Naya Rivera, the actress who portrayed the iconic LGBTQ character Santana Lopez in Ryan Murphy’s Glee, has been pronounced dead at 33 after going missing at Lake Piru in California.
Rivera went missing last Wednesday (July 8) after her 4-year-old son was found sleeping alone on a rented pontoon boat. He later told investigators that he and Rivera were swimming, but she never got back on the boat.
After days of searching, Rivera’s body was discovered on Monday (July 13), according to the Ventura County Sheriff. The body will go to the coroner’s office and an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
The news conference has concluded. Sheriff Ayub has confirmed the body recovered at Lake Piru today was Naya Rivera. Our hearts go out to her family, friends and fans during this difficult time. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of her death.
— Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) July 13, 2020
Rivera leaves behind a queer legacy with her role of Santana. In the show, Santana struggled with her sexuality and being in love with her best friend, Brittany. Her character allowed many to feel seen in a way they hadn’t before, especially young women of color.
"In high school, I desperately grasped for anything that could help me understand who I was and what my feelings meant. Santana Lopez gave me something to hold onto, tightly. It is no exaggeration to say Naya Rivera changed my life.” – @whembleysewell https://t.co/Cun3F0N4DX
— GLAAD (@glaad) July 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/harto/status/1283069827007963136
In this beautiful tribute @beccadamante honors Naya Rivera's impact on LGBTQ people.
"Like many other queer women, Rivera’s portrayal of Santana Lopez on Glee fostered my coming out experience and for that, I will forever be indebted to her." https://t.co/rTBr27hFZE
— GLAAD (@glaad) July 14, 2020
Many of the Glee stars gathered at the lake where she was found to mourn the loss of the actress.
#Glee cast members gathered at Lake Piru, where their co-star Naya Rivera was found dead after a swimming accident https://t.co/JYB6i2Fo0H pic.twitter.com/8YdlQtNOPI
— Variety (@Variety) July 14, 2020