankman, a director on Glee, told CNN "I had several interactions with him yesterday where he said that he was doing amazing. He even said 'I am feeling fantastic'. I'm like everybody else, really devastated and confused by what happened."
The Canadian actor had been dead for several hours when his body was discovered after he failed to check out of his hotel. There were no signs of foul play and the cause of his death was not clear, British Columbia Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said.
A post-mortem examination is expected to take place later today. Monteith's representatives issued a statement saying: "We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss."
The actor had talked openly about struggles with drugs, and in April he voluntarily entered rehab for substance addiction. He had also been treated in a rehab clinic when he was 19.
Asked whether Monteith had died of a drug overdose, Vancouver Police Department Acting Chief Doug LePard said he would "not discuss anything that we might have found in the room at this time".
The actor told Parade magazine in 2011 that was "lucky to be alive" as he had a serious drug problem during his teenage years.
Other people were in Monteith's hotel room on Friday night but evidence, including fob key entries, showed he returned to his room by himself early on Saturday and was alone when he died, police said.
Mr. LePard said the people who were out with Monteith before he died are being interviewed.
Monteith began his career in a number of small TV and film roles, but the hit musical show Glee was his breakthrough. His character's on-again-off-again romance with Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele, was a big part of the show.
Monteith and Michele followed in the footsteps of their Glee characters by dating in real life. They appeared publicly together as recently as last month at a charity ball.
Cory & Lea Michele at a hockey game
Michele has asked for privacy after receiving the news of her boyfriend's death. "We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea's privacy during this devastating time," said her representative, Molly Kawachi.
When Monteith entered rehab in April, Michele told People magazine she loved and supported him and was proud he was seeking help.
His cousin Richard Monteith cried at a makeshift memorial outside the hotel where the actor died, while stars, co-workers and fans have been expressing their sadness on Twitter.
Cory Monteith, may your spirit be at peace, and may you fly with the angels... Heartbreaking, my prayers are with all of his loved ones!
— Rihanna (@rihanna) July 14, 2013
R.I.P Cory Monteith, I'll miss youu http://t.co/UfuT0A4Fy4
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashearn) July 15, 2013
Monteith was an avid supporter of Project Limelight, a Vancouver charity that offers a theatre and arts programmes to at-risk youth.
He dined with Project Limelight co-founder Maureen Webb at a Vancouver restaurant just days before his death. In an interview last year, Monteith credited Ms. Webb for suggesting that he enrol in acting classes when he was struggling at 19.
He kept in touch with Ms Webb and made a video to support Project Limelight when the charity was launched last year.
Cory & his Glee castmates
"I think kids really need a place to go and feel like they belong," Monteith said in the video posted on Project Limelight's website. "When I was a kid, I struggled a lot with who I was and where my life was going and what I was interested in. And I was fortunate to have the arts inspire me."
Various tributes to him have also surfaced online, like the one below:
