Cory Monteith Struggled With Fame Before Death

Cory Monteith Struggled With Fame — Inside ‘Glee’ Actor’s Other Struggle

“Fame was hard for him,” a friend of Cory’s tells PEOPLE. “It was something he knew he deserved but somehow he never quite knew how to handle.”

Cory, 31 at the time of his heartbreaking death, and much of the young cast of Glee reportedly engaged in a lifestyle that comes with being young, rich and famous.

“They worked hard and partied hard,” a Glee source says. “These aren’t high school kids. They are adults who enjoyed the perks of fame.”

Cory Monteith’s Behavior On The Set Of ‘Glee’

Despite his behavior off-set, Cory was reportedly respected for his professionalism on-set.

“I never saw him come to work late, lose his temper, not know his line or argue with crew and castmates,” says another show source.