Chris Colfer

Chris Colfer became a TV star with his very first role, playing Kurt Hummel on the series Glee. Then he became the author of a popular book series called The Land of Stories. In Glee, Colfer played a fashion-savvy gay countertenor who overcame bullying through musical theater and a close-knit group of friends in a high school glee club. A Californian, Chris Colfer landed the role after impressing casting agents with his audition for an entirely different character. He became a standout in the large ensemble cast (along with co-star Jane Lynch, who played a rabid and devious cheerleading coach). Colfer was nominated for an Emmy after the show's first season, and he won a Golden Globe after its second season. Then he shifted careers a bit to focus on writing, including a series of fantasy novels for young readers, The Land of Stories (six books, 2012-17), and another series, A Tale of Magic.