[195], In April 2013 she began dating recording artist Big Sean,[196] and the couple announced their engagement in October 2013[196] but split up in April 2014. "[46] Jen Chaney of The Washington Post awarded the sequence an "A+" grade: "Given the emotional stakes raised by Santana's outing, which happened in the scene right before this performance, and the fact that it marked the series's 300th musical performance, this marriage" of the two Adele songs, "Rumour Has It" and "Someone Like You", was "all the more powerful". event, where she performed a cover of the song "Silent Night",[221] and for Pride Month in 2017 she was invited to write for Billboard, composing "Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community", thanking fans for embracing her character and reiterating her active support for the community. "[35] She was ranked first in AfterEllen.com's Top 50 Favorite Female TV Characters. Naya worked hard to give that gift to so many",[71] and California senator Kamala Harris wrote in a tweet that Rivera inspired "countless young LGBTQ+ people to unapologetically be themselves". In one chapter, by Isabel Molina-Guzmán, she is highlighted as the main example of a character that is non-stereotypical but still embodies Latinidad; is listed with Jessica Alba's turn in Dark Angel as a significant character who has main storylines not focused on race; and is noted as racially ambiguous enough, not firmly defined as white or black, to open the door for new Latina narratives. As a mentor, she works with Marley Rose (Melissa Benoist). Because of that, Mercedes asked Santana to sign a contract so that Santana could sing a duet with Mercedes in the latter's album. [124] Rivera subsequently worked on a project with Guillermo Díaz, directing a short film PSA about the effect of immigration on children and their parents. [69] A BBC retrospective in 2020 looked at the impact of Rivera's role as Santana in providing important representation, internationally, for young queer women and the idea of being out in the music industry. "[51] Her publicist from her time on Glee described Rivera as "ahead of her time" in terms of being an advocate, saying that she "really wanted to use her platform and her voice for good, whether it was for anti-bullying, for equal rights, for women of color, she wanted to use this role to help talk about a bigger message". [156] In May 2013, she posed nude in an issue of Allure magazine. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. She remained close with Tahj and his family, particularly his sisters, Tia and Tamera Mowry, for many years, including helping the sisters find an apartment when they got kicked out of their house[186][187][188][189] and appearing on Tia Mowry at Home in 2017. [56] Alicia Ramírez for O, The Oprah Magazine wrote that Santana was "one of the most visible Latinx lesbians on primetime TV". This storyline has been positively received by critics. [175], Rivera notably supported various charities, particularly for the LGBT+ community and immigrants. "[32] Ironically, soon after this pessimistic article, Brad Falchuk, co-creator of Glee, tweeted on January 20, "Brittana is on. ", "EXCLUSIVE: Naya Rivera Talks New Show 'Step Up: High Water, "National Sister Day 2017: Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Siblings", "EXCLUSIVE: Naya Rivera Talks 'Mad Families,' Raising Her Son Josey and Growing Up in a Crazy Family", "Naya Rivera Visited Lake Piru 'for Years' Before Disappearance: It May Have Been a 'Sanctuary for Her, "Naya Rivera Boated Before on Lake Where Police Believe She Drowned", "EXCLUSIVE: We Chat with GLEE's Naya Rivera", "The 13 Biggest Reveals From Naya Rivera's New Book", "Inside Naya Rivera's Incredibly Full Life and the Legacy She Leaves Behind", "Naya Rivera Makes Shocking Confessions in New Memoir 'Sorry Not Sorry, "Why Naya Rivera Says Working on Step Up: High Water Reminds Her of Glee", "ABC Mourning Star of Series That Was Key To Its Lineup", "Naya Rivera's best moments: From 'Glee' to 29-year career highlights", "Naya Rivera: We take a look at The Glee star's career highlights", "Naya Rivera Memorable Roles: From 'Glee' to 'Family Matters' (Photos)", "Glee Rivera entered pole-dancing contest", "Naya Rivera Opened Doors for Many Latinas Like Me", "Obituary: Naya Rivera, child star who later found fame with ground-breaking role in US TV hit, Glee", "Al B. And yet the relationship became such a vital organ of the show that it made for some of the most dramatic, memorable moments. Brittana was always on."[33]. In 2009, Rivera was cast as Santana Lopez, a high school cheerleader, on Fox's musical comedy series Glee, about a high school glee club. ", "Naya Rivera Is Pregnant!

