Christopher DeFaria

Biography

Christopher DeFaria, also known professionally as Chris DeFaria, is an American film producer, production executive and former actor. Born on May 20, 1959, in San Francisco, California, he has had a long career spanning live-action filmmaking, animation, visual effects and emerging entertainment technologies.

Early Life and Background

DeFaria began his involvement in the entertainment industry at a young age. As a child actor, he provided the voice of Pig-Pen in A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) and Peppermint Patty in Snoopy, Come Home (1972) and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973).

He later attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and moved into production and filmmaking as an adult.

Career

DeFaria established himself as a producer and production executive, working on projects that combined live-action filmmaking with animation and visual effects. His early producing credits included ...And Then She Was Gone (1991), Amityville 1992: It's About Time (1992), Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996) and Cats & Dogs (2001).

He later became involved with major Hollywood productions as an executive producer or production executive. His credits include Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010), Happy Feet Two (2011), Sucker Punch (2011), Gravity (2013), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Ready Player One (2018).

Warner Bros. and DreamWorks Animation

DeFaria held senior positions at Warner Bros., where he worked on animation, visual effects and innovative technology. He subsequently became president of DreamWorks Animation's Feature Animation Group in 2017, overseeing areas including feature development, production, technology and business affairs. He left the position in 2019.

His career has particularly focused on advancing the combination of storytelling and technology. He has been associated with animation, visual effects, virtual reality and other immersive forms of entertainment.

Tom & Jerry and Coyote vs. Acme

DeFaria served as a producer on the live-action/animated hybrid Tom & Jerry (2021), continuing his work with productions that combine animation and live-action filmmaking.

He later produced Coyote vs. Acme (2026), a live-action/animated comedy directed by Dave Green. The film follows Wile E. Coyote as he takes legal action against the Acme Corporation after its products repeatedly fail during his attempts to catch the Road Runner. DeFaria is credited as a producer on the completed feature.

Notable Filmography

• ...And Then She Was Gone (1991) – Producer
• Amityville 1992: It's About Time (1992) – Producer, Screenwriter
• Amityville: A New Generation (1993) – Producer
• Cats & Dogs (2001) – Producer
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) – Executive Producer
• Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010) – Executive Producer
• Happy Feet Two (2011) – Executive Producer
• Sucker Punch (2011) – Executive Producer
• Gravity (2013) – Executive Producer
• Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Executive Producer
• Ready Player One (2018) – Executive Producer
• Tom & Jerry (2021) – Producer
• Coyote vs. Acme (2026) – Producer