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Darren Criss interview with Today's Teen Online
Glee: So Who is this Darren Criss Guy- And Where Has He Been All My Life?
8 November 2010
Ilana Jacqueline
You haven’t heard heard of Glee? Crap, man. You’re probably dead. I’m so sorry, these things happen-you die, you go online to a teen website and BAM!
It hits you.
Sad.
You have heard of Glee? Good. Heartbeat and breathing and all that-phew. Thought we lost you there for a minute.
Haven’t heard of Darren Criss? You may not be dead, but you’re completely out of the loop. Not to worry though, after tomorrow night’s episode-he’s the only man on TV you’re going to be hearing about.
This curly-haired, eccentric singer, songwriter, actor and now potential love-interest to Kurt Hummel- Darren Criss is best known for his role in A Very Potter Musical. In this YouTube phenomenon, he played the confident, albeit cocky as hell, Harry Potter. In his new role on the hottest show on Fox-Darren will play Blaine, an out-and-proud gay student at the Dalton Academy for Boys.
We were lucky enough to chat with Mr. Criss about his new show, unicorns, and anything else we wanted because we’re Today’s Teen Online and we can do what we want.
________________________________________________________________________
Today’s Teen Online: So obviously you’ve been busy the past couple of months, first there was the premiere of A Very Potter Sequel! And now there is a lot of buzz about you being on Glee? Are the rumors true?
Darren Criss: I didn’t know this was still a rumor! Yes, it’s happening. It’s on!
TTO: So- I saw your glee audition video on MySpace a few months back. I may or may not have voted for you 90 times. Were my votes the reason you got cast? Or was your casting separate from the competition?
DC: Yeah, that part is difficult to say, because well, first of all I didn’t want to make an audition video. I mean, I’m an actor in Los Angeles and I’ve gone out for Glee before about three or four times. The first time was about two and a half years ago, first for the part of Finn. That was when I was still in college. That was about a year before any Potter Musical, just way before that.
TTO: How did that audition go?
DC: Now it’s so funny, I remember reading the part and thinking this show is going to do so well. After I auditioned I knew I wouldn’t get the part-I’m not a football player, I’m a small hobbit-ish kind of guy. It just wasn’t me at all. So that didn’t work out. I’m glad it didn’t now, because if it had I never would have been able to do A Very Potter Musical. I ended up going out for a couple of parts.
TTO: Back to the audition video for this season, what prompted you to do it?
DC: I didn’t want to make the video because I just didn’t think that I should. Especially for people who had seen me in Eastwick or knew me as a TV actor-they’d think, “This guy is already on TV, that’s kind of messed up” Anyways, I finally got my head out of my butt. My friends were just like, “well, just do it! It can’t hurt” and I thought, “Well, why not?” So I made them, but that in my mind is not connected to getting the part. I auditioned for Blaine the same way I did for Finn.
TTO: What song did you sing for the audition?
DC: I sang Baby One More Time, and Where or When (Rodgers and Hart.) I sang them both in my own kind of way, a cappella. The writer told me he saw the online audition, I think they just saw everything on me.
TTO: How would you describe your character-is he anything like the real you?
DC: Blaine is a student from a prep school, Dalton Academy for Boys. He’s just got a really slick, cool way about him. Just a cool, articulate guy. There are certain attributes of him that I look up to. He finds and meets Kurt and kind of imparts his wisdom on him.
I think there are certainly things about me that I try to bring to the table, certain quirks that I think are matched up with what’s in the script. Blaine’s been through hardships, which aren’t necessarily the same as mine-but suffering is suffering.
TTO: You are, in some sense, playing a love interest to Kurt?
DC: I don’t know, can’t confirm that!- They don’t tell me anything.
TTO: If you did end up playing a love interest-how would you feel about an onscreen kiss between the two of you?
DC: Honestly? That would be the coolest thing ever! If you’re going to have a kiss like that on TV it might as well on the biggest show on television. Go big or go home. It’s really fun to get all “aw, who’s going to kiss who?” I don’t know. I’m more concerned about the characters and them finding what they need, or what they deserve. If they do end up having some kind of romance or intimacy, but that isn’t going to be what’s going to be awesome about whatever relationship they end up having. I’m really happy right now that Kurt has a friend that he feels he can relate to, someone who is out and proud of it.
TTO: Do you know how many episodes you’ll be on this season?
