American Crime Story actor says he won’t ever play an LGBTQ character again
By Shawn Lealos
Fans know Darren Criss from his roles on Glee and Horror Crime Story and played a gay man in both shows.
However, Criss said in an talk at Clorox’s What Comes Next that his days playing an LGBTQ character are over with. The reason he has chosen to give up these roles is an important one.
Deadline reports that Criss said that he is straight and will never take away an LGBTQ role from a true gay man again.
He said that he enjoyed his time playing these characters but he wants the people who live the part to get the chance to play the roles in the future.
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Darren Criss isn’t the only person to make a comment like this.
When asked, Eric McCormack said that he would not play the role of Will Truman on Will & Grace if the show premiered now rather than 10 years ago when he made his role iconic.
McCormack said the same thing as Criss — he hopes that in these days, it would be an LGBTQ actor given the chance to play the LGBTQ roles.
In Glee, Criss played Blaine Anderson. He debuted in the second season as an openly gay singer in a rival group to the New Directions. He then served as a mentor to another gay character in Kurt, who was portrayed by Chris Colfer, who is also gay in real life.
In the Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Itch, Criss played the lead transgender character of Hedwig.
Finally, in this year’s The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Criss played Andrew Cunanan, a gay man who murdered Gianni Versace. He won an Emmy and will likely also win the Golden Globe award for that role.
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While Darren Criss could find plenty of roles as LGBTQ characters after these fantastic performances, he feels it is more important for people who represent the roles in real life to take on the characters.