Christian Coulson was a member of the UK's National Youth Music Theatre. He won the role of Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, despite being 23, and exceeding the 15-17 age group. He attended the Westminster school in London on an academic scholarship, and graduated from Cambridge University with a first class degree in 2000. While at Cambridge, he studied English at Clare College. He wrote the lyrics and book for a rock musical, The Fallen, which was performed at Bedford Modern School in 1998.