According to Deadline, back in February, a few weeks before TV and film production was indefinitely postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Glee alumna filmed a guest-judge appearance on Sugar Rush, a popular baking competition show on Netflix. Sitting alongside host Hunter March and professional chef judges Candace Nelson and Adriano Zumbo, it was the last thing Rivera shot before the shutdown five months ago and her tragic passing.
Following her death, production was faced with a dilemma about what to do with the footage of Rivera. “After careful consideration in consultation with Rivera’s manager Gladys Gonzalez, who has been working closely with the actress’ family following Rivera’s death, a decision was made to move forward and release the episode as planned," according to the report.
The Sugar Rush episode will be “dedicated to Rivera,” and feature an on-screen note honouring the Glee star that will play before the opening credits. Previously, she appeared as a guest judge on the ninth season of VH1’s RuPaul’s Drag Race, and starred in the hit FOX musical-comedy series Glee across its six seasons, pushing boundaries for her role as queer Afro-Latinx teen, Santana Lopez.
Earlier this month, Naya Rivera was reportedly “missing” and presumed dead after her and her son, Josey, 4, went swimming at a lake in Los Angeles, California. Her son was reportedly found asleep wearing a life jacket on the boat. After an extensive search and friends, family and fans praying for her safe return, officials confirmed they had found her body and she had tragically passed.
