'Glee' Season 6 Cast, Spoilers & Air Date: Matthew Morrison Still Mourns Death of Cory Monteith, His Closest Friend

The shooting of "Glee" Season Six is underway and while the nostalgia is at an all-time high for the reuniting of fan favorites, there is also a lingering, bittersweet feeling to the show's finale without the presence of Cory Monteith, who played Finn -- the on-screen/off-screen love interest of Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele.

On July 13, 2013 Monteith tragically died at the young age of 31 from an accidental drug and alcohol overdose. He was found dead in his hotel in Vancouver, leaving his family, friends and "Glee" co-stars and fans mourning his loss.

While it's been a year, the cast of "Glee" has never quite been the same, but the tragedy has brought them all closer, according to Matthew Morrison, who plays "Glee" club director and teacher, William Shuster, also known as "Mr. Shue."

"It's been up and down, we've had our highs and our lows," Morrison told HollywoodLife.com at Los Angeles Confidential's Hamilton Behind The Camera Awards in L.A. on Nov. 9. "The passing of Cory was a hard thing on all of us, but I think it's really brought us all closer. I will look back on this time as very fond memory."

While Monteith's memory lives on, Morrison, who just got hitched and is also returning to Broadway in Harvey Weinstein's "Finding Neverland," has leaned on other cast members to cope with the loss. He has also strengthened his longtime friendships with fellow "Glee" cast members.

"Cory and I were definitely the tightest," he said. "Since he's passed, I've really gotten really close with Chord [Overstreet] and so that's been really fun. Lea [Michele] and I have known each other forever and Jenna [Ushkowitz] and I have known each other forever ... I've experienced some friendships that I will always have. Our camera operator is one of my great friends, it's our family we have spent the past seven years with them. I have nothing but high regards and praise for those people."

"Glee" Season 6, which also stars Naya Rivera, Dianna Agron, Matthew Morrison, Jane Lynch and Chord Overstreet, among others, will debut in early 2015.