'Glee Project' Final Shocks Audience and Contestants
Everyone was a winner during Sunday night’s Glee Project competition.
Ryan Murphy, judge and executive producer of the Glee Project surprised the audience when after crowning Samuel Larsen, 19, the winner suddenly added that there would be a second crown awarded to Damian McGinty, 18.
Both contestants will receive an equal value award- a seven-episode arc on the musical comedy-drama television series, “Glee.”
Larsen told Entertainment Weekly: “The best way to describe [winning] is I basically forgot how to function as a human being. It felt like I was floating or something. I was flipping out! It felt like I couldn’t do anything.”
Meanwhile, when Murphy turned to McGinty and told him he was also the winner, McGinty was in state of shock by the surprise that he just “hit the roof.” He added, “I nearly hit my head on the piano when I was celebrating! The most important moment of my life and I nearly killed myself. It was such an amazing moment.”
Moments later after the surprise, Murphy also announced to the stunned crowd that the runner-ups, Lindsay Pearce, 20, and Alex Newell, 18, would receive a two-episode arc spot in the Glee cast as well.
The winner of the show, which can only be presumed to be Larsen but is not confirmed, will play a character as Sue Sylvester's adversary. In May, “Glee” casting director Robert Ulrich told The Hollywood Reporter that all original 12 contestants would most likely appear on the show.
“I do think that all 12 of these kids could not only be on Glee but they will go on to do other things,” Ulrich told THR. “We will see them all around whether it be in music or in acting, stage or film and theater. I’m hoping that we see more than just the winner on Glee.”
The third season of the musical series will premiere September 20, 2011.