History Creator / DarrenCriss

* RealLife/MeanCharacterNiceActor: Harry Potter is, by his own admission, a total douchebag.

* {{Adorkable}}
** Just watch any of the videos on his Youtube. He geeks out about the songs he covers in each of them.
** Watch any of his interviews; ten to one, he's dorking out or fanboying something.
** You have never seen anyone so happy about ANYTHING as Blaine is about Disco Week.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: A little bit, in a very endearing way.

*** Lampshaded in ''AVPS''. "I make weird covers of Disney songs. Who does that?"

* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Joey Richter, Joe Walker, and Brian Holden of Starkid, too. Especially when he took Joe as his date to the Deathly Hallows premiere in London. And even more so with Joey, whom he actually lives with.
** PlatonicLifePartners: With ChrisColfer. Would be HeterosexualLifePartners but, well, you know...

* ImportantHairCut

* {{Keet}}: Small, cute, colorful, and hyperactive? Check, check, check and check. {{Fanon}} has given him the nickname "[[Literature/TheHobbit Hobbit]]."

* TrueCompanions: Creator/TeamStarKid.
** The outpouring of Twitter support for Darren landing ''Series/{{Glee}}'' was heartwarming.
** Also, every time he performs solo and one of the [=StarKids=] is there, they end up being dragged onstage to sing their signature songs (i.e. Joey Richter dueting with Darren on "Granger Danger", Joe Walker on "Stutter").
** Darren even threw the [=StarKids=] a wrap party for ''Theatre/{{Starship}}'' at a Vegas nightclub.

* WhatBeautifulEyes

'''Darren Criss''' started out in the surprise Website/{{Youtube}} hit and AffectionateParody ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'', as the title character. He banded together with a few fellow University of Michigan students and formed Creator/TeamStarKid, a theater production company that is now Chicago-based. Among the [=StarKid=] projects that he's been in are ''Theatre/AVeryPotterMusical'', ''AVeryPotterSequel'', and ''LittleWhiteLie''.

After graduation from U of M, he had a role in the short-lived series ''{{Eastwick}}'', and made [[http://coldcase.wikia.com/wiki/Reuben_Harris an appearance]] in one of the final episodes of ''Series/ColdCase'' ("Free Love").

* BandOfRelatives: Darren used to play for his BrotherChuck's band "Freelance Whales".

* SignatureSong: "Not Alone" and "Teenage Dream" are becoming this.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DarrenCriss_1004.jpg]]

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: Harry Potter is, by his own admission, a total douchebag.

* IncrediblyLongNote: "To Have AaHome", ''AVPS''.

* HeterosexualLifePartners
** With ChrisColfer. Well, except that Darren's the only heterosexual one.
** With Joey Richter, Joe Walker, and Brian Holden of Starkid, too. Especially when he took Joe as his date to the Deathly Hallows premiere in London. And even more so with Joey, whom he actually lives with.

** Lampshaded in ''AVPS''. "I make weird covers of Disney songs. Who does that?"

* AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder: Averted, hard. The guy has ''Glee'', writing songs for Creator/TeamStarKid, performing live shows for either ''Glee'', [=StarKid=] or himself, tons of photoshoots, and a Twitter feed to maintain, as well as side projects like voicing "Life of Leopold" for ''Funny or Die''.

** With [[Chris Colfer]]. Well, except that Darren's the only heterosexual one.

** With ChrisColfer. Well, except that Darren is the only straight one.

* FanDumb: Starkid Fans and Glee Fans are 'possessive' over Darren and often vocally argue online over which base is more devoted to him. It got to the point where Darren heard about it and tried to assuage both sides by saying that regardless of who's in what fandom, he wouldn't be where he is without his fans in general.
** HarsherInHindsight: Darren's long time friend Joey Richter auditioned for a role on Glee's third season (specifically, for the part of Sebastian). It's speculated that the Starkid fandom vs. Glee fandom fights is a big factor in why he wasn't considered.

* HazelEyes: Can sometimes be EyesOfGold, depending on the picture.

->''"I'm Harry Freakin' Potter, and I'm the man!"''\\
--'''AVeryPotterSequel'''

Started out in the surprise Website/{{Youtube}} hit and AffectionateParody AVeryPotterMusical, as the titular character. He banded together with a few fellow University of Michigan students and formed TeamStarKid, a theater production company that is now Chicago-based. Among the [=StarKid=] projects that he's been in are AVeryPotterMusical, AVeryPotterSequel, and LittleWhiteLie.

Even though he's been quoted as wanting to be an actor who sings and not the other way around, he's inseparable from music. He wrote part of the music for AVPM and MeAndMyDick, and all the music for AVeryPotterSequel, as well as for the new musical {{Starship}}. In the meanwhile, he put out his own 5-song EP, “Human”. He loves singing live; give this guy a mike, a guitar, and a stage, and he's a happy man.

