Amid reports that Naya Rivera will not be appearing in the season finale of “Glee,” numerous outlets published speculative gossip claiming the actress had been fired from FOX’s long-running musical comedy.
Rivera’s camp is officially repudiating those reports.
“Any reports or rumors circulating that Naya Rivera was let go or fired from Glee are absolutely untrue. End of story,” says Rivera’s representative in a statement issued to media like EW.
A statement issued to E! not only reiterates she was not fired but downplays any connection between her alleged heat with Lea Michele and absence from the season finale.
Speculation regarding Rivera’s status on the show began earlier this month when a TMZ report alleged workplace tension between the actress and “Glee” lead Lea Michele. One set of TMZ’s sources claimed that Rivera, amid the drama, “got tossed off the set” and was fired by the show’s producers.
Once reports broke that Rivera, despite reports to the contrary, would not be appearing in the season finale, several gossip bloggers felt confident running with the story that she was fired and dropped from plans for season six.
It was a safe move. That Rivera is not appearing in the season five finale suggests something might have gone down, and if she ever did appear in season six, they could simply claim the two sides hashed out their differences.
But, if Rivera’s camp is to be believed, there is absolutely nothing factual about that suggestion. According to that team, any absence from future episodes is not the result of a firing.