DC: Nope! I don’t. Wish I did, then I could stop freaking out over whether or not they want me back! I don’t know. I hope I’ll be back, if the audience likes me. I think he’s a cool character, I’m really not objective, he’s an interesting character-an interesting force to have on this show. Whatever happens I’m grateful to be on the show.
TTO: Let’s talk about on-set. Had anyone seen your past performances, like in A Very Potter Musical?
DC: The first night Chris Colfer (Kurt) said to me, “Oh hey-I’m a very big fan of the potter musical.” And I was so touched-because first of all, well, I thought here’s what happened: Chris saw a little clip of the show in passing, or because he heard I was coming on the show. It’s hard to sit through it on YouTube. Its long, I’ve never watched the whole thing on YouTube. So when he said that, I appreciated the gesture, it was very kind. But I thought there was no way he had seen the whole thing. However, a couple of days later I realized he actually knows the show! For real! He was quoting it to me. I was so, so touched. It was pretty cool. Fans of Chris Culfer are in the right place, he’s a wonderful guy.
TTO: Ok, at this point I’m going to turn it over to your fans, who had a lot of questions they wanted you to answer.
TTO: Melissa wants to know: Would you ever date a fan?
DC: I don’t know! That’s like asking would I ever date a unicorn. I don’t know. It seems just as likely, being that I wonder if they exist enough to want to date me-well, wait. That sounds like I think I’ll never meet a unicorn. I think I’ll meet a unicorn someday. What was the question?
Let’s just say sure. Is the question, would you? Grammatically it leaves a lot of room for-let’s just say yes.
TTO: Linnea want to know: Will you be doing any more Disney covers on your YouTube channel?
DC: I don’t know. I enjoy it. I do them a lot without recording. People are always saying, “You should do this one!” You have no idea I do them all the time. I only post them on YouTube because people are forcing me to. I don’t post them, because I don’t want to devalue-there are just so many mistakes I make in them. Maybe I just need to get my head out of my butt like with the glee thing and just start posting them again. Eventually, yes, I want to post them-and I’ll do it all at once because I have a boatload of them. I apologize. I forget to post.
TTO: Julie wants to know: Will you still be part of the future Starkid (A Very Potter Musical) shows?
DC: OF COURSE! DUH, DUUUH, OF COURSE! That’s my company! That’s my friends! Glee doesn’t change anything; it just makes life more interesting. I can’t imagine my life without Starkid right now.
TTO: If you have a motto for your taste in music, what would it be?
DC: Never let what is popular actually definite your taste or interests.
TTO: You’re sort of acting like a bridge, transitioning your fans from one fandom to another. Harry Potter to Glee. How do you think they’ll react to this?
DC: I’ve had fans tell me, “Don’t change!” And I appreciate that. I love my Starkid fans. But this doesn’t really change anything. If people decide they no longer want to follow me, or decide that I’m not someone they’re interested in I hope it’s because I’ve done something that they really dislike, opposed to them letting a grander society influence what they’re doing.
TTO: Shante wants to know: What did you want to be when you were in high school? Did you think you were going to be a performer or like… a meteorologist?
DC: I would never have been a meteorologist. I would have been terrible at it. I’ve always, always, always wanted to be an actor and a performer in some way; it’s turned from musician actor to musician. I realize as I’m getting older that I was very blessed to have parents who never questioned and always supported my brother and my interests in the arts. My brother is also a singer, in a band called Freelance Whales.
TTO: Maddie wants to know: Can you give her a shoutout? It’s her birthday.
DC: Happy birthday Maddie! Live it up!
TTO: You just won yourself a fan for life.
DC: Darren will no doubt amass an even greater following when he premieres on Glee next Tuesday on Fox at 8/7C.
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Darren Criss
1. Favorite Food: Sushi!
2. What are you listening to on your iPod right now: The Suburbs by Arcadia Fire. WeatherVanes by Freelance Whales, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack and Shout it Out, Hanson.
3. Current Location: Los Angeles.
4. Likes Hair Better: Long (When its short, I feel very serious.)
5. Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird, is my all time favorite, but Enders Game is a killer sci-fi, too.
6. One celebrity you’d like to work with? Christopher Walken or Adelle.
7. What did you go as for Halloween this year? Rafael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Some of my Starkid castmates and I went as the entire crew. We made our own costumes.
8. Where haven’t you visited that you’d eventually like to visit someday? Japan. My father used to live in Japan, so it’s always been my go-to dream trip! I’ll do that soon. I’ve seen a lot of the great cities of America I have my favorites I can’t wait to spend a lot of time in New Orleans!
