It's been almost three years since Cory Monteith died of a mixed drug toxicity, but for Lea Michele, Monteith's former girlfriend and "Glee" co-star, his memory remains very much alive.
Michele debuted a new tattoo on social media on Monday of the number 5, the same number Monteith's character, Finn Hudson, wore on his football jersey throughout the musical comedy's six-season run. The two began dating while filming "Glee" in 2011 and remained together up until his death in 2013.
"And one more.. for my quarterback.. ," she captioned the black-and-white photo on social media.
Earlier that day, the Broadway actress shared another tattoo with her followers dedicated to her grandma, who, according to her Instagram, died earlier this week. The tattoo of a steaming cup of coffee, honors how "she wasn't your typical grandma," Michele wrote.
"I lost my beautiful grandma this week," she captioned the photo. "She gave me my first cup of coffee when I was 8 years old. She said something inappropriate to every boyfriend I've ever had. She never made pie or knit me a sweater. But she was my grandma and I loved her... More than anything.. I love you Grandma."
You would never know from looking at her, but Michele has accumulated quite a few tattoos over the years. As of 2012, she had 14 tattoos on her body, telling David Letterman on a "Late Show" appearance that she chooses the locations very purposefully.
“I have 14,” she told the former talk show host, “But they’re all so little that you don’t see it. That’s why I’m done, though, because all my secret hidden spots are done. Like, my real estate is over.”
One of these other tattoos is also reportedly dedicated to Monteith. In 2013, Michele stepped out at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards wearing a Calvin Klein cutout dress showcasing the words "If you say so" on her ribcage, which is also the name of a song she wrote for Cory off her debut album, "Louder."
Michele recounted the experience of writing the song with Sia to Elle magazine after Monteith's death, describing the process as incredibly emotional.
"I said [to Furler], 'I feel like I'm starting to just sink in it, and he would never want me to do that," she told the magazine. "I need to remember that you have to live, because you can want to die."
Listen to the track below:
Before You Go
