Darren Criss Says He Hopes His Openly Gay Character Blaine On Glee Will Inspire Youth Struggling With Sexuality

Darren Criss, the actor recently cast to appear on Glee as Kurt Hummel’s potential first boyfriend, tells Entertainment Weekly exclusively that the two will meet in an episode scheduled to air November 9th, when Kurt, played by Chris Colfer, frustrated with life at McKinley High, considers a transfer to Dalton Academy, when Criss’s character Blaine is a student. “I think Blaine’s most important role is ... as a mentor to Kurt,” says Criss, who recently appeared on Eastwick as the brother of the character played by Matt Dallas. “At this point, Kurt’s (sexuality) have been such a sense of discord in his life. Blaine fines (being gay) empowering. He embraces who he is, and sees Kurt (struggling with) the same things he had to deal with, and I think he wants to impart that knowledge.” Criss added that he hopes his character will serve as a role model for gay youth, saying “It’s great to see a strong character like this on a hit show that so many people are watching. I can’t think of any gay characters on TV that are this young and sure of themselves. I hope all the kids struggling with this issue can look to a guy like Blaine and feel (inspired) by his confidence.”