How Kevin McHale Learned Lea Michele and Cory Monteith Were Dating IRL

“And then it got picked up,” Kevin remembered, “and it was all over the entertainment sites.”

But while the actor believed he had staged a relationship, in reality the pair—who ended up dating for over a year before Cory’s untimely death in 2013—were already singing a love song when the photo was taken. 

“Then in January was the SAG Awards,” Kevin continued, “and we were at the after-party and Lea sits me down and she’s like, ‘Did you know, we had actually started dating then?'”

Yes, in a Glee-worthy twist, it turns out Lea and Cory’s onscreen love as Rachel and Finn had already made it to real life when the photo was taken.

In the years since Cory’s passing—the anniversary of which the Funny Girl alum often pays tribute to on social media—Lea has tied the knot with Zandy Reich, with whom she shares 2-year-old son Ever. 

And for more on the Glee alum’s IRL love lives, keep reading.