If you’ve seen the new Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, you’ve more than likely finished every episode wanting to know everything about Tituss Burgess.
Burgess appears in Tina Fey’s scripted drama as Titus Adromedon, the clever gay sidekick to the show’s damsel in distress, Kimmy Schmidt. However, Burgess is proving to be so much bigger than a sidekick.
In fact, The Daily Beast recently dubbed the 36-year-old actor “the comedy breakout star of the year.”
Monday, it was announced that Burgess will receive a 2015 Webby Award (considered by many as the Oscar Award of the internet), alongside his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt co-star Ellie Kemper.
But don’t think Burgess is letting all of this sudden fame go to his head. The Broadway veteran says he’s just doing what he’s been doing… acting… but this time on a much larger platform.
“It’s an interesting transition. I have always been doing the work that I’ve been doing. Now it’s just in front of people,” Burgess, who’s appeared in four Broadway musicals, tells theGrio. “It’s just more people know about it. But it’s certainly lovely. It’s what every actor wants.”
One of the most-talked about moments from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt happens when Burgess’ character sets out to make a viral video, expressing his love for Pinot Noir… and other things. The song becomes a viral hit on the show but has also become somewhat of a phenomenon in real life.
Burgess says most of the lyrics to his hit song “Peeno Noir” were completely improvised live with cameras rolling.
“They kept telling me ‘you’re going to be doing this video song thing, but we don’t really have the song written yet, but don’t worry,'” he recalls. “I got the song and it was compartmentalized and they’re like ‘we’re just gonna yell out things at you and just make up something.’ I don’t improvise very well. That’s not my jam.”
“When it came time to shoot, I thought surely we’re gonna have a rehearsal, surely they’re gonna tell me something. Quite literally, you know that line where I say, ‘I got a beat and an attitude’? that is truly the composition of that song.”
Burgess also opens up about the acceptance of LGBT characters on TV today.
Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.