Jonathan Groff plays narcissistic, backstabbing, and heartbreaking former rival show-choir member Jesse St. James on Glee, and he does so with an insouciant and enviable conviction. He is also a gay, which, since this is the Gay Guide to Glee, makes our fandom all the more raging. Tonight, Groff returns to the show for his 10th episode, so to celebrate his tin anniversary, we gave him a call. Highlights:

Brett Berk: You’ve made your triumphant return to Glee in the past few weeks. Is it true that the new plot trajectory for your character, Jesse St. James—in his work as a show-choir adviser—is based on the role of Sparky Polastri in the canonical film Bring It On?

Jonathan Groff: Oh my God! I wish. That would have been amazing! I haven’t seen that movie in such a long time.

What!?!

I mean, I’ve seen it many times. I just haven’t watched it lately.

Jonathan, write this down: You should watch Bring It On at least once every 9 to 12 months.

I know. I totally should. But no, Jesse St. James is not based on that. He’s his own man and his own character. And he’s not as talented at coaching as the guy in Bring It On, as you’ll see in the episode this week. He’s just mean. I actually couldn’t believe it when I read the scripts for this season. I thought I was coming back to redeem myself, and apologize to Lea—which I did, and do. But then in this week’s episode, I can’t believe how mean I am.

Truly. Last week, your bad attitude led to fisticuffs between you and Finn. In a real fight, how would you take him?

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Original Spring Awakening co-stars Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele will be reunited once again.
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In a recent interview with Playbill.com, Groff spoke about possibly returning to the hit TV series. "I had a blast on the show. I'd love to go back and do another episode," Groff said. The rehearsal schedule for the music-filled series he admitted is "pretty intense. A normal television show is really intense because it moves so fast and you have no rehearsal and you just sort of show up and do the scenes, and it's like a machine. ... And then on 'Glee,' you add on to that going to the studio and recording your number, and if it's a dance number, going to the rehearsal space and choreographing it, as well. So it's just sort of throwing two more elements into that already packed schedule. I had an easier time because I was a guest star, so I got to breeze in and do a couple of numbers and breeze back out again, but for the members of the company that are there every day in the classroom, like Matthew [Morrison] and all of the kids, it's a real grind for them, because even if that particular episode isn't about them, and they're not necessarily singing a lot in that episode, they're still doing all those classroom scenes, and probably recording and choreographing whatever they're doing for the next show. So, they're kept very, very busy, and the schedule is very, very tight."

"Glee" airs Tuesday nights at 8 PM ET on Fox.

Jonathan Groff will be returning to Fox juggernaut Glee before the season is over.
The actor is set to reprise his role as Jesse St. James in the last three episodes of the second season, The Hollywood Reporter confirms.
Groff, who plays Rachel Berry’s (Lea Michele) ex-boyfriend and is a Vocal Adrenaline member, appeared in multiple episodes in the latter half of Season 1. It was revealed that Vocal Adrenaline used his character in an effort to bring down New Directions.

Is NBC's Smash the Next Glee?

No doubt hoping to capitalize on Glee mania, NBC has ordered an hour-long musical pilot that follows a diverse cast of characters who come together to stage a Broadway show.

Titled Smash, the project boasts an impressive pedigree. Producers include Steven Spielberg, Chicago duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and Hairspray songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Spring Awakening‘s Michael Mayer is in talks to direct, which pretty much guarantees that there’s a role in this for Lea Michele’s former Spring leading man (and ex-Glee costar) Jonathan Groff.

Elsewhere on the pilot front, NBC has greenlit I Hate That I Love You, a “twisty” single-camera comedy from Will & Grace scribe Jhoni Marchinko about a straight couple that set up two lesbian friends on a blind date, resulting in both an instant attraction and a pregnancy.

Thoughts? Is NBC wise to jump on the Glee bandwagon? And should producers dispense with the formalities and just hire Jonathan Groff now? Sound off below!

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