The "Glee" Season 3 finale (Tuesday, May 22 on Fox) will be emotional, according to the cast. As senior year comes to a close, many members of McKinley High's New Directions prepare to move on and the changes are hitting the cast.
"There's a lot of tears on set, randomly," Harry Shum Jr. told ET Online on the red carpet for the "Glee" panel at the Television Academy In North Hollywood. Lea Michele, who plays graduating senior Rachel Berry, told the audience she "definitely collapsed on to the ground the other day."
On this week's episode, Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Rachel got their shot to audition before NYADA's grand dame (played by Whoopi Goldberg), and while Kurt impressed the harsh critic, Rachel choked. However, as the season comes to a close, Rachel isn't giving up. Choking is a fear Michele knows all too well, the actress revealed at the panel.
"Every night on the 'Glee' tour when I'd sing 'Don't Rain on My Parade,' I used to call [exec producer] Dante Di Loreto and say, 'I'm going to mess up one night, I know it and I'm so scared to have that happen,'" she said. "To have that happen to her in such an important moment was so sad, which is why that scene came so easy to me -- because it was actual nerves and something that I truly felt fearful about for her and for myself as a performer."
Emotions are running high as the seniors learn their fate, but the last act of the finale script hasn't been delivered yet. What the stars do promise is closure (sort of).
"Each one of them has a little special part of the episode devoted to them," Jane Lynch said in an interview with ET Online, which you can watch below. "It's really fun and it's a beautiful script."
By the season finale, viewers will have a much clearer idea where each character will be -- or won't be -- in Season 4, according to Cory Monteith. "There's a lot of cliffhangers, but it explains a lot too."
Michele echoed his statements. "It definitely does wrap everything up really nicely and let you know where everybody is going to be heading off to, but it does leave a lot open because a lot of people will be back next year," she said. "It leaves their storylines open to go to lots of different places for next season."
Jenna Ushkowtiz added, "It's probably going to be some sort of a different show."
"Glee" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Check out photos from upcoming episodes of "Glee" below:
