Naya Rivera Will Appear Posthumously As A Guest Judge On Netflix’s ‘Sugar Rush’

Published on July 31, 2020.

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Naya Rivera’s final TV appearance is set to air on Friday, following her tragic passing earlier in July.

Rivera had filmed as a guest judge on Netflix’s hit series Sugar Rush, and her episode is set to hit the platform this coming Friday.

The 33-year-old appears as a guest judge alongside Hunter March, Candace Nelson, and Adriano Zumbo in an episode that was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has been confirmed that the episode will be dedicated to the actress.

The former Glee actress passed away after she drowned during a boating trip on Lake Piru with her 4-year-old son Josey Dorsey. After the pair did not return their boat rental, staff found the pontoon boat drifting with just the little boy on board. He told them that he and his mother had been swimming and while he got back in the boat, his mother did not. Josey was wearing his life jacket, but Rivera’s was still on the boat.

After a search of five days, Rivera’s body was discovered in the lake.

Her passing was later confirmed as drowning and she was laid to rest on July 24.

Rivera’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, with whom she shared Josey, shared a heartbreaking tribute to the late actress on Saturday.

“This is so unfair…there’s not enough words to express the hole left in everyone’s hearts,” Dorsey wrote on Instagram and Twitter, sharing a photo of Rivera and Josey. “I can’t believe this is life now. I don’t know if I’ll ever believe it. You were just here… We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before. Life just isn’t fair.”

“I don’t know what to say… I’m thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for,” he continued.
“I remember sometimes you used to get annoyed at me: ‘Ryan can you stop snap chatting!’ Haha. I’m glad I didn’t listen to you because I have hundreds and probably thousands of snaps and videos that Josey will have forever and know his momma loved him more than life, and how much fun we had together as he was growing up.”

“Life is all about good times and bad times but with Josey it makes the bad a little less so because a part of you will always be with us. He’ll never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep.”

“To everyone that reached out and I haven’t had a chance to or just didn’t get back to you…thank you all for the overwhelming love and support you’ve sent our way. I’ll just say in closing, be kind to yourself, be kind to others, forgive…forget…don’t hold grudges….if you have nothing nice to say maybe try not to say anything,” Dorsey, who was married to Rivera from 2014 to 2018, concluded.

“There’s peace in silence. Time on Earth is precious and you just never know….you never know what could happen. Hold your loved ones close, and cherish the times you have with those you care about.”