Christopher Paul "
Chris"
Colfer (born May 27, 1990 in
Fresno, California) is an American
dancer and
actor, best known for his role portraying
Kurt Hummel on
Glee.
Early life and education
At the age of fourteen, he was the assistant director for a benefit at Valley Children's Hospital. Colfer has had an interest in acting since high school where he performed in community as well as regional based theater. According to his
Glee profile at Fox.com, at
Clovis East High School he was involved with
Speech & Debate where he won "many speech and debate Champion titles", the
drama club, 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, accessed 14 November 2009.] His love of acting and directing continued in high school when he wrote a spoof of "
Sweeney Todd" entitled "Shirley Todd" as a senior in high school, a play which he also starred in and directed that all the roles were
gender-reversed.
An experience that was later turned into a sub-plot for his character on
Glee was being denied each year by the high school teachers to sing "
Defying Gravity" from the musical
Wicked because it was traditionally performed by a woman.
His grandmother, a reverend, let him sing the song in her church.
[ Glee’s Chris Colfer Reveals Real-Life Story Behind Kurt’s Diva Moment People, November 12, 2009.]
Career