Chris Colfer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Colfer
Colfer at a book signing event in August 2013
Born	Christopher Paul Colfer (1990-05-27) May 27, 1990 (age 35) Clovis, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer writer
Years active	2009–present
Partner(s)	Will Sherrod (2013–present)

Chris Colfer (born May 27, 1990) is an American actor, singer, and author. He became famous for playing Kurt Hummel on the TV show Glee from 2009 to 2015. His role as Kurt was highly praised.

Chris won a Golden Globe Award in 2011 for his acting on Glee. He also won three People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedic TV Actor. In April 2011, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Colfer also wrote, starred in, and produced his first movie, Struck by Lightning. This film came out in 2012. He is also the author of The New York Times bestselling The Land of Stories book series. His first book in the series was The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. As of June 2024, he has published twenty books.

Early Life and School

Chris Colfer was born in Clovis, California. His parents are Karyn and Timothy Colfer. His family has Irish roots. Chris has said that Saint Patrick's Day is a very big celebration in his home.

When Chris was a child, he had a surgery that kept him in the hospital for three months. He believes this difficult time made him interested in creating his own fictional worlds. When he was seven, his younger sister was diagnosed with severe epilepsy. Chris felt his parents' attention went to his sister's health. He wanted to be an actor, but he also started writing fairy tales to cope and use his imagination.

Chris loved writing from a young age. He felt he was "born wanting to be a storyteller." He used writing and acting to entertain people and escape reality. His grandmother was his first editor. She encouraged him when he first tried to write a fairy tale novel in elementary school. This later became The Land of Stories. In 2012, Chris dedicated his first published book to her. He quoted her saying, "Christopher, I think you should wait until you're done with elementary school before worrying about being a failed writer."

Chris faced bullying in middle school. It was so bad that he was homeschooled for part of 7th and 8th grade. When he went to Clovis East High School, he joined the speech and debate program. He won many awards, including placing ninth in a state competition. He was also active in the drama club and was president of the Writer's Club. He was also the editor of the school's literary magazine.

In high school, he wrote, starred in, and directed a funny version of Sweeney Todd. It was called "Shirley Todd," and all the roles were played by the opposite gender. A real experience from his school life was used in Glee. His high school teachers would not let him sing "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked because it is usually sung by a woman.

Career Highlights

Chris Colfer's first acting role was in a community theatre play called West Side Story. He then appeared in The Sound of Music as Kurt von Trapp. This role later inspired the name of his Glee character.

At 18, Chris starred as Russel Fish in a short film. It was called Russel Fish: The Sausage and Eggs Incident. In the film, his character is an awkward teenager. He has to pass a physical fitness test to avoid failing gym class. If he failed, he would lose his admission to Harvard University.

Starring in Glee

Chris Colfer's first TV role was in 2009. He was cast as Kurt Hummel on Fox's show Glee. Chris first auditioned for the part of Artie Abrams. That role eventually went to Kevin McHale.

Colfer at the Time 100 Gala in April 2011

The show's creator, Ryan Murphy, was very impressed with Chris. He decided to create the role of Kurt just for him. Murphy explained that Chris was so "incredible and special" that they had to make a role for him.

Chris won the 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Kurt Hummel. In his acceptance speech, he thanked Ryan Murphy. He also dedicated his award to kids who have been bullied. He wanted to tell them they can achieve their dreams. He was nominated twice for an Emmy Award for his role.

In 2013 and 2014, Chris won People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedic TV Actor. People praised his speeches for being funny. He also mentioned fanfiction and fanart to show he appreciated his fans.

Jenna Ushkowitz, Colfer and Heather Morris during a performance of "Single Ladies" on the tour Glee Live! In Concert! in 2011

Writing The Land of Stories

On June 8, 2011, Chris Colfer signed a book deal. He agreed to write two children's novels for Little, Brown and Company. The first book was The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. It came out on July 17, 2012.

