Chris Colfer Vs Kurt Hummel

Chris Colfer plays Kurt Hummel, the openly gay and frequently bullied high school student on the television show Glee. But in real life, Chris Colfer is also gay, and models a lot of Kurt's behavior off of his own high school experience. So, how much of what we see of Kurt Hummel on Glee comes from the real life experiences of Chris Colfer? Read more to find out.



Defying Gravity

In Glee, Kurt Hummel is intially barred from singing the song "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked, because the song was written for a female. This actually happened to Chris Colfer while he was attending Clovis East High School. Year after year, Chris Colfer was denied the opportunity to sing "Defying Gravity" at his school's talent show. He was eventually able to perform at the church of his grandmother, who was a minister at the church.


Bullying

Kurt Hummel is a victim of constant bullying on Glee. He is most often harrassed by Adam Karofsky, star football player and closeted homosexual. Like character Kurt Hummel, Chris Colfer was bullied in high school, although mostly for his high-pitched voice. In an interview with Ellen Degeneres, Chris Colfer admitted that in high school he was bullied on a daily basis, but eventually came up with some great comebacks. The Glee actor has also admitted to being bullied on the internet.



Out of the Closet

One significant difference between Chris Colfer and his character Kurt Hummel is that while Kurt Hummel eventually comes out of the closet on Glee, Chris Colfer never felt safe enough to do so at his own high school. In one interview, the Glee actor said that people in his hometown were killed for being openly gay. Chris Colfer hopes that Glee will help gay teens know that they are not alone.



Family Ties

Chris Colfer never felt comfortable coming out of the closet-even with his parents-but that didn't stop him from being close to his family members. The Glee actor spent his early years caring for his disabled sister and performing in community productions. His parents may not have always understood his differences, but they certainly supported him. Kurt Hummel, on the other hand, has a difficult relationship with his father, a widower who is uncomfortable with his son's sexual orientation. But Burt later proves his love for his son when he defends him from bullies.