Fangirl screams reached glass-shattering levels when it was discovered that Ryan Murphy had cast him to play [[ChrisColfer Kurt Hummel's]] love interest on ''{{Glee}}''. He plays the character of Blaine Anderson, a openly gay student at the all-boys' school Dalton. Blaine hands out encouragement to Kurt, along with a giant side of UnresolvedSexualTension and a massive helping of HoYay.

Darren's start on {{Glee}} made a huge splash, as his version of “Teenage Dream” featuring the Dalton Warblers (aka the Tufts University Beelzebubs) became the highest-selling Glee song overnight, easily beating out “Don't Stop Believin'”.

Darren made his Broadway debut in the revival of ''HowToSucceedInBusinessWithoutReallyTrying'' in January 2012. He replaces the original [[Film/HarryPotter Harry Freakin' Potter]], DanielRadcliffe. Whether CastingGag or just unintentional, it's still awesome.

!!Examples

* {{Adorkable}}: Just watch any of the videos on his Youtube. He geeks out about the songs he covers in each of them.

* AffectionateParody: AVeryPotterMusical and AVeryPotterSequel are among the most affectionate.
* AttentionDeficitCreatorDisorder: Averted, hard. The guy has Glee, writing songs for TeamStarkid, performing live shows for either Glee, Starkid or himself, tons of photoshoots, and a Twitter feed to maintain, as well as side projects like voicing "Life of Leopold" for Funny or Die.

* TheCameo: In KatyPerry's [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlyXNRrsk4A "Last Friday Night"]].
** "BEST PARTY EVER! WOOOOO!"
* CampStraight: He doesn't ''act'' camp, but he is the first one to tell you he is obsessed with musical theater, and grew up in gay-friendly San Francisco. When asked about playing a gay character on Glee, he often mentions that he had to "come out as straight" to his theater friends.
** Taken UpToEleven with his [[http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljv35omXrB1qegfeco1_500.png attire]] from the Coachella music festival, where he walked around shirtless covered in multicolored body paint and wearing clip-on earrings and rainbow nail polish.
* CloudCuckoolander: A little bit, in a very endearing way.
* CompanionCube: Darren is ''never'' without his trademark pink sunglasses. He even got them into a scene on ''{{Glee}}''.
* TheCoverChangesTheGender: Averts it in virtually every song he does, whether it's Disney, {{Glee}} or his own work. He notably keeps the female POV in "Teenage Dream" and "Bills, Bills, Bills" on {{Glee}}, and has sung "The Coolest Girl" at concerts without modifying the lyrics.

** Has an old Website/{{Youtube}} account under the name of Iclemyer, where he does covers of Disney songs. Included are "Belle", "I'll Make A Man Out Of You", and "Part of Your World".
*** Lampshaded in AVPS. "I make weird covers of Disney songs. Who does that?"

--->'''Darren:''' [[http://twitter.com/DarrenCriss/status/47927342139588608 Looks like we finally did what everybody was waiting on for so long... A Hey Monday song! Boy, I sure hope people liked it!]]
--->'''Chris:''' [[http://twitter.com/chriscolfer/status/47929266268147712 I fo' sho' thought "RIP Pavarotti" would be trending before "They Kissed". Tisk tisk. He is rolling in his bedazzled grave.]]

---> Reporter: "How has your life changed since Glee?"
---> Darren: "How hasn't it changed?! ...I bought a new sweater."
* DuetBonding: "Baby, It's Cold Outside".
* MrFanservice: His photoshoot for [[http://www.out.com/slideshows/index.asp?slideshow_title=Darren-Criss-The-New-Kid-on-the-Block&theID=1 Out Magazine]] caused one hell of a mess on the Internet.
** Not to mention fans' reactions to his [[http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201106/darren-criss-summer-wedding-style-men?slide=1 GQ Magazine]] photoshoot.
* ''{{Glee}}'': Auditioned for the part of Finn when the show was originally being cast. Is there actually anyone out there who isn't glad he got Blaine instead?

* HeterosexualLifePartners: With ChrisColfer. Well, except that Darren is the only straight one.

* IAmSong: "The Coolest Girl". Written (as quoted by WordOfGod) by Darren to be another "Part Of Your World" or "On My Own", sung by Bonnie Gruesen (Hermione) in AVPS.
* ImportantHairCut: He got one right before he started playing Blaine on {{Glee}}, making his hair look less [[WildHair wild.]]
** Decidedly unpopular with his Estrogen Brigade, though.
** Also unpopular? Whoever it is in hair and makeup that keeps attempting to [[BerserkButton MURDER HIS HAIR WITH GEL]] each episode.
* IncrediblyLongNote: "To Have A Home", AVPS.

* {{Keet}}: Small, cute, colorful, and hyperactive? Check, check, check and check. {{Fanon}} has given him the nickname "[[LordOfTheRings Hobbit]]."

* LoveNostalgiaSong: "Sami", "Don't You".
* LyricalDissonance: "Jealousy," a sunny and energetic song about {{Envy}} so consuming that he can't stand looking in the mirror, and he tries unsuccessfully to [[DrowningMySorrows drown it out with alcohol.]]

