Helen Mirren, who most notably received an Oscar for her performance in the 2006 film The Queen, is confirmed to guest star on Glee. According to Michael Ausiello of TVline.com, Mirren (or at least her voice!) will make an appearance in the first episode back from the hiatus as a character’s conscience. An unnamed source revealed:

“Helen came in and secretly recorded several long and hilarious monologues two weeks ago,” says the source. “Then she visited the kids on set, and they had no idea she was coming; they were stunned.”

Like many of the other roles on Glee including Lea Michele‘s Rachel Berry, this role was specifically “was written for Mirren.” There is no word yet on which character Mirren’s voice will play inner monologues to, but personally I think it could be Ms. Emma Pillsbury. The episode is Wemma-centered with the episode titled “Yes/No.” Also, I believe Ms. Pillsbury is one of the only characters who has yet to have an inner monologue. Who do you think her voice will guide? Sound off in the comments below!

Source: Glee Exclusive: Oscar Winner Helen Mirren Set to Guest Star as [Spoiler Alert]

Here’s a lesson on being cool, Gleeks, from McKinley’s hippest guidance counsellor…

Source: GLEE -- A moment of Glee: Jayma Mays… on Being Cool

The last time we saw Emma Pillsbury she was sobbing and praying while Will promised (in song, of course) that he would help her overcome her OCD once and for all. Easier said than done, considering that it took Emma the greater part of two seasons to start therapy for her issues. With hints at the end of “Asian F” that she’s returned to her old destructive ways, TVLine interviewed Jayma Mays and asked her if Will had what it takes to fix her.

“Oh, that’s a very deep question… I… I don’t know that anybody can fix anybody, but I do feel that if I’m going to be sentimental about it, there are elements to both Emma and Will that bring out the best in each other, and that’s what good about well-written couples. I definitely think that Will has the ability to do that for Emma.”

Sounds like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for these two. And, in cheerier news, Jayma confirmed that she will be performing a duet with Matthew Morrison on an original song written by music producer Adam Anders for the show’s second Christmas album, which will be released November 15. Just one more reason for us to put it on our Christmas lists.

Source: Glee’s Jayma Mays Previews Emma’s Season 3 Storylines

Glee has teamed up with The Young Storytellers Foundation to continue spreading its message of arts education. Many of the core cast members including Cory Monteith, Kevin McHale, and Harry Shum Jr. will all participate in YSF’s annual event “The Biggest Show.”

YSF is a program that promotes the growth of free expression and literacy in unprivileged schools throughout the Los Angeles area. Since its establishment in 1997, professionals in the entertainment industry have all come together to mentor students in the arts through the act of screenwriting. Many of these mentors, including Glee‘s very own Brad Falchuk who happens to be a member of YSF’s board of directors, are either producers, screenwriters, or actors.

During this year’s “The Biggest Show,” members from the cast of Glee will perform screenplays written by students in the program. The event enables students the opportunity to see their hard work come to life.

Cory Monteith and Harry Shum Jr. revealed through their respective Twitter accounts that they were excited for the event, both tweeting:

Can’t wait to act in plays by 5th graders from @BFalchuk ‘s charity at @youngstory ‘s Biggest Show on 10/15! For tix: http://tinyurl.com/3lrvmsn

Other Glee cast members scheduled to perform are: Dot Marie Jones, Jayma Mays, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Naya Rivera. Other notable attendees are: Raven Symone (That’s So Raven), Kay Panabaker (Fame), Nicholas Braun (Prom), Trevor Donovan (90210), and Devon Bostick (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

“The Biggest Show” will be held on October 15, 2011 at 6:00pm in Santa Monica, California. Individual tickets can be bought at EventBrite.com

Source: The Biggest Show 2011

First Mike Chang, now Emma. It seems to be a parent parade over at Glee this season, with the announcement that the Changs are not the only family members that will be making an appearance. Don Most and Valerie Mahaffey have been cast as Rose and Rusty Pillsbury, parents of our favourite, quirky, guidance counselor, Emma Pillsbury.

Many of you may recognise Mahaffey from her stint on ABC’s Desperate Housewives where she played Orson’s estranged wife, Alma and any Happy Days fans will no doubt remember Most for his role as practical joker, Ralph Malph.

Hopefully these new parental casting revelations are just the first of many to come.

The real question now is, what brings the Pillsburys to town? Any guesses?

Source: Glee Exclusive: Meet Emma’s Parents

Over the course of 2 Seasons of Glee, we’ve seen and heard our New Directions belt out show tunes from various beloved Broadway musicals such as Wicked and Rent. Now in Season 3, we finally get to see them partake in one.

According to an interview with the The Hollywood Reporter at Fox‘s Eco Casino Party, Lea Michele revealed that McKinley High is producing a musical that the members of New Directions will be auditioning for. When asked what musical they were producing, she would not give any specifics, but Michele revealed:

[It's a] classic Broadway musical with one female lead and one male lead.

