EW: Chris Colfer reveals which character his new book A Tale of Sorcery... is openly gay — and why 's so important — THE LAND OF STORIES by Chris Colfer

Contents:

• EW: CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY... IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT
• CHRIS COLFER'S KIDS' BOOK A TALE OF MAGIC IS FIGHTG EX-GAY THERAPY
• TAL OF THE CY THOR: 'GAY ACTORS FOR GAY ROL'
• CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

EW: CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY... IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

It's very rare that a role like that to a young actor, pecially to a young, gay actor. EW got an exclive look at A Tale of Sorcery…, and spoke to Colfer about the potency of wrg an openly gay character a children's THE ARTICLE →.

CHRIS COLFER'S KIDS' BOOK A TALE OF MAGIC IS FIGHTG EX-GAY THERAPY

Chris Colfer is renowned for his Goln Globe-wng performance as Kurt Hummel on Fox's Glee, where he helped brg the story and stggl of a gay teen to an ternatnal dience. His latt book, A Tale of Magic..., which centers on people persecuted for practicg magic, "is an allegory for beg gay, " Colfer told The Advote a recent terview. A myster savr, Madame Weatherberry, rcu Brystal om tament and recs her on a missn to change the hearts and mds of the the followg terview, Colfer discs how antigay polics of the real world spired his magil allegory, which he lls a "manifto for passn.

How do you thk fictn -- your novel particular -- n fight agast antigay forc like "ex-gay" therapy the real world? For me, the magic A Tale of Magic is an allegory for beg gay. Media ptn, Armistead Mp: "Gay actors brg somethg special to gay rol" More than 20 years sce Armistead Mp's Tal of the Cy books were first ma to a seri for UK TV, a new adaptatn for global dienc begs this week wh a 10-part Netflix revival.

But didn't stop the protts om groups promotg fay valu who lled "gay propaganda" and "anti-fay, anti-relig". "I jt thk that a gay actor n brg somethg special to the role om their own experience. I've always wanted a gay man to play Michael Tolliver, for stance, he's sort of my alter ego, " says Mp.

TAL OF THE CY THOR: 'GAY ACTORS FOR GAY ROL'

Image source, NetflixImage ptn, Ellen Page (left), who is openly gay, wh -star Zosia Mamet Michael's character is played by Murray Bartlett. Image source, NetflixImage ptn, Charlie Bart and Murray Bartlett, both actors are openly gay"We've got many more 'out' actors now, but not enough.

There's still huge li beg told across the board, bee agents mand that if they're gay actors, there's still an ia Hollywood that the big stars n't be gay. "And we do have four or five really big stars who are gay, and they've gone to great lengths to ver up, gettg wiv and girliends.

EW got an exclive look at A Tale of Sorcery, and spoke to Colfer about the potency of wrg an openly gay character a children's book. " The Tale of Magic seri always explored acceptance and opprsn, and this is the first time my middle gra books that I have my first openly gay character. I have known sce the first time I ever nceived [Xantho] my head that I knew they were gay.

CHRIS COLFER REVEALS WHICH CHARACTER HIS NEW BOOK A TALE OF SORCERY IS OPENLY GAY — AND WHY 'S SO IMPORTANT

When I first started wrg, many people told me that I was makg a mistake bee the world wasn't ready to let their kids read a book by an openly gay man, so I really shied away om cludg any openly LGBT characters my first set of books bee I thought I was already fightg an uphill battle as was.

I actually reaed om g the word "gay" bee so many books get banned so many untri the mute you have the word "gay" the text. Although was ltle bs and piec, I was credibly happy to see and I hate that so many other reviews are bashg Colfer for cludg a gay uple his novel. 2 months before ATOS me out, I started headnong him as gay, bee, he's like, the only boy a school wh hundreds, maybe even thoands of girls, and is not attracted to at least 1 of them.

So when I learned he was gay ATOS, I eaked. Throughout the llectn we meet gay characters who have created sometim elaborate falsehoods and who now mt pe wh the way that those ceptns eat at the very fabric of their liv and relatnships. And ’s a mec for gay men and the women who love them.