Matthew leaving the ITV Studios today after being a guest on Lorraine.



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He's pals with Gwyneth, sings with Elton and stars in a hit TV show. So have money and gossip changed Glee's Matthew Morrison?



On screen as Will Schuester ("Mr Schue"), the Glee club's teacher, Matthew Morrison is kind of geeky, nervous, insecure. In life he's just the opposite, brimming with an all-American confidence and optimism.

He is about to break out from Glee (which comes to the end if its second series this week) - if only briefly - because he's recorded an album of songs that he's taking on tour. The songs are bold, a mix of Broadway melodies and duets with Elton John, Sting and, of course, Gwyneth Paltrow. After she appeared on Glee as a substitute teacher and they stole an episode singing and dancing in the rain - in homage to Gene Kelly - they became fast friends. So much so that there were rumours that their delight in each other's company was something more. In fact, within the space of just a few months, Morrison has been linked to Kelly Brook, Princess Beatrice and Paltrow.

How did that feel?
"It feels not real because it isn't real. I actually don't Google myself because of that. Working with Gwyneth, she became such a great friend and someone I look up to. She's had so much fame, and an Oscar, yet she's the most down-to-earth, humble person. She brought her kids to the set, and is the best mum and wife. A person first, an actress second."

Does being constantly linked to any woman he happens to be standing next affect his real-life romantic prospects, how he'd feel if a relationship were real and under constant scrutiny?
"No, people can think what they like. I know that I am a very good boyfriend. I take it very seriously. And I am comfortable in my own skin."

What he does not take seriously is his newly acquired sex-symbol status. He squirms when it is mentioned. Morrison is quite a serious 32-year-old. He worked for ten years on Broadway from the age of 19 before he got his big break.
"I always wanted to be on Broadway, and towards the end of that ten years I had a bigger dream, to work in television and film. I got small parts here and there, but Glee has definitely been..." He pauses for the word - amazing, magnificent, wonderful?

Instead he just sighs and says, "I'm very fortunate and very lucky. I thought I'd be doing something in the medical profession. My parents were nurses in the military and then when I was five or six we settled in Northern California, where my dad went back to school and got his masters in nursing."

His father specialised in delivering babies yet only had one child himself. Did being an only child mean that Matthew had lots of time on his own to cook up his dreams and be in his own head from an early age?
"I think so. I had a wild imagination. I created stories in my head and a whole cast of characters and worlds. I think that's why I became an actor, because I was more comfortable in other people's skins than my own."
Was he shy growing up? "No. Because my parents were in the military we moved around a lot, so I had to make friends fast."


Life must be quite different being in a number one show, what with the attention, the invasion of privacy, the financial security. Does he see his life as before Glee and after Glee?
"You know," he says, putting on a voice that is sage and soft and calm. "I'm so happy it happened at the time it did. I'm grateful for my slow rise in the ranks. It's really prepared me for where I am now. Yes, I'm a household name, but for me it's just another job that I love doing. I still live like a starving actor, to be honest. I'm very frugal with my money because I'm scared of losing my job, so I still have starving-actor mentality."

He doesn't like spending money on clothes or anything frivolous. "I'm very tight with my money and real estate is the only thing I've put my money into. I've bought a home in Los Angeles. I don't think anyone can be fully prepared for how much this kind of fame can change a person's life..."

He's careful not to complain about anything. Nothing negative, nothing moany. It's been rumored that he'd like to capitalise on his fame as Mr Schue and break free from Glee. Because of the intense filming schedules it's very difficul to take on a film role and still do the show. So gossip circulates that he's ready to move on.
"That's just a wicked rumour and it came from somebody asking me if I missed Broadway. I love being on Glee, but I do miss the interaction with a live audience [he starred in the original Broadway production of the musical Hairspray]. It would be impossible to rehearse and have even a small run on a Broadway show, but there's time enough for some live performances. That's why I wanted to do an album and tour, so I would get the opportunity to perform live.
"To sing with Sting and Elton on the record was amazing. With Sting I did a song called Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot and we had a big gospel choir behind us," he says, still sounding somewhat amazed. "My life is pretty good right now and I can't complain about anything. I'm a person who is in the present the whole time and I stay in the present."

What makes him miserable? "Miserable people. I'm optimistic and I like surrounding myself with optimistic people. I have friends that I can bounce things off who keep me in check and keep me humble so that my life never gets too big."


He says that the cast of Glee are like a family, and just like when he was a child he's used to making intense friendships quickly and in the moment. In the next series he plans to direct an episode. Is that a means to cut his teeth as director for future projects?
"Absolutely. I've learnt a lot from my time at Glee. Directors come and go and I see the good ones and the bad ones. I've learnt a lot in the process."

Is his character, Mr Schue, based on an actual teacher? "Yes. The director of my performing arts high school in Southern California, Dr Ralph Opacic. When I was there I was torn between arts and athletics, rather like [Glee character] Finn. He sat me down and said, 'You're really something special and I think you can have a great career in acting.' He pushed me down that road and I thank God he did."

