Re: Chris Colfer Appreciation Thread!--part 9

[ColferInspired]

I am late.

But, Happy Birthday Chris.  

[Glorfindel]

Chris was trending on tumblr yesterday.   


x

[Glorfindel]

Alla was asked by Russian, Ukrainian and Belarus fans of Chris to tweet to him this lovely youtube video they made for his birthday, and she did.  

[Ranwing]

Alla was asked by Russian, Ukrainian and Belarus fans of Chris to tweet to him this lovely youtube video they made for his birthday, and she did.  

I started tearing up watching this. Chris has affected so many people around the world in a postive way and for fans in a part of the world where homosexuals are viewed in a very negative light to put in this kind of effort... it really warms my heart. Chris is making a huge difference in the world.

[valkeakuulas]

That was so well made and lovely. I'm sure Alla makes him watch it.

[Glorfindel]

I started tearing up watching this. Chris has affected so many people around the world in a postive way and for fans in a part of the world where homosexuals are viewed in a very negative light to put in this kind of effort... it really warms my heart. Chris is making a huge difference in the world.

I had to wipe away a few tears too when I watched it. I even saved the video on my computer.

It is so creative and well planned/made, with how they all strung the words together in these little videos.
The realisation that this video comes from those specific countries makes it extra special.


And this is a large part of why we love this man, right?
Chris never asked to be a gay role model, and even now that he is one, partly because of Kurt, he never places himself at the front of the gay movement (although it's safe to say he's helping when he's not in the spotlight too, e.g. when answering fan mail of gay teens) but simply 'leads' by example.
And people latch onto that: onto his success and achievements, his pretty looks even, but also his honesty and positive attitude (when it comes to beating those odds against him and people like him, whether that's LGBTQIA youth, or bullied kids, theatre nerds, bookworms and other underdogs).

[valkeakuulas]

I don't know if this really relates to Chris, but I think sometimes during the late 90's and certainly on the 2000 onwards it has become a trend to "make stars"...all these talent shows, famous peoples kids and child stars having things created for them and not necessarely having real passion, or talent in some cases, to be interesting and facinating.

I believe (completely personal thought about this) that we look for talent and hard workers that show more about their talent than tell. Indeed make a success stories of themselves rather than products. Surely there have been studios promoting certain type of actors and actresses from the beginng of entertainment history, but that little bit of diversity is so much needed, and I think it's incredibly ironic that in this digital era where everyone can be their own star and producer, the big studio's keep still hankering for these molds of "normalcy".

[Ranwing]

I think that it's interesting that Chris made such a huge impact without direct effort by Ryan Murphy and TPTB to "make" him happen outside of casting a complete unknown into a supporting role. He was given some focus in the early part of season one, but no more than any of the other supporting players. He got a huge audience and critical reaction and the show made the intelligent decision to involve him in more storylines during the back end of season one and into season two. But Chris got this response because of his talent and screen presence, as well as his sweet/snarky nature off camera. People fell in love with him because of what Chris himself brought to the party.

It's a marked contract to how Darren and Chord and the noobs have been handled, where there was a concerted effort to give them focus and storylines in order to build up audience interest in them. There has been a real effort to "make" them happen and thus far, it hasn't worked. And the show, unfortunately, suffered badly as a result.

[Buenos]

Yup, Chris in his creation of Kurt was a genuine breakout star, the critics and the public took notice.

It was organic and not at all manufactured.  Even now, with his character blatantly sidelined he's still the memorable character on Glee and the young actor who has such impact in young kids lives.

I loved Adam Lambert saying a year ago that he related so much because back in school he "was Kurt", that the character tapped into a group of kids that were for the most part not represented on the screen.

It wouldn't have happened if Chris didn't have such a well defined and consistent "concept" of Kurt from the get go, CHris has said he  didn't want Kurt  to be a pat character simply for comic relief, he invested such humanity in Kurt.

[Ranwing]

Kurt, on paper, was a pretty standard gay character. Likes showtunes and fashion and is catty and bitchy. I can get why many in the gay media weren't exactly thrilled about his characterization and considered Kurt to be too sterotypical and not bringing anything new to the party. But that was before Chris got ahold of the character and we got all these layers and nuances that just brought Kurt to light. We got to see his strength and his courage. We saw his sensativity and caring that he protected behind a wall of snark. Chris made Kurt real and that's a testiment to his talent as an actor and a storyteller. He didn't allow Kurt to be the jumble of vague gayish characteristics.

I've said it before and I'll say it again that it is the actor's job to make the characters they play more than they are in the script. How many times have we watched a character that felt like a cardboard cutout because the actor didn't give that character life? The Darren fans love to complain about the weakness of Blaine's character being the fault of the writers (which is partly true), but they ignore the fact that Darren himself doesn't add anything to Blaine's characterization. Or that Rachel would be absolutely unbearable as a character had Lea not infused a bit of real vulnerability. The actors have a job to do that goes beyond just wearing a costume and reading lines. Those that are really good can make absolute magic while the others... well, we can hope that they're at least nice to look at.

[Buenos]

Cory Monteith work was almost miraculous how he invested a vulnerability in Finn that otherwise would make one loath that character per the  WTF poor writing in story lines for him.

The character of Coach Sylvester is tiresome to me by now, but I can only imagine how worse it would be if it wasn't the skill of the actress Jane Lynch who is so sublime.

I like Alex a lot as a person, but one only need compare Unique to Kurt to see a weaker actor playing a caricature versus a good actor putting personal interesting touches on a genuine character.