SOURCE
8 November 2010
Ilana Jacqueline
You haven’t heard heard of Glee? Crap, man. You’re probably dead. I’m so sorry, these things happen-you die, you go online to a teen website and BAM!
It hits you.
Sad.
You have heard of Glee? Good. Heartbeat and breathing and all that-phew. Thought we lost you there for a minute.
Haven’t heard of Darren Criss? You may not be dead, but you’re completely out of the loop. Not to worry though, after tomorrow night’s episode-he’s the only man on TV you’re going to be hearing about.
This curly-haired, eccentric singer, songwriter, actor and now potential love-interest to Kurt Hummel- Darren Criss is best known for his role in A Very Potter Musical. In this YouTube phenomenon, he played the confident, albeit cocky as hell, Harry Potter. In his new role on the hottest show on Fox-Darren will play Blaine, an out-and-proud gay student at the Dalton Academy for Boys.
We were lucky enough to chat with Mr. Criss about his new show, unicorns, and anything else we wanted because we’re Today’s Teen Online and we can do what we want.
________________________________________________________________________
Today’s Teen Online: So obviously you’ve been busy the past couple of months, first there was the premiere of A Very Potter Sequel! And now there is a lot of buzz about you being on Glee? Are the rumors true?
Darren Criss: I didn’t know this was still a rumor! Yes, it’s happening. It’s on!
TTO: So- I saw your glee audition video on MySpace a few months back. I may or may not have voted for you 90 times. Were my votes the reason you got cast? Or was your casting separate from the competition?
DC: Yeah, that part is difficult to say, because well, first of all I didn’t want to make an audition video. I mean, I’m an actor in Los Angeles and I’ve gone out for Glee before about three or four times. The first time was about two and a half years ago, first for the part of Finn. That was when I was still in college. That was about a year before any Potter Musical, just way before that.
TTO: How did that audition go?
DC: Now it’s so funny, I remember reading the part and thinking this show is going to do so well. After I auditioned I knew I wouldn’t get the part-I’m not a football player, I’m a small hobbit-ish kind of guy. It just wasn’t me at all. So that didn’t work out. I’m glad it didn’t now, because if it had I never would have been able to do A Very Potter Musical. I ended up going out for a couple of parts.
TTO: Back to the audition video for this season, what prompted you to do it?
DC: I didn’t want to make the video because I just didn’t think that I should. Especially for people who had seen me in Eastwick or knew me as a TV actor-they’d think, “This guy is already on TV, that’s kind of messed up” Anyways, I finally got my head out of my butt. My friends were just like, “well, just do it! It can’t hurt” and I thought, “Well, why not?” So I made them, but that in my mind is not connected to getting the part. I auditioned for Blaine the same way I did for Finn.
TTO: What song did you sing for the audition?
DC: I sang Baby One More Time, and Where or When (Rodgers and Hart.) I sang them both in my own kind of way, a cappella. The writer told me he saw the online audition, I think they just saw everything on me.
TTO: How would you describe your character-is he anything like the real you?
DC: Blaine is a student from a prep school, Dalton Academy for Boys. He’s just got a really slick, cool way about him. Just a cool, articulate guy. There are certain attributes of him that I look up to. He finds and meets Kurt and kind of imparts his wisdom on him.
I think there are certainly things about me that I try to bring to the table, certain quirks that I think are matched up with what’s in the script. Blaine’s been through hardships, which aren’t necessarily the same as mine-but suffering is suffering.
TTO: You are, in some sense, playing a love interest to Kurt?
DC: I don’t know, can’t confirm that!- They don’t tell me anything.
TTO: If you did end up playing a love interest-how would you feel about an onscreen kiss between the two of you?
DC: Honestly? That would be the coolest thing ever! If you’re going to have a kiss like that on TV it might as well on the biggest show on television. Go big or go home. It’s really fun to get all “aw, who’s going to kiss who?” I don’t know. I’m more concerned about the characters and them finding what they need, or what they deserve. If they do end up having some kind of romance or intimacy, but that isn’t going to be what’s going to be awesome about whatever relationship they end up having. I’m really happy right now that Kurt has a friend that he feels he can relate to, someone who is out and proud of it.
TTO: Do you know how many episodes you’ll be on this season?
DC: Nope! I don’t. Wish I did, then I could stop freaking out over whether or not they want me back! I don’t know. I hope I’ll be back, if the audience likes me. I think he’s a cool character, I’m really not objective, he’s an interesting character-an interesting force to have on this show. Whatever happens I’m grateful to be on the show.
