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Christopher Paul ColferAccording to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905–1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. Searchable at http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461 (born May 27, 1990) is an American actor, singer, and author. He gained international recognition for his portrayal of Kurt Hummel on the television musical Glee (2009–2015). Colfer's portrayal of Kurt received critical praise for which he has been the recipient of several awards, including the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film, three consecutive People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedic TV Actor from 2013 to 2015, two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominations and one Grammy Awards nomination. In April 2011, Colfer was named one of the Time 100, Time list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Colfer wrote, starred in, produced, and novelized his first film, Struck by Lightning, which debuted at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. He also wrote The New York Times bestselling The Land of Stories series of children's fiction books, starting with . , he has published twenty books.
When Colfer was seven, his younger sister was diagnosed with severe epilepsy; he said, "She'd have these horrid, horrid epileptic fits in the middle of the night." He "craved attention" from his parents, but it was diverted to his sister's health. He knew he wanted to be an actor, but as a coping mechanism he retreated into his imagination and began writing fairy tales.
At an early age, Colfer showed a passion for writing. He was "born wanting to be a storyteller", using both writing and acting as ways to entertain people and escape reality. His grandmother was his first editor, advising and encouraging him in elementary school when he first attempted to write a fairytale-inspired novel, which would later become The Land of Stories. In 2012, Colfer dedicated his first published novel to her, and quoted her: "Christopher, I think you should wait until you're done with elementary school before worrying about being a failed writer."
Colfer was Bullying so severely in middle school that he needed to be Homeschooling for half of 7th grade and 8th grade. "'Glee' cast talks of new season, how show changed them", Manila Bulletin, October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2011. When he attended Clovis East High School, he was involved with the speech and debate program, and he won "champion titles", including placing ninth in the State Competition for Dramatic Interpretation. He was also active in the Amateur theatre, the FFA, "was president of the Writer's Club, editor of the school's literary magazine, and captain of Destination ImagiNation". Chris Colfer on Glee wiki Gleewiki on Fox.com. Retrieved November 14, 2009. As a high school senior, he wrote, starred in, and directed a spoof of Sweeney Todd entitled Shirley Todd, in which all of the roles were gender-reversed. One of his real in-school experiences was later turned into a subplot for his character on Glee, when the high school teachers denied him the chance to sing "Defying Gravity" from the musical Wicked because it is traditionally sung by a woman. Glee's Chris Colfer Reveals Real-Life Story Behind Kurt's Diva Moment People, November 12, 2009.
At age 18, Colfer starred as Russel Fish in , a short film in which an awkward teenager must pass a Presidential Physical Fitness test or fail gym class and lose his admission to Harvard University.
There have been a couple of times when I have gone to Ryan Murphy and told him a couple of things that have happened to me, and then he writes it into the show. Or he'll ask me what song I would want to sing, in this situation or in that situation. I don't think any of us directly try to give input on the character or on the storyline, but they definitely steal things from us.
Colfer won the 2011 Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series for his performance as Kurt Hummel. In his emotional acceptance speech, he thanked Ryan Murphy for being his "fairy godfather" and dedicated the award to kids who have been bullied and told "they can't ... have what they want because of who they are." He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for his portrayal of Kurt.
In 2013 and 2014, Colfer won consecutive People's Choice Awards for Favorite Comedic TV Actor. Both speeches he gave were praised by the media for being funny while making references to things like fanfiction and fanart to show his appreciation for fan culture.
Amazon.com The books are about Conner and Alex Bailey, twins, who get their grandma's story book and go through adventures in "The Land of Stories". For two weeks after the book's release, it was number one on The New York Times Best Seller list in the Children's Chapter Books category.New York Times, New York Times Best Sellers August 5, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
The second book in the series, (2013) debuted at number two on The New York Times Best Seller list, and by the end of 2013, it had spent eleven weeks in the top fifteen for Children's Middle Grade books. Following the success of the first two books, Colfer contracted for an additional three books with Little, Brown: two novels and a picture book.
The third book in the series, The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning, was released on July 8, 2014. Now considered a series, it reached No. 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list and spent four weeks on the list.
Colfer's fourth novel, The Land of Stories: Beyond the Kingdoms, was released on July 7, 2015. Following its release, The Land of Stories charted at No. 1 as a series on The New York Times Best Seller list for the first time on July 26.
