Darren Criss has played queer roles over the years and is now explaining why he says he’s “culturally gay.”
One of the actor’s most remembered roles is Blaine Anderson from Glee, and during an appearance at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, he was asked about the impact of his character and the on-screen relationship with Chris Colfer’s Kurt.
“F***ing awesome,” Criss said about portraying the gay character. “It was a narrative that I cared deeply about.”
Criss identifies as a straight, cisgender male and attributes his understanding of the LGBTQ+ community to his upbringing in San Francisco, California.
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“I have been so culturally queer my whole life,” he said. “Not because I’m trying, you know, actually, I was gonna say, not because I’m trying to be cool, but I’m gonna erase that, because I am trying to be cool. The things in my life that I have tried to emulate, learn from, and be inspired by are 100 percent queer as f***.”
Criss continued, “It was in queer communities that I’ve found people that I idolize, that I want to learn something from. And I’d say that’s a gross generalization, that’s a lot of things and a lot of people. But I grew up in San Francisco in the ’90s. I watched men die. There was an awareness of the gay experience that was not a foreign concept to me. So, it was a narrative that I cared deeply about.”
The actor portrayed Blaine in the series Glee for six seasons and went on to play other gay characters, like Andrew Cunanan, in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. He also played the titular role in the Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
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That’s odd. It’s like calling yourself “Culturally Black” & you’re white. I get what he’s saying but at the end of the day he has straight privilege. I can appreciate anybody who is openly an ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
Darren is a great guy. I completely understand what he is saying. I have several straight guy friends who gravitate toward gay male friendships. They are always incorrectly labeled as gay by gay men. Some of the hater comments on here show the small mindedness of people. We need to embrace gay allies, not push them away with skepticism and stereotypes.
I appreciate his embracing us and being such a strong advocate. I also get tired of people who think he’s gay just because of all the roles he’s played. I’m gay and I’ve only played straight roles onscreen. Are we only supposed to stay in our own lines in film and tv ? It’s called acting for a reason.It goes both ways, no pun intended. We cannot say it’s okay for me to play straight roles and not for them to play gay roles. The best actor gets the role, or that’s how it should be. Though yes, it sometimes doesn’t work out that way. But still….
Hahahahaha oh my god
I’m gay and rolling my eyes.