In Glee, Kevin McHale plays the widely loved character of Artie. He is the wheelchair-bound singer and musician who in season one embarks on a tentative relationship with his Glee Club colleague Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz).
22-year-old Kevin, who has also starred in True Blood, The Office, Zoey 101 and All That, starts by explaining the phenomenal success of Glee, which has already won a massive number of awards this year.
“The show is about embracing your inner loser,” muses the actor, a former member of the boy band, NLT (Not Like Them), who toured the US and supported The Pussycat Dolls. “Whether they admit to it or not, everyone has an inner loser. Above all, it works because people always root for the underdog.”
Kevin, who hails from Plano, Texas, but now lives in Los Angeles, suggests that the show’s positivity has also contributed to its popularity. “The world has seen better days. We’re going through grim times at the moment – everything is up in the air globally.
“But Glee is so positive and has such energy – I’m sure that’s been a factor in its success. There are a lot of serious shows out there, but there is also room for fun, camp ones like this.”
The actor continues that music has also played a vital role in the acclaim accorded to Glee. “We all love music. What song do you sing in the shower? I’ll admit to Michael Buble! The acoustics in the bathroom make you think, ‘I can do this!’
“On Glee, we use music that everyone has grown up with, but put it in a different context. That brings a whole new spin to it. The amount of emotion that can come out of a two-minute song is not possible in a simple two-minute scene. It immediately takes you onto a completely different plane. Also, we have eight songs an episode, so you’re bound to like one of them!”
He adds that the schedule on Glee is quite demanding. “When we started, we had a week to learn each song. Now we have to learn it one day and shoot it the next. We have to maintain that level of performance. Fortunately we have an amazing choreographer, who knows exactly what we can do.”
Kevin, who was part of the cast which scooped the gong for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, thinks that the show’s self-mocking sense of humour has also helped make it a winner. “The approach is ‘I feel bad – let me tell you about it in a song’. We make fun of ourselves before anyone else can. As long as we’re self-deprecating, I’m all for it.”
The actor believes it is good that the show does not make a big song and dance about the fact that Artie is in a wheelchair. “At first, you root for him because he’s physically challenged, but by the end he’s just another member of the Glee Club.
“You go from seeing eleven people and one person in a wheelchair to seeing twelve people. It’s not hammered home as a big issue. In real life, it’s not a big deal. If you don’t put a big emphasis on something, it becomes normal.”
Kevin concludes by underlining how his life has been transformed by the success of Glee. “Jenna and I were in a store yesterday, and suddenly we had ten people around us screaming. People feel that they can relate to our characters and that we’re approachable. It’s not like we’re Angelina Jolie.
“You never know if what you’re doing will have an impact. But when singing teachers come up and say ‘thank you,’ that’s pretty cool.”
Interview courtesy of Next Entertainment
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