[Ranwing]

Alex had some good moments, but I'll agree that he never was able to elevate Unique the way that Chris elevated Kurt. Part of that was the fault of the writers (who never gave Unique any storylines that didn't circle back to her being a transvestite or transgendered woman - never made clear), but part of it was Alex. I think he did the best with what he was given (which wasn't much).

I've said it before and I'll say it again... the really good actors in the cast (Chris, Lea, Cory, Jane, Matt, Naya) can take the shittiest, most contrived storylines and make them work. The weaker actors (Darren, Chord, the noobs) just have their weaknesses compounded when they don't have strong material to work with.

[Buenos]

The problem for Alex is he couldn't convey much beyond put upon sad crying victim or a snarky woman persona that IMO fell flat half the time, Unique never rose above caricature and some of that can be blamed on Alex.

One just has to see how much Becca Tobbin  salvaged at the end with Kitty to show what a good actor can do with a poorly written or ill defined role.

Jake, Ryder, Marley were such lumps of coal, despite the singing or dancing talents of the actors portraying them.  I think Melissa and Blake are decent actors but they don't seem to have the pizzaz needed to make their characters break out. 

It's funny, because you hear people talk about how Jacob Artist was a better singer and dancer than Mark Salling, and while technically you could argue that,  as a character Jake was a disaster because he never was a realized persona the way Mark Salling invested in Puck.  There was an interesting undercurrent of menace/trouble  in Puck that Mark gave him, whereas Jacob played Jake in such a vague ill defined milquetoast  way you  wondered if the actor ever got a hold on the character.

Melissa was so whiny and wimpy as Marley I just wanted her to shut the fuck up, and yet the show tried to keep shoveling them down our throats as "stars".

Didn't surprise me that at the end they literally muted them before they booted them off the show, though I think Becca deserved better.

[Buenos]

Just realized that 2015 may be "annus mirabilis" as  far as as Chris Colfer....

Just think...

1) He might have his last season on Glee air between January 2015-May 2015

2) "Robo Dog" may be released by  the summer of 2015

3) The last book (for now) of his written LOS series will be published most likely in June or July that year

AND...

4) His movie "Noel" may be released in Cannes next May/June with red carpet treatment (British indie films don't seem to take forever in editing limbo)

in addition to any other  projects he has going or has completed by then too...

It could be an incredible embarrassment of riches...Chris Colfer in 5 or 6 projects during the year...!!

       

[ColferInspired]

Will's wearing a cape. And it's pink.    

I can't tell if Chris is though, though some think he is, but I can't really tell.

[fantastica]

^ if chris is wearing a cape, it's definitely not attached around his neck.

[ColferInspired]

[Buenos]

A look back to Chris at an author's event when his first book came out, Author  John Green (The fault in our stars)  is on the panel..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0-XkDZIi3U

I know they are friends (even joked about slash fanfiction written about them) and while Chris doesn't usually do red carpets and HW premieres, I'm hoping he might show up for the film adaption of John's book "The fault in our stars" which comes out this week.

[Buenos]

http://www.justjaredjr.com/2014/06/02/chris-colfer-teases-a-land-of-stories-wedding-in-the-woods/

Chris Colfer shows his love for Great Britain as he arrives at LAX airport in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon (June 1).
The Glee star and author just celebrated his birthday last week and was overwhelmed by the sweet messages his fans wrote to him on Twitter.
“Thank you so much for all your videos, artwork, and messages! The best part about birthdays is hearing from you! #SpoiledRotten Xoxo,” Chris tweeted.
In return, Chris also gave his fans a sneak peek at his new novel in The Land of Stories series.
“Guess who’s getting married!!!” he teased.

[Kurt addict]

Not sure how to embed this, but explore the link, it's an extended version of "if god was one of us" and it has kurt and Quinn singing together, I'm melting it's beautiful   :)https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8N0-eaIY0Xw

[Kurt addict]

Try again  

[Ranwing]

This is the reason that I hate how the songs are edited sometimes. When a song tells a story, especially one that impacts the characters so strongly, letting it play out just adds so much more to the episode. Cutting out Kurt's lines just made no sense given how deeply he was embedded in the story and he was undergoing as much a crisis of faith as Finn was.

And it also shows how great Chris sounds singing with more than his usual duet partners. He and Diana sounded so gorgeous together. And we know that he and Kevin sounded amazing together in YCSTB (again, ending up on the cutting room floor). I would have loved to hear Chris sing with Matt, Mark and Cory at some point.

The own downside was Lea's caterwauling and her performance faces to show HOW. MUCH. SHE. FEELS!!!! Her belting here felt very out of place and I wish she could have toned it down.

[Glorfindel]

I've seen this video before but forgot where it was, so thanks for posting it, Anna!   

I believe it was part of a Glee karaoke game.


Agree 100% with you, Wendy. Chris and Dianna indeed sound lovely together. I also love Jenna and Cory on this song. They should have let Amber do all the improvised belting, instead of Lea.

[Kurt addict]

Just watched Elaine Paige show and she sang memory on it and oops but although she did sing it first chris has made me love it more when he sang the last note! Goosebumps, john Owen Jones then sang "Bring him home" and it was breathtaking, I can definitely see Chris reprise this when he is older, there where a lot of similarities in the style and performance I felt, both John and Chris gave it a prayerful quality and an emotional connection, don't know if anyone else is watching this show, tonight it was really worth watching.

[angelnessa]

Try again  

Out of all the pointless and stupid things Glee has done over the years, cutting Kurt's part out of that performance on the show was one of the most stupid. Given what the episode was about, and Chris's expressions during those particular lines, cutting them out made no sense. I remember being livid when I realized his part had been cut. I'm so glad we still have this version though.

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