‘Glee’ cast talks of new season, how show changed them

Golden Globe winner Chris Colfer, 21, who was born in Clovis, California said, “Oh gosh. It is funny because whenever I think about walking into the first audition of ‘Glee,’ I was completely a different person. Physically, I was about two feet shorter and 20 pounds heavier. God, I had come from such a small town. I was so small town-minded and I knew nothing about music, fashion, the business or anything. Everyday has been quite an education since then.”

“Emotionally, I have much more confidence now and I am not so afraid,” the 21-year-old actor continued. “It is funny because when I first started ‘Glee,’ I was terrified of the camera. I would get so nervous every time they would say action. I would almost be trembling. Sometimes, I will watch an episode of Season One and see myself in the corner just scared of the camera because I know it is on. I know that it is recording me. But now, it comes on and I am just as calm as when I go to sleep at night.”

In fact, Chris, who is also writing and producing his first film, “Struck By Lightning,” noted that it was in “Glee” that he was able to play an openly gay character, to come out, to have that whole experience at the same time as being young and finding his way and doing it all in the public eye.

“It has definitely been the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced,” Chris admitted. “It is also the most overwhelming thing I have ever experienced. I remember when I was growing up in high school. Being gay was the absolute worst thing you could ever possibly be. It was like the bottom of the food chain. Everyone was called gay in a negative sense.

“Although, I remember I was not bullied for being gay. I was bullied because I had a smart mouth. I was home schooled for half of 7th grade and 8th grade because I was bullied so much in school. My parents got tired of me being harassed every day and my locker kept getting broken into and all that. So it definitely hit close to home for me because it was crazy in high school. I never realized when I publicly said at the Golden Globe Awards that I was bullied that it would become such a huge thing. I thought everyone was bullied in high school. But then, a lot of kids put me up on a pedestal for being the poster child of being bullied so I guess a lot of good came out of it.”

Asked how it was working with Fil-Am Darren Criss, Chris said, “Darren is great to work with. I consider him one of my closest friends on set. It is crazy how that relationship between our two characters have just taken off like crazy. I refer to Kurt and Blaine as the modern version of Lucy and Ricky.

“Of course, I am Lucy because I am always the one crying, making a fool of myself. But no, it is great and luckily, Darren takes it just as seriously as anyone. Sometimes, I do not think he gets enough credit for being a straight actor in that role like there is a lot of pressure put on him as well.”

[source]