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Chris Colfer recalls the moment he realized he had to come out as gay after being told he could never speak out about his sexuality

The actor played Kurt Hummel in “Glee” during the six seasons from 2009 to 2015.



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<p>Frazer Harrison/Getty </p>
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Frazer Harrison/Getty

Chris Colfer in 2024

Chris Colfer has no regrets about staying true to himself.

At a performance on The view on Tuesday, 4 June, the Joy A former student talked about his coming out – and the moment that changed everything for him.

Colfer, 34, grew up in the very conservative city of Clovis, California – a place where he says it is “dangerous” to be an openly gay person. When he was cast in Joy When he was asked to play Kurt Hummel, he was told that the role was written for him.

“When I first read the script, I saw that it was an openly gay character and I was terrified,” he told the daytime show.

Related: Jane Lynch says she would ‘definitely’ visit again JoySue Sylvester: It “was a big deal” (Exclusive)



<p>Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images</p>
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Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

Chris Colfer in 2024

When Colfer started filming Joyhe was warned not to come out because he was told it would “ruin” his career. “So I hid for a while, but I also told them, ‘I can’t hide it with my voice – I’m more feminine than most people, I can’t hide it.’ And they said, ‘Don’t worry. As long as you never bring it up, you’ll be rewarded in the end,'” he recalls.

However, a brief but meaningful interaction with a fan during a poster signing tour changed his mind.

“I remember we were on this big poster signing tour right before the show and this little boy secretly slipped me an envelope when his parents weren’t looking,” he recalled. “I opened it and there was a little note saying ‘thank you.’ And there was a little paper clip chain in the colors of the rainbow.”

“At that moment, I knew I had to come out. This is more important,” he added. “At the time, I thought, ‘If I’m an openly gay actor, I may never win a major award, I may never play a superhero, but I think being a beacon of positivity and giving people that comfort is much more important than attention.'”



<p>FOX image collection via Getty</p>
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<p>FOX image collection via Getty</p>
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FOX image collection via Getty

Chris Colfer as Kurt Hummel in Glee

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Colfer finally came out publicly in December 2009 during an appearance on Chelsea latelyHis character on Joy was important for LGBTQ representation at the time, as Kurt was one of the first openly gay characters on prime time television.

His character was involved in a plot point where he transferred to a private school after being bullied about his sexuality. Kurt eventually falls in love with Darren Criss’ Blaine Anderson, whom he married in the show’s sixth and final season.

Related: Darren Criss celebrates 10 years since his first appearance on Glee

In addition to winning a Golden Globe, Colfer was also nominated for an Emmy Award and a Grammy Award for his portrayal of Kurt. He made headlines in March when his cover of “Rose’s Turn” for the hit show landed at No. 3 on Billboard’s TikTok charts as part of a new meme.

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Joy is streaming in its entirety on Hulu.

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