Ryan Murphy speaks out after being accused of ‘breaking his promise’ to Naya Rivera’s son
Naya Rivera (L) and Ryan Murphy. (Getty Images)
Ryan Murphy has denied “breaking his promise” of setting up a college fund for Naya Rivera’s son.
Murphy spoke after Naya’s father George Rivera, a retired actor, suggested he had failed to live up to his promise to financially support the late Glee star’s son Josey Hollis after her death last year.
“Everyone needs to know what Ryan Murphy really did,” the 63-year-old wrote. “Or didn’t do! I’m about to blow up this story and make sure [he] knows that I know.”
He added: “When you are part of the Hollywood elite, some people treat others as they are ‘less than’, vocalize a good game, but it’s as shallow as the sets on stage that they create.
“Promises made in public, only to fade with time and excuses… even in [an] unexplainable tragedy.”
Responding to incensed followers, George capped off his cryptic remarks: “Broken Promises… fake outrage… hollow gestures… no phone call.”
Broken Promises….. fake outrage …. hollow gestures ….. no phone call https://t.co/EXIxrFKQht
— G. Rivera (@UserArtists) March 10, 2021
Murphy sought to extinguish backlash in a tweet of his own, where he repeated his pledge to launch the fund.
“Myself, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan have committed to create a college fund for Naya Rivera’s child, Josey, through the Naya Rivera Estate Trust,” he wrote.
“We have been in repeated conversations with the appropriate executors of her estate.”
Myself, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan have committed to create a college fund for Naya Rivera’s child Josey through the Naya Rivera Estate Trust. We have been in repeated conversations with the appropriate executors of her estate.
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) March 10, 2021
Ryan Murphy pledged to create college fund ‘for the beautiful son Naya Rivera loved’
Ryan Murphy originally pledged to start the college fund for Naya Rivera’s son in June 2020, just days after her tragic passing was confirmed.
Rivera, 33, who played the sharp-tongued cheerleader Santana Lopez on Glee, went missing while swimming with her son in the state’s Lake Piru on 8 July, 2020.
Based on testimony from Josey, authorities believe she used the last of her energy to boost him back onto the boat but was unable to save herself.
Glee‘s top three producers – Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan – issued a joint statement shared on 20th Television’s Twitter account in the wake of her death.
“The three of us,” the statement read, “are currently in the process of creating a college fund for the beautiful son Naya loved most of all.”
