For context, Joy premiered in 2009 and ran until 2015, with Chris only 19 when he landed the role.
Speaking on the And that’s what you REALLY missed podcast, Chris recalls: “When I found out they had written this character for me, I was thrilled. When I finally got the script, I realized it was about the gay character and I was terrified.
He then explained that his hometown of Clovis, California, was a “dangerous” place to be openly gay, adding, “Kids were getting beat up. One day, someone was stabbed on their way to school. Being proud and proud was not an option.
So when he was hired JoyChris said playing a gay character was considered so taboo that a family member even told him not to take the role because it would “ruin” his life.