With that being said, drama is sure to ensue as the members of New Directions fight for the leads. In regards to Rachel Berry’s main objective, Michele revealed:

[Rachel is] vying for the lead in the school musical and she has a little competition with Mercedes (Amber Riley).

Not only is competition for the female lead stiff, the competition for the male lead is just as tough, if not more. Chris Colfer‘s Kurt, Cory Monteith‘s Finn, and Darren Criss‘ Blaine are all in the running for the top honor. Yes, you read that right! Blaine is auditioning for the musical! That means Blaine will eventually make the transfer over from Dalton Academy to McKinley High in Season 3.

One person notably missing from the competition for male lead is Kevin McHale‘s Artie. Instead of participating as an actor, Artie has been credited as co-producer of the musical alongside Dot Marie Jones‘ Coach Beiste and Jayma Mays‘ Ms. Pillsbury. The trio will be holding auditions and call backs to see who they’ll cast.

Glee yet again continues its streak of arts education by informing the viewers of the hardships that accompany an entertainment production. Some of the issues sure to arise during this new story arc is the heartbreak of not getting a part and the discrimination of typecasting. Colfer reveals that typecasting might have an influence on the casting decision. In regards to Kurt’s reaction to the situation, Colfer said:

It’s a really interesting learning process that he goes through, learning that people can’t see him as anything but him.

Will typecasting play a role in the outcome? Who do you think the trio will award the lead female and male roles? What musical do you want them to produce? Sound off below!

Source: ‘Glee’ Season 3: The Battle for the School Musical Begins

AfterElton.com has interviewed plenty of actors on Glee since the show’s inception, including Mike O’Malley, Darren Criss and Mark Salling, but they had never interviewed the ladies until now. While at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour, writer Michael Jensen caught up with Heather Morris, Jayma Mays, and Jenna Ushkowitz to discuss what would happen in Season 3 with each of their characters.

She also discussed the infamous Fondue for Two skits that appeared in the Rumours episode. Heather said:

“I loved Fondue for Two. So that would be fun to watch. I love doing that. It’s the best time for me to be able to just go off.”

And who would Britney’s dream Fondue For Two guest be?

“Maybe like the school mascot or something. That would be funny.”

After chatting with Heather, Michael stroke up a conversation with Jenna Ushkowitz, who plays Tina Cohen-Chang. While Jenna doesn’t know much about what will happen with her character in Season 3, she did say she has on song in particular she would love to sing, saying:

“Amber and I would love to sing ‘Set Fire to the Rain’ together. We love Adele.”

Finally, Michael spoke to Jayma Mays, who portrays Emma Pillsbury.  When asked what will happen with the OCD-ridden school guidance counselor in Season 3, Jayma said:

“Well she actually admitted that she had an issue with OCD and she was a germaphobe, and she actually sought out help for that and she’s already taking medicine. I’m not an expert on this in any way, but from what research I’ve done, I know sometimes medicine helps people and sometimes it doesn’t. So for me I’m just really interested to see where they decide to take that storyline. And how much that helps her and how that’s going to help her relationship develop with Will. Yeah, that’s all really interesting to me. That’s going to be a good arc for the character.”

We already know that Season 3 will focus more on the characters and their storylines this season, so what are you wanting to see in terms of Brittany, Tina, and Emma’s story?

Source: Talking Glee With Heather Morris, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Jayma Mays – After Elton

Starry Constellation Magazine got the chance to interview Glee‘s Jayma Mays yet again, and they had a lot to chat about! Jayma spilled on what she thought of how they approached such a touchy topic as religion in the upcoming episode “Grilled Cheesus,” who she loves working with and even her favorite pamphlets in Emma’s office! We included an excerpt of the interview where she talks about the future of Wemma (Will + Emma), but make sure to check out the full interview on StarryMag.com for a whole lot more.

Q. There are so many fans of the characters Will and Emma as a couple, where do you see the longevity of their relationship?

A. That’s a very good question and a question that I don’t really know how to answer just yet. I really feel like the character Dr. Carl Howell, which is the hardest name in the world to say and I always have to say it very slowly, I do feel like he is helping Emma in a way. He is a very spontaneous character, a very lively character, and a character that clearly has no issues with OCD or is not afraid of germs. I do think he’s going to push her a bit get over some of those fears that she has, where I see them at is a good thing. Now I also know Emma still has a heart for Will, and will always have a heart for Will, but perhaps it’s just that the timing is really off. I don’t know how to answer the longevity thing. I think for right now it makes sense that they are together.

Q. You mentioned the changes and spontaneity that Dr. Carl Howell is helping Emma with, do think she’s ready to adapt to this?

