Darren Criss Explains Why He Will No Longer Play Gay Characters (original) (raw)

"I want to make sure I won't be another straight boy taking a gay man's role," Criss says

Photo: Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

Darren Criss is making a change to his acting portfolio.

The Emmy-winning actor is perhaps best known for playing gay characters, including Blaine Anderson in Glee, Andrew Cunanan in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace and the titular role of Hedwig in the Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

But as a straight man, he says he no longer wants to take potential roles away from actors who actually identify as gay.

“There are certain [queer] roles that I’ll see that are just wonderful,” Criss told Bustle. “But I want to make sure I won’t be another straight boy taking a gay man’s role.”

Although Criss, 31, said playing those roles has “been a real joy,” he doesn’t feel comfortable doing it anymore, which he says is “unfortunate.”

“The reason I say that is because getting to play those characters is inherently a wonderful dramatic experience,” he said. “It has made for very, very compelling and interesting people.”

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Criss recently told PEOPLE he was “humbled” by his recent Golden Globe nomination for playing Cunanan.

“Actors are really only as good as the parts they’re given and the moments they are granted,” he said. “Wiser hands are playing a big part in what you get to do. This was such an outrageously giving opportunity to me and I’m so indebted to everybody who had faith in me to do this. It means a great deal to me.”