Chris De’Sean Lee was born on September 19, 1994, in Augusta, Georgia.
He is an American actor, singer, and dancer known for playing Kaleb Hawkins on The CW’s Legacies.
Who is Chris De’Sean Lee?
Chris De’Sean Lee is an American actor, singer, and dancer from Georgia. He built his name playing Kaleb Hawkins, a vampire, on The CW’s fantasy drama Legacies.
Before television, Lee opened the Chicago production of Hamilton on Broadway. He played the dual roles of Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette in that production.
Lee has also released original music under his own name. He continues to work steadily in television, with recent credits on Tracker and The Chi.
Early Life of Chris De’Sean Lee
Lee was born to a then 17-year-old single mother in Augusta, Georgia. When he turned four, his mother moved the family to Atlanta, where she raised him.
He grew up alongside a younger brother, Jay Anthony Barron. Lee attended the McCallie School, a boarding school in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
He first joined a school play there just for fun. That experience turned into a passion for musical theater.
Lee went on to study musical theater at Belmont University in Nashville. He was in his third year at Belmont when he auditioned for Hamilton and landed a major role.
Chris De’Sean Lee Age
Chris De’Sean Lee is 31 years old as of 2026, born on September 19, 1994.
His zodiac sign is Virgo. He has built a career spanning more than a decade since his professional stage debut in 2016.
Chris De’Sean Lee Ethnicity and Nationality
Lee is American, born and raised in the state of Georgia. He later relocated to Atlanta as a child before attending boarding school in Tennessee.
His family background centers on his mother, who raised him and his younger brother as a single parent. That upbringing in Augusta and Atlanta shaped his path into performing arts.
Chris De’Sean Lee Height and Weight
Lee stands at 5 feet 8 inches, or about 1.73 meters. His weight is not publicly confirmed.
He has maintained an athletic build suited to his work as both a stage performer and on-camera actor. That physicality has served him in dance-heavy stage productions as well as dramatic television roles.
Chris De’Sean Lee Musical Style and Influences
Lee works across R&B and pop styles in his solo music. His theater background in musical theater and hip-hop-inflected shows like Hamilton also shaped his sound.
He released his debut EP, In My Feelings, in 2018. More recently, he released the single Sunshine, which he has promoted through his own social media channels.
Chris De’Sean Lee Education
Lee earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater from Belmont University. He completed his degree in 2018, shortly after joining the cast of Hamilton.
Before college, Lee attended the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That boarding school is where he first discovered his interest in performing.
Chris De’Sean Lee Career
Early Career
Lee’s professional career began on Broadway rather than television. While still a student at Belmont University, he was cast in the Chicago production of Hamilton.
He opened the show there in 2018, playing Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. That casting came directly out of an audition during his junior year.
Lee also appeared in productions of In the Heights before landing his Hamilton role. After finishing his run with Hamilton, he shifted his focus toward television.
Breakthrough Role
Lee guest-starred in Empire in 2017, playing Tommy Turner. The following year, he joined the recurring cast of Showtime’s The Chi as Hannibal, a role he has returned to across multiple seasons.
His biggest break came when he joined Legacies as Kaleb Hawkins in 2018. He started as a recurring cast member in season one and was promoted to series regular by season two.
Legacies ran as a spinoff of The Originals and The Vampire Diaries. Lee stayed with the show through its run, appearing in 60 episodes between 2018 and 2022.
In 2019, Lee also released his debut EP, In My Feelings. That same period, he took on the stage role of Mercutio in a production of Hamlet, appearing alongside his Legacies co-star Aria Shahghasemi.
Recent Work
Lee returned to Broadway in 2024, joining the original cast of Hell’s Kitchen as vocal captain and understudy for the role of Knuck. The Alicia Keys jukebox musical ran at the Shubert Theatre before later touring.
He has also continued his television career with a recurring role on NBC’s Tracker, appearing across the 2024 to 2026 seasons. Lee remains part of The Chi’s cast as Hannibal, a role he has now played since 2018.
In September 2020, Lee released a music video for his single Adios. More recently, he released the single Sunshine, continuing to build his catalog as an independent artist.
Chris De’Sean Lee Discography
- In My Feelings (2018)
- Adios (single, 2020)
- Sunshine (single)
Chris De’Sean Lee Awards and Recognition
Lee has not received a major industry award nomination to date. His clearest professional recognition has come through his casting in high-profile productions, including the original Chicago cast of Hamilton and the original Broadway cast of Hell’s Kitchen.
Those castings placed him alongside established names in musical theater. Landing a series regular role on Legacies also marked a significant milestone in his television career.
Chris De’Sean Lee Girlfriend
Chris De’Sean Lee has kept his personal life largely private in recent years. He was previously linked to a woman named Jen Nguyen, whose photos he once shared on his Instagram account.
Lee later removed those photos from his page. The two never publicly confirmed the nature of their relationship.
His current relationship status is not publicly confirmed. Lee has not shared details about a partner in recent interviews or on his social media.
Chris De’Sean Lee Net Worth
Chris De’Sean Lee’s estimated net worth is $7 million as of 2026. His income comes mainly from his television and stage acting work, along with his music releases.
His long-running roles on Legacies and The Chi form the foundation of his acting income. Broadway work on Hamilton and Hell’s Kitchen has added to that total over the years.
Chris De’Sean Lee Social Media
Lee stays active on social media under his stage name. He uses his accounts to promote his music releases and share updates from his acting projects.
On Instagram, he posts under @theofficialchrislee, where he shares updates on new singles and career news. He has built a large following there since his time on Legacies.
The Bottom Line
Lee’s breakout came in 2018 when he joined Legacies as Kaleb Hawkins, a role he played across 60 episodes through 2022. He first built his name on Broadway, opening the Chicago production of Hamilton as Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette.
Lee grew up in Augusta and Atlanta, Georgia, raised by a single mother who supported his early interest in the arts. He studied musical theater at Belmont University before landing his breakout stage role during his junior year.
He now splits his time between television, with a recurring role on Tracker, and music, following the release of his single Sunshine. We hope you enjoyed reading about Chris De’Sean. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!