TTO: Let’s talk about on-set. Had anyone seen your past performances, like in A Very Potter Musical?
DC: The first night Chris Colfer (Kurt) said to me, “Oh hey-I’m a very big fan of the potter musical.” And I was so touched-because first of all, well, I thought here’s what happened: Chris saw a little clip of the show in passing, or because he heard I was coming on the show. It’s hard to sit through it on YouTube. Its long, I’ve never watched the whole thing on YouTube. So when he said that, I appreciated the gesture, it was very kind. But I thought there was no way he had seen the whole thing. However, a couple of days later I realized he actually knows the show! For real! He was quoting it to me. I was so, so touched. It was pretty cool. Fans of Chris Culfer are in the right place, he’s a wonderful guy.
TTO: Ok, at this point I’m going to turn it over to your fans, who had a lot of questions they wanted you to answer.
TTO: Melissa wants to know: Would you ever date a fan?
DC: I don’t know! That’s like asking would I ever date a unicorn. I don’t know. It seems just as likely, being that I wonder if they exist enough to want to date me-well, wait. That sounds like I think I’ll never meet a unicorn. I think I’ll meet a unicorn someday. What was the question?
Let’s just say sure. Is the question, would you? Grammatically it leaves a lot of room for-let’s just say yes.
TTO: Linnea want to know: Will you be doing any more Disney covers on your YouTube channel?
DC: I don’t know. I enjoy it. I do them a lot without recording. People are always saying, “You should do this one!” You have no idea I do them all the time. I only post them on YouTube because people are forcing me to. I don’t post them, because I don’t want to devalue-there are just so many mistakes I make in them. Maybe I just need to get my head out of my butt like with the glee thing and just start posting them again. Eventually, yes, I want to post them-and I’ll do it all at once because I have a boatload of them. I apologize. I forget to post.
TTO: Julie wants to know: Will you still be part of the future Starkid (A Very Potter Musical) shows?
DC: OF COURSE! DUH, DUUUH, OF COURSE! That’s my company! That’s my friends! Glee doesn’t change anything; it just makes life more interesting. I can’t imagine my life without Starkid right now.
TTO: If you have a motto for your taste in music, what would it be?
DC: Never let what is popular actually definite your taste or interests.
TTO: You’re sort of acting like a bridge, transitioning your fans from one fandom to another. Harry Potter to Glee. How do you think they’ll react to this?
DC: I’ve had fans tell me, “Don’t change!” And I appreciate that. I love my Starkid fans. But this doesn’t really change anything. If people decide they no longer want to follow me, or decide that I’m not someone they’re interested in I hope it’s because I’ve done something that they really dislike, opposed to them letting a grander society influence what they’re doing.
TTO: Shante wants to know: What did you want to be when you were in high school? Did you think you were going to be a performer or like… a meteorologist?
DC: I would never have been a meteorologist. I would have been terrible at it. I’ve always, always, always wanted to be an actor and a performer in some way; it’s turned from musician actor to musician. I realize as I’m getting older that I was very blessed to have parents who never questioned and always supported my brother and my interests in the arts. My brother is also a singer, in a band called Freelance Whales.
TTO: Maddie wants to know: Can you give her a shoutout? It’s her birthday.
DC: Happy birthday Maddie! Live it up!
TTO: You just won yourself a fan for life.
DC: Darren will no doubt amass an even greater following when he premieres on Glee next Tuesday on Fox at 8/7C.
8 Things You Didn’t Know About Darren Criss
1. Favorite Food: Sushi!
2. What are you listening to on your iPod right now: The Suburbs by Arcadia Fire. WeatherVanes by Freelance Whales, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World Soundtrack and Shout it Out, Hanson.
3. Current Location: Los Angeles.
4. Likes Hair Better: Long (When its short, I feel very serious.)
5. Favorite Book: To Kill a Mockingbird, is my all time favorite, but Enders Game is a killer sci-fi, too.
6. One celebrity you’d like to work with? Christopher Walken or Adelle.
7. What did you go as for Halloween this year? Rafael from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Some of my Starkid castmates and I went as the entire crew. We made our own costumes.
8. Where haven’t you visited that you’d eventually like to visit someday? Japan. My father used to live in Japan, so it’s always been my go-to dream trip! I’ll do that soon. I’ve seen a lot of the great cities of America I have my favorites I can’t wait to spend a lot of time in New Orleans!
SOURCE