Glee Exclusive: Kurt's New (Boy)friend Speaks!

“My guess is as good as anybody’s,” shrugs newest Glee cast member Darren Criss of reports that his character Blaine—a charismatic, out-and-proud gay teen from a rival school—is being groomed as a love interest for Chris Colfer’s Kurt. “It’s a really big secret.”

The two meet in the November 9th episode when Kurt, who is fast becoming fed up with life at McKinley High, considers transferring to the nearby Dalton Academy, where Criss’ character is a student. “I think Blaine’s most important role is…as a mentor to Kurt,” says Criss, whose only major pre-Glee TV credit was a stint on ABC’s short-lived Eastwick. “At this point, Kurt’s [sexuality] has been such a sense of discord in his life. Blaine finds [being gay] empowering. He embraces who he is, and sees Kurt [struggling with] the same things that he had to deal with, and I think he wants to impart that knowledge.”

Criss hopes Blaine will serve as a positive role model for viewers as well, given the recent string of suicides among gay youth. “It’s great to see a strong character like this on a hit show that so many people are watching,” he says. “I can’t really think of any other 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.”