At the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, the straight actor opened up about why he’s drawn to portraying gay characters, citing his deep connection to queer culture. He reflected on his breakout role as Blaine Anderson on “Glee,” praising the show for its groundbreaking portrayal of LGBTQ relationships.
He admitted to feeling culturally queer throughout his life, influenced by the queer community and its values. Growing up in San Francisco in the ’90s, he witnessed the struggles and experiences of gay men, shaping his understanding and empathy for the LGBTQ narrative.
While he’s received acclaim for his portrayals of queer characters, he pledged in 2018 to step back from taking on such roles, recognizing the importance of representation and the need to ensure LGBTQ actors have opportunities to authentically portray their own stories.
Despite this, he’s grateful for the chance to have represented queer people on screen and stage, including his Emmy-winning performance as Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” and his role as Hedwig in the musical “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.”
