Cory Monteith struggled with fame.

The 31-year-old actor - who shot to fame on 'Glee' - was found dead in a Vancouver hotel room after taking a deadly mix of alcohol and heroin last weekend, and friends of the tragic star have revealed he found it hard to cope with his success.

A source told People magazine: ''Fame was hard for him. It was something he knew he deserved but something he never quite knew how to handle.

''He was a very gracious guy but his lifestyle was destructive.''

While Cory - who first entered rehab at the age of 19 - spent time in a treatment facility in March after relapsing, those close to him insist he never let his addictions affect his work on 'Glee'.

The insider explained: ''I never saw him come to work late, lose his temper, not know his line or argue with his castmates.

''The cast members make a one hour musical every nine days. You'd have to be superhuman to use drugs with any regularity and get the work done.''