* TrueCompanions: TeamStarkid. The outpouring of Twitter support for Darren landing ''{{Glee}}'' was heartwarming. Also, every time he performs solo and one of the Starkids is there, they end up being dragged onstage to sing their signature songs (i.e. Joey Richter dueting with Darren on "Granger Danger", Joe Walker on "Stutter").
** Darren even threw the Starkids a wrap party for ''{{Starship}}'' at a Vegas nightclub.
* NerdsAreSexy: Likes Disney, Harry Potter, LordOfTheRings, showtunes, and pink sunglasses. Has [[WhatBeautifulEyes hazel eyes]] to top off his pale skin/black hair, and an Adonis-like build.
* ObsessionSong: "The Muse", "Jealousy"
* OneOfUs: Admitted fanboy of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', ''LordOfTheRings'', FlightOfTheConchords, musical theatre, comic books, Disney movies, and of course, ''HarryPotter''. The vids of the Starkids nerding out at ''Infinitus'' and ''Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' are some of the cutest things ever. He even ''cosplayed'' to the ''Deathly Hallows'' premiere (well, he cosplayed to others too, but this one was ''after'' he got famous). Oh, and he's voted for "[=KurtCoBlaine=]" as the official PortmanteauCoupleName for Kurt/Blaine.

* PromotedFanboy: AVeryPotterMusical became so popular that he was invited to the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 movie premiere... which he attended in ''full Harry costume'', and then spazzed out about being there.

* WildHair: The curls just CANNOT BE CONTAINED. He sheared down to a more debonair look for "{{Glee}}," but they're making something of a comeback anyway as of "Blame It On the Alcohol." Some witty person even listened his trademark as "his outrageously curly hair" on his [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023050/bio IMDb profile]].

Started out in the surprise YouTube hit and AffectionateParody AVeryPotterMusical, as the titular character. He banded together with a few fellow University of Michigan students and formed TeamStarKid, a theater production company that is now Chicago-based. Among the [=StarKid=] projects that he's been in are AVeryPotterMusical, AVeryPotterSequel, and LittleWhiteLie.

Fangirl screams reached glass-shattering levels when it was discovered that Ryan Murphy had cast him to play [[ChrisColfer Kurt Hummel]]'s love interest on ''{{Glee}}''. He plays the character of Blaine Anderson, a openly gay student at the all-boys' school Dalton. Blaine hands out encouragement to Kurt, along with a giant side of UnresolvedSexualTension and a massive helping of HoYay.

Darren's start on {{Glee}} made a huge splash, as his version of “Teenage Dream” featuring the Dalton Warblers (aka the Tufts University Beelzebubs) became the highest-selling Glee song overnight, easily beating out “Don't Stop Believin'”.

Darren made his Broadway debut in the revival of ''{{How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying}}'' in January 2012. He replaces the original [[Film/HarryPotter Harry Freakin' Potter]], DanielRadcliffe. Whether CastingGag or just unintentional, it's still awesome.

He's 100% MrFanservice.

* {{Adorkable}}: Just watch any of the videos on his Youtube. He geeks out about the songs he covers in each of them.

* BandOfRelatives: Darren used to play for his {{brotherChuck}}'s band "Freelance Whales".
* ButNotTooForeign: He's also half-Filipino, partly with Spanish and Chinese heritage from his mother's side.

* CoverVersion
** Has an old YouTube account under the name of Iclemyer, where he does covers of Disney songs. Included are "Belle", "I'll Make A Man Out Of You", and "Part of Your World".

* DuetBonding: "Baby, It's Cold Outside".

* PromotedFanboy: AVeryPotterMusical became so popular that he was invited to the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 movie premiere... which he attended in ''full Harry costume'', and then spazzed out about being there.

** He and ChrisColfer were snarking jointly on Twitter after [[AndTheFandomRejoiced "Original Song"]] aired, in which their characters kissed. Oh, ''boys.''

** Also Blaine. You have never seen anyone as excited and happy as Blaine is about the Bee Gees.

** Also Blaine. This troper wishes she could be as excited and happy about ANYTHING as Blaine Anderson is about singing disco.

** Also unpopular? Whoever it is in hair and makeup that keeps attempting to MURDER HIS HAIR WITH GEL each episode.

->''"I'm Harry Freakin' Potter, and I'm the man!"''
-->-- '''AVeryPotterSequel'''

Started out in the surprise YouTube hit and AffectionateParody AVeryPotterMusical, as the titular character. He banded together with a few fellow University of Michigan students and formed TeamStarKid, a theater production company that is now Chicago-based. Among the [=StarKid=] projects that he's been in are [[AVeryPotterMusical AVPM]], AVeryPotterSequel, and LittleWhiteLie.

* {{Nakama}}: TeamStarkid. The outpouring of Twitter support for Darren landing ''{{Glee}}'' was heartwarming. Also, every time he performs solo and one of the Starkids is there, they end up being dragged onstage to sing their signature songs (i.e. Joey Richter dueting with Darren on "Granger Danger", Joe Walker on "Stutter").