Now that Ryan Murphy has lifted the guest star moratorium on "Glee" Season 3, celebs have been signing up like crazy. Helen Mirren is providing a voiceover, Gloria Estefan is playing Santana's mom, Ricky Martin is playing a Spanish teacher and Nene Leakes is playing the new synchronized swimming coach.
We caught up with a few "Glee" cast members to hear their thoughts on this season's latest guest stars.
Lea Michele says that although she's a "Real Housewives of Atlanta" fanatic, she didn't get to work with Leakes. "I adore Nene," she confesses. "I'm so happy she's going to be on our show."
Martin, on the other hand, Michele has known since they were both on Broadway together in "Les Miserables" in 1996. "Ricky Martin is like the closest thing to an angel that exists on this Earth," she says. "He's the nicest person. You'd think he'd been on our show forever because he's such a fit. It just feels like, 'Oh yeah, he was here last week.'"
Cory Monteith was equally impressed with the "Livin' la Vida Loca" singer. "He's the real deal. He was famous when I was like 6, you know what I mean? So he's been doing it forever and we were so lucky to have him on the show."
Storyline-wise, Michele reveals that Martin's character will go head-to-head with Matthew Morrison's Mr. Schuester. "Their storyline is hilarious. Oh my god, his character talks Spanish to Will and Will's like [makes questioning face].'"
Newbie Damian McGinty, who won "The Glee Project" last summer, almost gave away a key plot point of Martin's episode, but stopped himself before spilling the beans. "All the guys sing -- [pauses] -- I was going to give it away! Wow. All the guys are singing a Spanish song."
As for Estefan, Monteith played coy and wouldn't confirm that the singer is actually joining the cast for an episode. "What, is she coming? I don't know," he says with a smile.
Future guest star opportunities could come in the form of Rachel's two gay dads, who have been referenced multiple times on the show but never seen (other than in photograph form in the pilot).
"I always would say before, 'I don't know, I don't think so' but I think now it's a definite possibility [that they'll be introduced]," Michele reveals. "Ryan and I were brainstorming some names the other day. I'm excited being a part of the concept with him. I've had a couple of people I thought would be great initially, and now brainstorming with Ryan I'm like 'Oh, WHOA! Really?' I did suggest that maybe Kanye West could be one of my dads, but I think he said he's unavailable."
