Glee's Jane Lynch shares a softer and more soulful side as she opens up about playing 'mean' and being gay in Hollywood

PUBLISHED: 13:43 EST, 12 December 2013 | UPDATED: 15:17 EST, 12 December 2013

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Jane Lynch may be most famed for her portrayal of conniving and domineering Sue Sylvestor on Glee.

However, the 53-year-old actress expressed a warmth and soulfulness when discussing her attraction to characters with a mean streak, being gay in Hollywood and dreaming big from a young age in a new interview with the holiday issue of Michigan Avenue Magazine.

Yet that fighting spirit evident in Sue and her portrayal of the mean-spirited Miss Hannigan in the Broadway musical Annie, was still present in the conviction and passion she expressed for her craft.

Behind the steely exterior: Jane Lynch, famous for her portrayal of mean characters, revealed a softer and more soulful side in an interview with Michigan Avenue Magazine for its holiday issue

It all started as she made her rounds in the Chicago theatre scene.

'When I was doing all that stuff in Chicago, I didn’t look at it as paying my dues—I was doing exactly what I wanted to do and was thrilled every time I got a job, or every time someone asked me to be in a play, and I did it for free a lot,' the Glee star said.

'There’s kind of an openness and willingness to experiment—a team player kind of vibe—that would describe the Chicago theater scene, both Equity and Non-Equity. It’s really an actor’s town and a creative town, and we do it for the love of doing it.'

Doing what she loves: The 53-year-old actress expressed her passion for the stage when discussing her work in the Chicago theatre scene

The Dolton Illinois native persevered despite her mother's warnings when she was just a child.

'When I told my mother I wanted to be an actress, she told me, “Not everybody’s dreams come true,” and I started crying,' Jane said. 'She said, “I just want to protect you from the disappointment,” but it didn’t protect me from anything. It probably put more spunk in my desire to do what I wanted to do.'

'But it’s funny—years later my mom said, “I can just hit myself for what I said to you. It was just so wrong, but I really thought I was protecting you.”'

Dreaming big: The Glee star persevered in making her acting dreams come true despite her mother's warnings when she was young

The Glee star has become a role model in the LGBT community, and she acknowledged the progress Hollywood has made in its acceptance of diversity.

'First of all, Hollywood is so gay and has been forever—maybe not so much in front of the camera, and most people just didn’t know,' Jane said. 'It is much easier, but I think we still have a problem as an audience—we haven’t come far enough to where we will accept an openly gay person in a straight love interest role, whereas they can happen on Broadway all the time.'

Having fun with her dark side: Jane says she plays mean characters well because she is good at channeling 'put upon,' 'entitled,' and 'victimized'

'That’s the next thing around the corner. But yes, absolutely, I think it has [gotten easier], and it’s due to people who had the courage to stand up when nobody else was doing it—people like Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres, K.D. Lang standing up and saying, “Yes, this is who I am,” plus Rupert Everett, Ian McKellen, and [in British accent] the British male homosexuals.'

Having played two iconic mean characters: Sue Sylvester and Miss Hannigan, the Emmy Award winning star ruminated on her compatibility with such roles.

Back in the day: The Emmy award-winning actress pictured in the 1991-1992 run of the real live Brady Bunch

'I guess I have to take responsibility for it,' she said. 'I can’t sit here and say, “Well, I think people throw that at me,” and I’m the victim of this wonderful typecasting. You know, I think I just do 'put upon' well; I do victimized well, and I do entitled well, and I think it’s because I’m fascinated with all three of those things.'

'Of course they live in me, of course they do. But I find them hilarious and curious and a very satisfying step into the shoes. Whereas Miss Hannigan was kind of sloppy and drunk and frustrated and she just wanted out of there, Sue Sylvester is stealthy and looks at everything as an opportunity to wage war and win. She’s a warrior goddess.'