The picture book, written by Colfer and illustrated by Brandon Dorman, The Curvy Tree was released in October 2015 and is based on a short original fairy tale of the same name, which Colfer first told in The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell.
The fifth book in the series, The Land of Stories: An Author's Odyssey, was released on July 12, 2016. The sixth and final installment, The Land of Stories: Worlds Collide was released on July 11, 2017.
In June 2017, it was announced that Colfer would make his directorial debut with a film adaptation of The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. He would also write the script and serve as one of the executive producers on the project. In July 2025, Deadline confirmed that Warner Bros Pictures had acquired the rights, with Phil Johnston adapting the series.
In March 2012, Colfer was featured in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play, 8 – a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage – as Ryan Kendall. The production was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
Colfer landed a deal with the Disney Channel to adapt the book The Little Leftover Witch for a television pilot.Tim Stack, "Glee star Chris Colfer discusses his new pilot for Disney and Kurt's return to McKinley – EXCLUSIVE", Entertainment Weekly, April 22, 2011. He also wrote another movie, set in an asylum, which he planned to appear in as a supporting actor. However, both of these projects were delayed with no expected dates for production.
On January 28, 2014, it was announced that Colfer would star in a new 3D CG artwork animated family film by Marza Animation Planet, Robodog, as the voice of the title character. The film, which will costar Ron Perlman, is described as "a classic, heart-warming adventure story about an unlikely duo who couldn't be more different." The film's director, Henry F. Anderson III, said Colfer is "perfect" for the project because he "has an appealing, youthful voice which fits right in with our lead character, KC, who is above all a charismatic entertainer." Vocal recording for the film began on February 1, 2014. The film is now in post-production, though as of 2019 no release date has been set.
After a few months of planning, it was revealed in March 2014, that Colfer had been asked by Glees producers to write an episode. About the offer, Colfer said: "I've been asked in interviews if I ever wanted to write an, and I said, 'Absolutely not because it was not my world.' I didn't want to tamper with someone else's image. Then they were like, 'Here, come tamper. The title of the episode, which aired in May 2014, is "Old Dog, New Tricks".
In 2014, Colfer guest starred on an episode of Hot in Cleveland as Tony, Victoria's son. In March 2015, Jane Leeves posted an image on Twitter confirming that Colfer would be returning to an episode titled "All About Elka" in the show's final season. Colfer, other guest star Carol Burnett and Betty White all sang and performed in a "musical" being directed by Victoria (Wendie Malick).
On May 14, 2015, it was made public that the biopic Colfer has been mentioning for almost a year was going to be about Noël Coward with the working title Noel, with Colfer in the title role. Colfer prepared for the role in London. The film would be directed by Joe Stephenson. While filming was expected to begin sometime during the summer of 2015, it has been delayed.
In 2016, he played Christopher in . He had been offered the role by Jennifer Saunders after he invited her to the Glee: Live tour in 2011. He also appeared as a guest judge in Chopped Junior.
In 2017, Colfer announced he would develop a new TV show called Indigo, a sci-fi drama about indigo children who are misdiagnosed as having mental or physical illnesses, when they really possess supernatural abilities. TV Line reported that Indigo would be offered for sale to streaming services and television networks, with Colfer writing and directing the pilot episode, and co-executive producing with Keith Quinn and Rob Weisbach.
Colfer will star as Boyd in a horror film titled The Restoration at Grayson Manor, which is set to be released in fall 2025.
In early 2017, Colfer released his second book for young adult readers called Stranger Than Fanfiction. The book follows the story of Cash Carter, a world-famous television star who decides to take a cross-country road trip with four of his biggest fans, as they are getting ready to enter college.
On October 1, 2019, Colfer came out with a new book, A Tale of Magic.... It is a prequel to the Land of Stories series. The sequel, A Tale of Witchcraft..., was published on September 29, 2020, with the final part, A Tale of Sorcery... published on September 28, 2021.
Colfer's new projects include a series of children's books with space and UFOs as a theme. The first book, Roswell Johnson Saves the World, was published on June 4, 2024.
Colfer appeared on the British chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in June 2010, together with his fellow Glee co-stars Amber Riley and Matthew Morrison. He demonstrated his skill with a pair of sai, revealing that he bought a pair on eBay and regularly practices in his trailer. He also mentioned that he would like it if his sai could be worked into an episode of Glee; they first appeared in the season 3 episode "I Am Unicorn", during Colfer's character Kurt Hummel's performance of "I'm the Greatest Star" from the musical Funny Girl.
