Chris d'Lacey was born in Malta but moved with his family to Leicester, England, when he was a child. Growing up, he loved to play soccer and appear in school plays. In fact, his book The Prompter is based on his own experience in a school production of Peter Pan. He was too excitable for an actual role in the play, so his teacher made him the "prompter," who helps the actors when they forget their lines. Then, two days before opening night, one of the actors came down with the chicken pox, and d'Lacey found himself playing the role of Captain Hook!