Does he ever wonder what would have happened if he'd taken the athletic path? He pauses, not wanting to think about the past even for a minute.
"I've led a pretty charmed life. I've had really big dreams and I've seen a lot of those dreams come true. I always just hope for the best.

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Thanks to Pauline! Scans from the article to come soon.

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The Glee star chats to Female First about his debut album and touring.



A week away from his first full live show, Matthew Morrison took the time to chat to us about his influences, his debut album and what to expect from his live shows.

-Are you looking forward to the London show next week?
Oh my god, like no other! I'm really excited about it.

-What can fans expect from it in terms of the set-list then?
There’s going to definitely be some songs from Glee, definitely songs from my album. There might be some interesting duets that might take place. My show has kind of an old school flavour, like an old school song and dance man. Very moody, very sexy kind of vibe.

-Are you expecting a bit of a crossover fan base for it?
I have no idea, to be honest. It’ll be the first concert that I’m doing, so I don’t know what the fan base is going to be, to be honest.

-You had to cancel tour dates this week because of some dates with New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys. Do you plan to reschedule those dates?
Absolutely.

-You got your start on Broadway and in musical theatre. Do you think that will help you with the live show?
I’ve been on stage my entire life, that’s where I’m most comfortable. I’m more comfortable on stage than I am in my real life. I’m very confident that my show’s going to be great, I’m excited about it.

-Do you have any musical background, in terms of playing instruments? Did you have any background really before the album?
Yeah, I performed a couple of things but never like a full-on show. I play a lot of instruments on stage.

-Ah, okay. Who are your influences musically?
It’s very eclectic. I would actually say Elton John, I would say Don Ho. I listen to everything. I listen to classical, I listen to a lot of Bob Marley. It’s kind of all over the map.

-What prompted the idea to actually do this debut album?
It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, but I think Glee has afforded me the opportunity to make the album that I wanted to make, and do it in the right way.

-Are you grateful for the opportunity that’s given you?
Oh, absolutely. Glee’s been great for everyone that’s been a part of it.

-How have you found the initial reception to the album, now that it’s finally out?
Pretty good. I was expecting…I don’t know what I was expecting. I was very happy with it. It was really the first time I was involved in the song-writing process. A lot of it was kinda new to me. As happy as I am with this first album, I’m looking forward to the next one, and the one after that, to continue the journey.

-How was that whole writing process for the album?
I have such new found, deep respect for the song writing process. It’s a beautiful thing. You’re creating something out of nothing and the amount of work that goes into it is just amazing. I was kinda unaware of how much effort it took and how expressive it can be. It was very therapeutic, in a way.

-Did you have a lot of control over the track-listing of the album? Was it basically just your decision?
It was completely my decision. The record label was just so generous with me.

-Are you finding it ok balancing this with your other projects?
To be honest, no. I have a little too much going on right now.

-How do you plan on trying to balance them for the rest of the year? Are you having to take time off from certain things?
Well, Glee has to go when Glee goes. We start back mid-August, so I’m really trying to get as much touring and promoting the album into this small window that I have.

-Did you find this different to contributing to the various Glee soundtracks?
Yeah, because Glee is mostly covering songs. This is definitely a different experience, because it’s a lot more personal.

-Is it something you prefer then, doing your own work rather than covers?
Yeah, I think so. Even when I do a Broadway show, I always want to do a new Broadway show, something that hasn’t been done before.

-Have you got any plans on that front coming up?
Not coming up, because there’s too much going on. As soon as Glee’s done that’s going to be one of the first things I do, either a Broadway show or a West End show.

-I mentioned it earlier, regarding the tour with New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys. Did that just sort of come up at the last minute?
It was, I had my whole tour planned out, and I’d be playing to 2 to 3,000 seats a night. This was the opportunity to play to 15 or 20,000 a seats a night in these huge arenas, a chance to gain a much broader audience.

-Do you think your music will cross over to fans of those bands?
I think so. When I think of those kind of fans, I think of women between the ages of 20 to 40, and I think that’s right in my demographic.

-Do you hope to expand that, or are you just grateful for what you’ve got?
I’m always grateful for what I’ve got, but I do. People ask me ‘What do you classify your music as’, and mine’s very easy listening, a soothing voice. I just hope people enjoy it.

-How would you convince people to open their mind and actually give you a chance?
I would just say listen to it. I understand it, though. I understand that someone you think of as a character, it’s hard to get your head around it.

-What can we expect from you for the rest of the year, besides touring?
Well, touring, then I start back up in Glee. Then I have a movie that’s in the works as well.

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Check out some exclusive pictures from the ET Canada Q&A that took place on May 30th at Toronto Eaton Center!



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Many thanks to Amy, who was one of the lucky VIP pass holders and kind enough to share her pictures with us!

Also added additional pictures from the Goodman Theater 10th Anniversary Gala.



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