Chris Sanders
Biography
Chris Sanders is an American animator, filmmaker and voice actor born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, who trained at the California Institute of the Arts. He started as a character designer on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, then became a storyboard artist and production designer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, contributing to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and Mulan. In 1985 he created Stitch, a character that later anchored Lilo & Stitch (2002), which Sanders co-wrote, co-directed with Dean DeBlois, and voiced. Moving to DreamWorks Animation, he co-directed How to Train Your Dragon (2010) and The Croods (2013), both of which received Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature. He made his solo live-action directing debut with The Call of the Wild (2020) and wrote and directed The Wild Robot (2024), which also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. Sanders returned as the voice of Stitch for the live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025).
64years old
Turns 65 on March 12in 151 days
- Born Colorado Springs
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
- Also credited as Christopher Michael Sanders and Christopher Sanders
Movie Career
- Films
- 8
- Career span
- 23 years2002 to 2025
Genres
First and latest
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Big break
In 1985 Sanders made a character called Stitch for a children's book pitch that did not succeed. Later, when he was head storyboard artist for Disney Feature Animation, Thomas Schumacher asked him to pitch a smaller, less expensive film, and Sanders used Stitch again.
A role that slipped away
Sanders was removed as director of the Disney animated film American Dog by John Lasseter, left Disney, and the project was retitled Bolt under directors Chris Williams and Byron Howard.
First role
Chris Sanders first worked as a character designer on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. At Walt Disney Animation Studios he became lead storyboard artist, contributing to Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan.
Behind the camera
Sanders made an allegorical picture book in the late 1980s. Titled The Big Bear Aircraft Company, it carried the subheading "A book for the big retreat" and was created for a Disney offsite event.
Chris Sanders movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Roberts Gannaway and Tony Craig directed two of these films together. Tia Carrere appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Tia Carrere's page
David Ogden Stiers's page
Kevin McDonald's page
Kevin Michael Richardson's page
Ving Rhames's page
Jason Scott Lee's page
Roberts GannawayDirector, 2 films, 2003 to 2006
All films by Roberts Gannaway
All films by Tony Craig
Also three films together3 more actors
- Daveigh ChaseLeroy & Stitch (2006), Stitch! The Movie (2003) and Lilo & Stitch (2002)
- Liliana MumyLeroy & Stitch (2006), Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) and Stitch! The Movie (2003)
- Zoe CaldwellLeroy & Stitch (2006), Stitch! The Movie (2003) and Lilo & Stitch (2002)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Annie Award | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.