Mike Yarish/FOXIs there anything more panic-inducing than (gulp) your first time? How about millions upon millions of people witnessing the event?
OK, so it is just his TV character going all the way in this week's Glee, but Chris Colfer still has every right to be nervous about America witnessing Kurt and Blaine (Darren Criss) lose their virginities to each other. It's the episode everyone has been talking about this season (some crazy reporter even called it a "Glee Sex Riot!"), and it's some of Chris' finest work yet. In part one of our interview with Chris, he gives us an in-depth look at his reaction to getting the storyline, filming a love scene with Darren, and the importance of their characters taking that step...
How did you react when you first found out Kurt and Blaine were going to be taking that big step?
Chris Colfer: Ryan Murphy came up to Darren and I and told us what the next episode was going to be about, and I think both of our eyes got really, really wide and we were like, "Huh? What? Really?" And of course I always freak out and panic about storylines that they tell me are coming up because I always think it's going to be raunchy and over-the-top, but those situations are always handled so well and sensitively and emotionally, and this was no exception.
It was handled really well, and paired up with a West Side Story song made it tear jerking, to say the least!
Oh, good! I'm glad to hear that. Only Glee can make a sex scene tear jerking! [Laughs.]
Obviously fans have been waiting for this episode for a long time. Were you nervous filming an episode that was so feverishly anticipated?
Not really. It's sad but true, but I think I'm just so used to tackling delicate issues, so this was no different than other ones that we've done. It was definitely a big issue, something that I don't believe has really been seen on TV too much before: two gay kids losing their virginities. Well, I'm not sure…did Blaine lose his virginity or was it just Kurt? I can't remember. It was definitely Kurt's. I don't remember that being addressed. Oh, well. [Laughs.] But it's always rewarding doing big storylines.
Like you said, the actual love scene is very understated and simple.
Yeah, I was expecting to being showing some skin but we got there and they wanted Darren in a tank and they wanted me in a shirt, so I don't really have to worry.
What a lot of people don't realize is that the actual filming of love scenes is anything but romantic. Can you talk about your experience filming the big moment?
Because it was so simple, it really wasn't that big of a deal. It's so funny, because fans always want to make it out to be this huge thing that it really isn't. When there are 40 middle-aged crewmembers in the room with you, there's nothing romantic about it. It's just like doing any other scene.
Not only is it Kurt and Blaine's first time, it's also Finn and Rachel's first time. Since you're so used to getting these huge, impactful storylines, did Cory and Lea come to you for advice for their part of the episode?
[Laughs.] Oh, no. Nothing like that! I don't know, I don't want to say whose love scene was better or anything, because I don't want to start competition or anything, but you've seen those hetero couples lose their virginity thousands of times. This is the first time you've seen two gay kids lose it to each other.
What are you hoping fans will take away from the episode, especially teenagers that are gay themselves?
Thank you for asking me that. I really hope that if Kurt and Blaine do anything for society or the world or anything like that, I really just hope it kind of sets the standard for gay kids. I don't mean to upset anyone by saying this, but it is just kind of a known fact that a lot of gay kids are very promiscuous and non-exclusive with each other when they have relationships, which is really sad. But I think with Kurt and Blaine, I would hope would set an example of what something should be and could be. You know, two people finding each other and really loving each other and wanting to give the world to each other.
Is there anything else that you would like to see with Kurt and Blaine in the future that could be more of an example for gay teenagers?
Oh gosh, what have we not covered? I don't know, I think we'll just leave that to the writers. They've been coming up with good ideas so far so I don't think I could come up with something else that they could experience together. I think we've covered a lot of ground already.
Does Chris' teases about the episode make you more excited to finally see it? Come back tomorrow for part two of our interview, where Chris reveals his favorite scene of the episode, and what's in store for Blaine and Kurt after the big night.
Glee's "The First Time" airs tomorrow at 8 p.m. on Fox.