Darren Criss has won the 2010 Greggy
Award for his portrayal of out-and-proud student Blaine on the Fox
musical-comedy Glee.
The annual award is handed out by gay
entertainment website GregInHollywood.com, which is edited by
longtime Hollywood corresponded Greg Hernandez.
“It's so exciting when someone you
have never heard of just bursts onto the scene and dazzles us with
their talent and personality,” Hernandez
wrote in a blog post announcing the winner.
“That is what happened this fall when
Darren Criss debuted on Glee as Blaine, a member of a rival
high school singing group who is openly gay and befriends Kurt (Chris
Colfer).”
The introduction of Criss – and a
third gay character, closeted football player Dave Karofsky, played
by Max Adler – has turned Glee into one of the most gay
inclusive shows on network television.
The 23-year-old San Francisco native
has said he's honored to play gay student Blaine and is not concerned
about being typecast as the gay kid.
Blaine “makes such a great addition
to the many-colored palette that is Glee. So as far as me
having any reservations about it, no,” Criss told Interview
magazine. “I read it being like, this would be so cool, whoever
gets to play this, it's going to be a great thing for an already
great show.”
And he added that his character has a
lot of potential to have a positive influence: “Of course, being
gay really is an important part of who he is. … It's a really
positive thing, and I feel very privileged to be the vessel for that,
and I hope it speaks to a lot of people who struggle to find a model
for who they are and where they fit in.”