The books are about twins named Conner and Alex Bailey. They find their grandma's storybook. Then they go on adventures in "The Land of Stories." For two weeks after it was released, the book was number one on The New York Times Best Seller list for Children's Chapter Books.

The second book, The Land of Stories: The Enchantress Returns (2013), also did very well. It was number two on The New York Times Best Seller list. Because of the success of the first two books, Chris signed a deal for three more books.

The third book, The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning, came out on July 8, 2014. It reached No. 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list. Chris's fourth book, The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms, was released on July 7, 2015. After this, The Land of Stories became the No. 1 series on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Chris also wrote a picture book called The Curvy Tree. It came out in October 2015. This book is based on a short fairy tale he first told in The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. The fifth book, The Land of Stories: An Author's Odyssey, was released on July 12, 2016. The sixth and final book in the series, The Land of Stories: Worlds Collide, came out on July 11, 2017.

In June 2017, it was announced that Chris Colfer would direct a movie based on The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. He will also write the script and help produce the movie.

Other Creative Works

Chris Colfer wrote, starred in, and produced the comedy film Struck by Lightning. The movie is about his character, Carson Phillips, who is struck by lightning and dies. It shows his life as he blackmails his classmates to help him publish a literary magazine. The film was shown for the first time in 2012 at the Tribeca Film Festival.

In March 2012, Chris performed in a play called 8. This play was a reenactment of a real court case. It was about overturning a ban on same-sex marriage in California. The performance was broadcast online to raise money for equal rights.

Chris also had a deal with the Disney Channel. He was going to adapt a book called The Little Leftover Witch for a TV pilot. He also wrote another movie script. However, these projects have been delayed.

In 2014, it was announced that Chris would voice the main character in an animated film called Robodog. The film is about a robot dog and a human. The director said Chris's "appealing, youthful voice" was perfect for the character.

In March 2014, the producers of Glee asked Chris to write an episode. He said he never thought he would write for the show. The episode he wrote was called "Old Dog, New Tricks" and aired in May 2014.

In 2014 and 2015, Chris guest starred on the show Hot in Cleveland. He played Tony, the son of one of the main characters. He also appeared in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016.

In 2017, Chris announced a new TV show idea called Indigo. It is a science fiction drama about children with special abilities. These children are often misdiagnosed with illnesses. Chris plans to write and direct the first episode.

More Books

In 2012, Chris released a companion book to his film Struck by Lightning. It was called Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal.

In 2017, Chris released his second book for young adult readers. It was called Stranger Than Fanfiction. The book is about a famous TV star who takes a road trip with four of his biggest fans.

On October 1, 2019, Chris published a new book, A Tale of Magic.... This book is a prequel to The Land of Stories series. The next book, A Tale of Witchcraft..., came out in 2020. The final part, A Tale of Sorcery..., was published in 2021.

Chris's new projects include a series of children's books about space and UFOs. The first book, "Roswell Johnson Saves the World," was published on June 4, 2024.

Personal Life

Chris Colfer has been in a relationship with actor and producer Will Sherrod since 2013.

In June 2010, Chris appeared on a British talk show. He showed his skill with a pair of sai, which are Japanese weapons. He said he bought them online and practices regularly. He hoped his sai could be used in an episode of Glee. They appeared in the "I Am Unicorn" episode during his character's performance.

Helping Others

Chris Colfer actively supports the It Gets Better campaign. This campaign aims to help young LGBTQ people. He also supports The Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services. He made an It Gets Better video and dedicated his 2011 Golden Globe Award to bullied kids.

In 2013, Chris filmed a public service announcement (PSA) with Elmo from Sesame Street. This PSA was about anti-bullying. He also participated in a run to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2014, he was in a PSA for Let Girls Learn, a program to help girls get an education. On the show Hollywood Game Night, Chris won $6,000 and donated it to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America.

Chris was also a co-chair for the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party in 2013 and 2014.

Film and TV Roles

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Chris Colfer para niños