Chris Colfer: Being Gay Role Model Can Be ‘Overwhelming’

American television actor Chris Colfer has said that being a gay role model can be “overwhelming”.

The actor plays Kurt Hummel on Fox‘s musical comedy series Glee; an openly gay character who is involved in an on/off relationship with Blaine (Darren Criss). Colfer, who is openly gay himself, has spoken about being a role model to young viewers of Glee. Speaking Metro the actor discussed the feedback from fans he’s received. “When I think about the thousands of letters I’ve got from kids saying thank you, I feel very honoured.”

The actor went on to admit that sometimes being a role model can be overwhelming “But, sometimes, the life of a role model can be a little overwhelming – you kind of become the world’s psychiatrist. I try to take it very seriously because there was no one like us to look up to when I was growing up. I get letters from kids who confess their deepest, darkest secrets and I want to help everybody but, practically, I just can’t.”

Last week Colfer won the Best Comedic Actor award at the People’s Choice Awards for his role in Glee. The musical comedy was, this week, nominated in GLAAD’s 24th Annual Media Awards in the comedy category; the series is up against fellow Ryan Murphy creation The New Normal as well as Modern Family, Go On and Happy Endings.

Glee is currently in its fourth season on Fox; it was originally reported that Colfer and several other co-stars would be written out of the comedy at the conclusion of its third season. Producers were planning a spin-off series that would follow Kurt and other characters while a “new generation” of characters were introduced to the parent series. However, the spin-off idea was later abandoned and Colfer remained part of the cast of Glee.

In the UK Glee airs on Sky One who poached the rights to the series from E4 who aired the first two seasons.

[Written by Martha Kirkpatrick, source: Pink News]