Chris Colfer, who stole our hearts as Kurt Hummel on Glee, recently dished on the wild journey of being one of Hollywood’s few openly gay actors. On the And That’s What You REALLY Missed podcast, Colfer revealed that the role of Kurt was tailor-made for him, but discovering the character was gay left him a bit shaken. “When I finally got the script is when I realized it was the gay character, and I was terrified,” he said.
Small-Town Boy, Big Dreams
Colfer grew up in Clovis, California, where being openly gay was downright dangerous. “Kids would get beat up. On one occasion, someone got stabbed on their way to school. Being out and proud was not an option,” he shared. Despite warnings from all sides, including family members who told him taking the role could “ruin” his life, Chris took the plunge.
Coming Out in Hollywood
“When I started filming the show, I had a lot of people tell me: ‘Do not come out whatever you do because it will ruin your career.’ So I hid for a little bit,” Chris told The View. “But I also told them: ‘I can’t hide it with my voice, I’m more effeminate than most people, I can’t hide it.’ And they said: ‘Don’t worry. As long as you never address it, you’ll be rewarded for it in the end.’”
At just 19, Colfer came out on Chelsea Lately in 2009, making headlines as one of Hollywood’s youngest openly gay actors. “I would get called a faggot at auditions,” he recalled. “People would say, ‘What do you expect? You’re an openly gay actor in Hollywood.’”
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A Rainbow Note Changed Everything
Just before Glee hit the airwaves, a young boy handed Chris a secret note and a rainbow-colored paperclip chain during a poster signing tour. “In that moment, I knew I have to come out,” Chris said. It was a turning point, proving to him that being a role model was more important than anything else.
Embracing the Real Chris
Industry insiders advised Chris to keep his sexuality under wraps to avoid career pitfalls. But Colfer knew better. “I can’t hide it with my voice, I’m more effeminate than most people, I can’t hide it,” he said. Choosing authenticity over everything, he realized, “Being a beacon of positivity and providing that comfort for people is way more important than attention.”
Sparkling Success
Chris’s decision to be true to himself led to incredible success. He snagged a Golden Globe in 2011 and three consecutive People’s Choice Awards for his role on Glee. Colfer is now a bestselling author off-screen, continuing to inspire fans with his realness and talent.
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