Marshall Williams plays gay football player Spencer on Glee

While we're sitting through the moon-eyed stares of estranged couple Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) on the final season of Fox's Glee, you may find yourself distracted by a new gay face around McKinley High. Meet Spencer Porter and the actor who plays him, Marshall Williams. Spencer is a new kind of gay character for Glee in that he's out, an athlete and isn't one to go around waving the pride flag.

Yes, times have changed and maybe in 2015 a coming out story on Glee is just too first season since Spencer is a self-proclaimed 'post modern gay' who would never let bullies throw him into a trash dumpster. Also, for the good looking, buzzed cut teen, being gay is not the first thing that would come out of his mouth when describing himself and as he told Kurt when he was asked to join the glee club, he's not into Gaga, Newsies and isn't writing Archie/Jughead fan fiction. In fact, Spencer's final summation for why he doesn't want to join the glee club? "I think it sucks."

So, is Marshall's post-gay anti-show choir attitude just who the guy is, or is it merely posturing? And when will we see the guy sing on the show?

TheBacklot talked to Williams recently about playing Spencer and while it sounds like we may not get to know more about the new guy until later in the season, the actor/singer did have some opinions about who might be Spencer's type and how much we'll see him forge a friendship with the other gays on the show.

The BackLot: Congratulations on joining Glee. Tell me kind of your take on this guy when you stepped into his shoes.

Marshall Williams: I see him as a guy who doesn’t see his sexuality as something that defines him. He’s his own person and he doesn’t let others define him by his sexuality.

Spencer is a football player so he’s got that kind of aggressive side to him, but what other layers will we see?

MW: I think Spencer has a really nice arc throughout the season. I can’t tell you too much about it, but he’s definitely not going to be just the jerk football player the whole time.

How has it been being a part of this show? I’m guessing that you knew of it beforehand, so how has it been being in the world?

MW: It’s awesome. I’m having a great time being on set. It’s pretty surreal being with all the senior cast members. I remember watching Glee, because I’m into singing and whatnot so it’s really cool to be part of that now. It’s always a really nice dynamic on set and especially with all the new guys coming in at the same time. We have our own little unique friendship with all being the new kids.

— Marshall Williams (@itsmarshallw) January 18, 2015

Regular viewers of Glee have gotten very used to Kurt and Blaine over the years. Will Spencer interact with them much? We've seen a little bit with Kurt but that's about it.

MW: Later on in the season Kurt’s going to help Spencer work out some issues. They have a special kind of bond because they both are united in the sense that they both are gay.

We’re at a time with television and even films where gay characters don’t really create the stir like they used to. Are you aware of that time and how things are different now?

MW: Oh, yeah. Glee revolutionized that sense and really pumped it out there, that it was okay and brought in into the public spectrum that made it okay. It’s like Glee made it okay for people to be gay on TV, if that makes sense.

Do we get to know anything about his dating history?

MW: He might have something happen later on in the season, but I guess you’ll have to keep watching to make sure. He’s not really too much of a kiss and tell kind of guy so you don’t really see that right away from him.

What do you think Spencer’s type is? Is it somebody who’s kind of like him or somebody who’s very different?

MW: Spencer’s type is someone who’s kind of like him, who doesn’t define themselves with their sexuality.

Is there an upcoming episode that you’re just excited for fans to see?

MW: I’m really excited for the tenth episode. That’s when you really get to see the newbies come out of their shells and get a lot more action in front of the camera.

What is your own personal musical taste?

MW: My favorite kind of music is country, that’s like what I listen to all the time. Other than that I like rock, soft rock, alternative-- but definitely country is my number one go to for music.

Favorite performers?

MW: I guess Garth Brooks is always up there. Johnny Cash. But basically all 90s country is what I’m really into because I’m from Winnipeg. You have to drive everywhere there so I always listen to the radio. I know like every 90s country hit for some reason.

Any opinion on Taylor Swift?

MW: I liked her older stuff a lot more just because I like country a lot.

Have you done roles like this before where you’re acting but also singing?

MW: Not really. A few years ago I tried out for Canadian Idol and I got cut in the top 40 but I was a lot younger at that time. So I’m used to singing but I’m not used to singing on camera so that was kind of a big change to me and learning how to record at Capital Records was a big difference from live singing but I did a Disney movie last year where I got to sing my first song on TV, which was really cool, but other than that I haven’t had any like actually singing on camera, kind of stuff or movies.

Williams (left) in Disney's How to Build a Better Boy (2014)

What was the Disney Channel movie?

MW: It’s called How to Build a Better Boy. Have you seen Weird Science?

Yes

MW: It’s that but it’s reversed. They create this perfect boy instead of the perfect girl. Kelli Berglund and China McClain play these two tech savvy teens that make the perfect boy, which is a robot, which is me. It’s really fun.

Glee airs Fridays at 9pm on Fox.