Darren Crisshas played queer roles over the years and is now explaining why he says hes culturally gay.

F***ing awesome, Criss said about portraying the gay character.

It was a narrative that I cared deeply about.

Darren Criss

Darren CrissRay Mickshaw / FX / Daniel Boczarski / Getty Images / Adam Rose / Fox / Courtesy: Everett Collection

And Id say thats a gross generalization, thats a lot of things and a lot of people.

But I grew up in San Francisco in the 90s.

I watched men die.

Helen J Shen, Darren Criss, ‘Maybe Happy Ending’ on Broadway

There was an awareness of the gay experience that was not a foreign concept to me.

So, it was a narrative that I cared deeply about.

He also played the titular role in the Broadway musicalHedwig and the Angry Inch.