Darren Crissbest known for his portrayal of Blaine Anderson in the legendary television series Joyspoke about the profound impact of his character’s relationship with Kurt, played by Chris Colfer, during a recent appearance at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Reflecting on the groundbreaking nature of the relationship depicted JoyCriss described it as “fucking great.” He emphasized the importance of portraying a gay relationship on mainstream television. “It was a story that was very close to my heart,” he added, underscoring the personal resonance of the plot.
Criss identifies as a cisgender heterosexual man who attributed his understanding of the meaning of his character and their relationship to his upbringing in San Francisco, California.
“I’ve been so culturally queer my whole life,” he told the crowd. “Not because I’m trying to – you know, actually what I wanted to say is not because I’m trying to be cool, but I’m going to erase this because I Am trying to be cool. The things in my life that I wanted to emulate, learn from, and be inspired by are 100 percent queer.”
“In queer communities, I have found people that I idolize and want to learn from,” he said. “And I would say that’s a broad generalization, that applies to a lot of things and a lot of people. But I grew up in San Francisco in the 90s. I’ve seen men die. There was an awareness of the gay experience that wasn’t like that.” For me it was a foreign concept. So it was a narrative that was very close to my heart.”
Although Criss did not feel entitled to this role, he recognized the responsibility that came with it. “They hired me… They said, ‘You’re the guy,’ and I said, ‘Okay, I’m the guy, I’ll do my best,'” he explained, emphasizing his commitment to portraying the character authentically.
Criss portrayed Blaine in five years JoyThe six seasons. The character’s journey from Dalton Academy to William McKinley High School resonated with audiences worldwide. The series ended with Blaine and Kurt’s joyous wedding, marking a significant milestone in LGBTQ+ representation on television.
In 2018, Criss announced that after portraying three prominent gay roles, he had decided not to take roles as queer characters in the future.
“There are certain ones [queer] Roles that I think are just wonderful,” he shared hustle and bustle. “But I want to make sure I’m not another straight boy taking on the role of a gay man.”
Reflecting on his previous roles, Criss expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to portray them, but expressed unease about continuing to do so. He described it as “unfortunate” and elaborated: “The reason I say that is because it’s inherently a wonderful dramatic experience to get to play these characters.”
Criss acknowledged the depth and complexity of the characters he portrayed, calling them “very, very compelling and interesting people.”
In December, Criss and his wife Mia Swier announced they are expecting baby No. 2 Joy alum took to Instagram to make the announcement with a funny movie poster.
Criss, 37, announced the event as a sequel, and rightly so. He and Swier are parents to two-year-old daughter Bluesy they welcomed in April 2022. The announcement included the Mamma Mia! here we go again poster, except Criss photoshopped his, Swier’s and Bluesy’s faces over Meryl Streep, Lily James and Amanda Seyfried, the stars of the 2018 sequel.
“And soon,” Criss captioned the post. “Let’s hope the sequel is better than Photoshop.”
Bluesy was born on April 11, 2022.
“M & D made sweet music,” Criss wrote in the birth announcement at the time. “🎶 Bluesy Belle Criss 🎶 04/11/22 💙 Available now. 💙.”
After the birth of his daughter Criss open for ET about fatherhood and how it changed his approach to acting.
“It’s beautiful,” Criss said in June 2022. “Beauty begets beauty.”
He also shared that becoming a father changed the way he approaches his work.
“I think life is always present in the work you do,” he said, noting that fatherhood is “wonderful.”
“So it was there when I was a son, a friend, a brother and a husband,” he explained. “I bring that into everything I do. Of course there is a new element of fatherhood, but I try to give my best in everything I do. Hopefully I’ve improved. I’m at a higher level.”
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