Chris Sanders

Chris Sanders
Sanders at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards
Born
Christopher Michael Sanders

(1962-03-12) March 12, 1962
Alma materCalifornia Institute of the Arts (BFA)
Occupations
  • Film director
  • screenwriter
  • producer
  • animator
  • illustrator
  • voice actor
Years active1984–present
Employers
Spouse
Jessica Steele-Sanders
(m. 2015)
Children1
Signature

Chris Sanders is an American cartoonist and actor. He’s known for Lilo & Stitch and for the How To Train Your Dragon movies. He also worked on the movie The Wild Robot.

Childhood

Sanders was born in 1962, in Colorado. He went to Art School in California and graduated in 1984.

Career

After leaving Art School, Sanders started drawing characters for Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. He then had the idea for a children’s book called Stitch but couldn’t publish it. Sanders then drew a lot of characters and storyboards for Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King. He then started working with Dean DeBlois on Mulan.

Lilo and Stitch

When Michael Eisner wanted Disney to make a less expensive movie, Sanders decided to use the Stitch character so he and DeBlois wrote the movie Lilo and Stitch. Sanders also directed the movie and played Stitch. Sanders also played Stitch in Stitch! The Movie, Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Stitch has a Glitch and Leroy & Stitch. He also played Stitch in the live action remake.

DreamWorks

Sanders left Disney to work for DreamWorks Animation and directed The Croods. Sanders then worked with Dean DeBlois on making the movie How to Train Your Dragon and its two sequels. He also made The Wild Robot.