[47] Brian Moyler of Gawker asserted that the number was "perfection" and said, "This is why I watch Glee. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy.

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Will Comedies Like ‘Borat 2,’ ‘On the Rocks’ and More Finally Get Some Academy Love? The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). [182], Discussing Rivera appearing in prominent roles on television, Alicia Ramírez for O, The Oprah Magazine wrote that her casting was impactful from the start, that "her mere existence on the small screen confirmed" that people from her background can be successful, before the representation grew as her character Santana developed: "Not only was she an Afro-Latina actress on primetime network television, but she was also playing one of the most visible Latinx lesbians on primetime TV". Rivera". ", "Emmys 2012: 10 Actors and Actresses Worthy of First-Time Nominations", "Do I think Lea should have been nominated for an Emmy? [40] The series moved to Starz in May 2020, and Rivera was announced to be continuing her role; at the time, the third season was in production, but no timetable for its release was given. Santana also stars in a commercial for Yeast-I-Stat which she is proud of and shares with Rachel. [37] She was also listed in MTV's Best TV Characters of 2011. [2][3][260][261], Fans of Rivera posted messages of support during the time of her disappearance, and tributes after she was found dead. Animation announced that both parts will be released in 2021: the first in summer and the second in fall. Brittany takes matters into her own hands and tries to invite Alma to the wedding, but Alma's prejudice is too strong and she rejects their engagement, and Brittany tells her off for doing so. She was just 33. [24] Santana played a more prominent part in the last nine episodes of Glee's first season. Wall Street Journal writer Raymund Flandez described Rivera's vocals as "electrifying" and "golden". [67], Romero noted that while Santana starts the show as little more than "the feisty Latina trope", Rivera's performance gave her more nuance and the character ultimately confronted others for perpetuating harmful Latino stereotypes in the episode "The Spanish Teacher"; this episode notably included a duet between Rivera and the queer Latino Ricky Martin, something Romero describes as one of the show's more subtle nods to queer representation and "one of Santana's best moments of Latinx pride". [11] She briefly quits the glee club with Brittany and Quinn when Sue demands that they choose between being in glee club and being cheerleaders, but Finn convinces them to reverse their decision, and they quit the Cheerios instead. But her character Santana, who fought against her sexuality during her high school years before finally coming out, will forever be iconic – whether it be for her sassy comebacks, her wit, or her mind-blowing singing voice. [40] Emily VanDerWerff of The A.V. [138] Showrunner Holly Sorensen recalled that Collette was one of the last characters to be cast; Shankman called Rivera as soon as she was discussed for the role and Rivera was immediately enthusiastic. Another boater found her son alone, asleep on the boat. Auditioning actors with no theatrical experience were required to prove they could sing and dance as well as act. Steal Yo' Girl", Guest judge; episode: "Birds of a Feather". [204] In 2017, Big Sean released another diss track about Rivera, "No More Interviews", which In Touch Weekly said "really takes aim at Naya's neck". She also performs "Take On Me" and "Home" with the alumni around the school. [205], Soon after her split from Big Sean, Rivera rekindled her relationship with Ryan Dorsey and they were married in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on July 19, 2014; they did not announce the engagement or wedding until several days later on July 23. [117][118][119] Edgar Chaput of Sound on Sight called Rivera "the standout [and] the most natural performance in the film",[120] and Marsha McCreadie of Film Journal wrote that the film "doesn't pick up steam until late in the story, when Rivera carries the narrative".