During the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, Colfer endorsed Democratic candidate Karen Bass (who would later be elected) and donated to her campaign.
In 2013, Colfer filmed a public service announcement (PSA) with Elmo about anti-bullying for Sesame Street, and participated in the Course of the Force run benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2014, he participated in a PSA about Let Girls Learn, put out by the U.S. Agency for International Development. On Hollywood Game Night, hosted by Glee co-star Jane Lynch, Colfer won $6,000 and donated it to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of America.
Colfer was a co-chair for the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party in 2013 and 2014. He is a coalition member of Uprising of Love, an organization which supports the safety and dignity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Russians.
Other works
Colfer wrote, starred in, executive-produced, and novelized the coming-of-age comedy film Struck by Lightning. The plot revolves around Colfer's character, who is struck and killed by a bolt of lightning, and chronicles his exploits as he blackmails his fellow senior classmates into contributing to a literary magazine he is publishing. It was shot during the Glee hiatus in the summer of 2011 and had its world premiere in 2012 at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Other books
In 2012, Colfer released a companion book to his film Struck by Lightning, called Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal.
Personal life
In an interview with Chelsea Handler in December 2009, Colfer stated that he is gay. He has been in a relationship with actor and producer Will Sherrod since 2013.
Philanthropy
Colfer is an active supporter of the It Gets Better campaign and The Trevor Project, creating an It Gets Better video after the Glee episode "Never Been Kissed" aired; he dedicated his 2011 Golden Globe Award to bullied kids in LGBTQ communities.
Filmography
Film
2009 Russel Fish Short film 2010 Marmaduke Drama Dog No. 2 Voice 2011 Kurt Hummel 2012 Struck by Lightning Carson Phillips Also writer and executive producer 2016 Christopher 2025 The Restoration at Grayson Manor Boyd TBA The Potters Asher Potter Pre-production
Television
2009–2010 Entertainment Tonight Himself 2009–2015 Glee Kurt Hummel Main role; 116 episodes
Also writer on "Old Dog, New Tricks"2011 The Cleveland Show Voice Saturday Night Live Himself 2012 8 Ryan Kendall TV movie The Glee Project Himself Guest mentor 2012–2014 The Talk 2013 Bitter Party of Five 2014 Hollywood Game Night 1 episode 2014, 2015 Hot in Cleveland Tony Chase Episodes: "Straight Out of Cleveland", "All About Elka" 2017 Julie's Greenroom Himself Episode: "The Write Stuff!" 2018 Episode: "My Best Squirrelfriend's Dragsmaids Wedding Trip" 2020 Episode: "The New Guard" 2021 Ridley Jones Kosy Episode: "Dinner with Ismat"
Awards and nominations
2009 Satellite Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Glee 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Satellite Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer 2011 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series Monte-Carlo TV Festival Outstanding Actor – Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Grammy Awards Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals version)" Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Glee Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Teen Choice Awards Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer Fashion Icon: Male Himself 2012 People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Comedy Actor Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Glee Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Comedy Fashion Icon: Male Himself 2013 People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Comedy Actor Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Glee Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Comedy 2014 People's Choice Awards Favorite Comedic TV Actor Himself 2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Comedic TV Actor Shorty Awards Best Author Author of The Land of Stories Teen Choice Awards Choice TV Actor: Comedy Glee 2019 Destination Imagination DI Icon Award Himself
Further reading
External links
Categories: 1990 Births, Living People, 21st-century American Screenwriters, 21st-century American Lgbtq People, 21st-century American Male Actors, 21st-century American Novelists, 21st-century American Singers, American Children's Writers, American Fantasy Writers, American Male Film Actors, American Male Novelists, American Male Television Actors, American Male Voice Actors, American People Of Irish Descent, American Male Screenwriters, Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe Winners, Film Producers From California, American Gay Actors, American Gay Musicians, American Gay Writers, American Lgbtq Novelists, Lgbtq People From California, Lgbtq Film Producers, American Lgbtq Screenwriters, American Lgbtq Singers, Male Actors From Fresno, California, People From Clovis, California, Singers From California, 21st-century American Male Writers, Novelists From California, Screenwriters From California, 21st-century American Male Singers, American Countertenors
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