A. Yeah well see what’s so great about the way they write for Emma is that things happen slowly for her, like progressively, slowly but surely. I do think for her I love seeing this arc, I love seeing this change, and I like the fact that it’s taking time. I think we know that Emma wants to get better and be okay with germs and to feel like she can have things out of order a little bit. I think naturally it makes sense that it takes some time for that to happen and for that to evolve. I appreciate that they are kind of taking their time with that but pushing it as well.

Q. A lot of people want to see Will and Emma together, with all the drama that occurred last season, it’s easy to see why there may need to be a short separation for the two.

A. Yeah, I think so, and I think that’s good for Will and Emma. Clearly you want to see those two characters together, I think that you can tell that they are very suited for each other the way that they are written. Because of the drama in the first season and because of his wife and then the separation and the baby and find out it was a fake baby and all of this stuff, Matt’s character Will Schuester is going through a lot as well. I actually appreciate the fact that they kind of are allowing us to just be friends for a while, but you can tell that they still have a connection, but I think in any relationship when you go through all of that you need a little time before you jump in head first. I think that they way that they are writing this out is probably really good and really clever and you gotta keep them apart because if they’re together than what are we going to root for? These writers are good and they know what they’re doing and I trust them and I’m happy.

Read the rest of the interview: Jayma Mays – Starry Constellation Magazine

The new season of Glee brings a new love interest for Jayma Mays’ character, Emma. Played by her childhood crush, Uncle Jesse, John Stamos joins the cast as Dr. Carl Howell, Emma’s dentist and gives Will a reason to fight a little harder for Emma. In an interview Jayma talks Smurfs and Emma’s relationship with Dr. Howell.

“I want boys to fight over me, what girl doesn’t?”

“I totally had a crush on him [when I was younger]. Totally. Like, for sure. And I think he’s an amazing actor. I think he’s a perfect addition to the cast – he’s got pipes, so it’s great!”

Source: ‘Glee’s Jayma Mays: I Want Boys To Fight Over Emma!

The news has just broke out on a deal involving a potential Glee guest star! Be prepared for a spoiler alert!  John Stamos is in negotiations to play Emma Pillsbury’s dentist boyfriend. According to Michael Ausiello from EW.com, they are nearing a deal, so don’t be surprised to see the former Full House star on our beloved show! The irony lies within Emma Pillsbury’s quote:  “They say it takes certainty more than talent to make a star. I mean, look at John Stamos.” Emma said this quote during an Acafellas scene, in which she tried to cheer Will up due to the Glee members wanting to hire Dakota Stanley.

John Stamos is known for his starring role on Full House as Uncle Jessie and also has some Broadway credits under his belt. If the negotiations go through, you can definitely bet on a sing-off for our lovely Emma Pillsbury’s hand!

Source:  ‘Glee’ exclusive: John Stamos sinks his teeth into plum part | Ausiello | EW.com

Update: E! Online has confirmed that John Stamos will most definitely be guest starring on Glee next season.

Fox just posted a behind the scenes video of Matthew Morrison and Jayma Mays filming “The Kiss” on their YouTube channel! Enjoy! :)

Update: Here’s a video of Jayma Mays at the event from Good Day NY.

Please see the below media alert with event details below:

Dunkin’ Donuts Brings Holiday Glee to New York City on December 10:

Celebrity Performance and Unveiling of Giant Surprise Gift at Herald Square

Public performance by FOX Television’s Glee star Jayma Mays

Dunkin’ Donuts to donate $10,000 to Volunteers of America-Greater New York

WHAT: “New York Runs on Dunkin’” Holiday Event

• Unveiling of Giant Gift to New Yorkers: What’s in that giant gift box that has been sitting in Herald Square??  Dunkin’ Donuts challenges New Yorkers to “think inside the box” and guess what lies within the 12′ x 12′ wrapped gift box that will be on display from December 9th until the unveiling on the 10th.  HINT: Santa Claus himself and the Dunkin’ holiday elves will be distributing gifts to everyone at the event and throughout the day!

• Holiday Performance from FOX Television’s Glee star Jayma Mays: Glee star Jayma Mays, who portrays teacher Emma Pillsbury on the hit TV show, will kickoff the event with a special performance of the holiday classic “Let it Snow.”

(more…)

There have been quite a few interviews with some members of the Glee cast on the online magazine, Starry Constellation Mag. You can find them here:

Chris Colfer (Kurt)
Kevin McHale (Artie)
Jayma Mays (Emma)
Mark Salling (Puck)
Naya Rivera (Santana)

They’re really worth checking out, but be warned that there may be some spoilers. ;)

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Also, Jenna Ushkowitz’s answers to the questions we submitted to her from you fans will be posted tomorrow, so check back soon! In the post, she’ll answer questions about musical theater in her life, living in NYC while working in LA, the music of Glee and even some on the character of “Tina C.”