Chris Colfer was warned not to come out as gay when he filmed the first season of Glee.
The actor played Kurt Hummel on the musical comedy series between 2009 and 2015, for which he earned a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Primetime Emmys and a Grammy.
During a recent appearance on The View, Colfer reflected on his Glee experience and his hesitation over playing an openly gay and effeminate character.
“I grew up in a very conservative town where being openly gay was dangerous,” he said. “I remember when I got on [Glee] the role was written for me, and I did not know what the role was gonna be.
“When I read the script for the first time was when I saw that it was an openly gay character and I was terrified.”
Colfer shared that when he filmed the first season of the show, he had “a lot of people” tell him not to come out because “it will ruin” his career: “So I hid for a little bit. 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.’”
Kurt played an instrumental role in all six seasons, with storylines including: coming out to his father and friends; being bullied; his romantic feelings for Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith); and relationship with Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss).
In the years since its release, Kurt and Blaine (as well as Naya Rivera and Heather Morris’ cheerleader duo Santana and Brittany) have been continuously lauded as one of the most iconic LGBTQIA+ couples in television history.
Colfer recalled one specific interaction with a fan that made him realise the impact of his character.
“We went on this big poster signing tour right before the show came out, and this little boy secretly slid me an envelope when his parents weren’t looking and I opened it up and it was a little note that said, ‘Thank you,’” he revealed.
“And there was a little paperclip chain that was the colors of the rainbow, and in that moment I knew I have to come out. At the time, I was thinking, ‘Okay yeah, if I’m an openly gay actor, I may never win a major award. I may never get to play a superhero.’
“But I think being a beacon of positivity and providing that comfort for people is way more important than attention.”
Ultimately, Colfer came out publicly in a 2009 interview with Chelsea Handler.
You can watch his interview on The View below.
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