# Hunter King
**Hunter King** is an American actress and producer, born Haley Ashley King in 1993 in [Ventura County, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/ventura-county-california), best known for playing Summer Newman on the CBS daytime drama *The Young and the Restless*, Clementine Hughes on the CBS comedy *Life in Pieces*, and a string of leading roles in [Hallmark Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/hallmark-channel) romantic films.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65412554/) Earlier in her career she was credited as Haley King before adopting Hunter King professionally.[3](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1446320-hunter-king)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993, Ventura County, California; birth name Haley Ashley King, also credited as Haley King[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/) • [3](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1446320-hunter-king) |
| Signature role | Summer Newman on *The Young and the Restless*, 2012–2022 (768 episodes per IMDb), with a 2016–2018 recurring period[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) • [5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/yr-alum-hunter-king-ex-summer-lands-new-prime-time-series/) |
| Awards | Two Daytime Emmy wins for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series (2014 and 2015), from five consecutive nominations[6](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/hunter-king/) • [7](https://www.thewrap.com/the-young-and-the-restless-hunter-king-role-temporarily-recast/) |
| Prime-time comedy | Clementine Hughes on *Life in Pieces* (CBS, 2015–2019), recurring in season 1, series regular from season 2, 65 episodes[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/life-pieces-hunter-king-upped-203942056.html) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) |
| Hallmark lead roles | *Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story* (2024), *The Santa Summit*, *A Royal Corgi Christmas*, *Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths*, *Hidden Gems*, *Two Scoops of Italy*, and others[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) |
| Recent work | *Give Me Your Eyes* (2023); *Rabisu* (2026), a horror film written and directed by her husband Chris Copier[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295/awards/) • [10](https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/03/hunter-king-talks-going-from-hallmark-to-horror-starring-in-husband-chris-copiers-directorial-debut-rabisu/) |
| Family | Older sister Kelli King and younger sister Joey King, both actresses[2](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65412554/) |
## Early life and career beginnings
King grew up in [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california) and began acting at age six, following her older sister Kelli into the field despite describing herself as painfully shy at the time.[11](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-hunter-king-interview-3/) She performed in plays at a local theater in Agoura Hills before auditioning for film and television roles near Hollywood.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/)
Her first on-screen appearance came at age eight, with a small part in [Steven Spielberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-spielberg)'s *A.I. Artificial Intelligence* (2001).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/) Through the 2000s she accumulated guest spots on series including *Roswell*, *Line of Fire*, *Without a Trace*, *Hannah Montana*, and *ER*, and in 2006 she had a recurring role on Showtime's *Dexter*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/) • [12](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/haleyking) Her film credits from this period include *Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer* (2011).[3](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1446320-hunter-king)
## The Young and the Restless
In 2012 King landed her first series regular role as the mean girl Adriana Masters on the TeenNick teen drama *[Hollywood Heights](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollywood-heights-tv-series)*, and later that year she took over the role of Summer Newman on *The Young and the Restless*, a character first introduced in 2006.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/) • [13](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/who-is-the-young-and-the-restless-actor-hunter-king.html/)
Her work as Summer earned five consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations and two wins, both for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series, in 2014 and 2015.[7](https://www.thewrap.com/the-young-and-the-restless-hunter-king-role-temporarily-recast/) • [6](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/hunter-king/) When her *Life in Pieces* character was promoted to series regular in 2016, King was downgraded to recurring status on the soap; she returned full-time in 2018, and her role was temporarily recast for three episodes in October 2018, with Bayley Corman filling in while King completed an arc on the comedy.[7](https://www.thewrap.com/the-young-and-the-restless-hunter-king-role-temporarily-recast/) Soap Opera Digest summarizes her tenure as 2012–2016 and 2018–2022.[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/yr-alum-hunter-king-ex-summer-lands-new-prime-time-series/)
She described the pace of daytime production as extreme: the show filmed an hour of material a day, sometimes an episode and a quarter, and her heaviest day carried about 55 pages of dialogue.[14](https://tvmeg.com/index.php/2024/06/27/king-2/) In 2021, amid contract negotiations she and co-star Michael Mealor (Kyle) did not resolve with the show, King exited as a full-time cast member; her final appearances came in 2022, including one via video chat.[15](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/hunter-king-and-michael-mealor-talk-about-leaving-daytime-in-skyle/) • [16](https://soapdirt.com/real-reason-yr-stars-left-what-are-they-doing-now-video/) [Allison Lanier](https://www.edgepedia.org/allison-lanier) took over the role in 2022.[17](https://www.tvinsider.com/1189490/allison-lanier-leaving-the-young-and-the-restless-summer-newman/)
## Life in Pieces and comedy
King recurred as Clementine Hughes, who elopes with Tyler (Niall Cunningham) in the season 1 finale, on the CBS single-camera comedy *Life in Pieces*, and was promoted to series regular for season 2 in 2016.[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/life-pieces-hunter-king-upped-203942056.html) She appeared in 65 episodes through the show's run, which ended in 2019.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295)
Moving from daytime drama to sitcom comedy required an adjustment she called "a totally different beast." To prepare, she studied the sitcom *Friends*, watching scenes without sound to observe reactions and listening without watching to learn comic timing.[18](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-hunter-king-interview/) *Life in Pieces* creator and executive producer Justin Adler told Deadline that "to have a dramatic actress who excels at comedy is a rare find."[8](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/life-pieces-hunter-king-upped-203942056.html)
## Hallmark films and other work
Since leaving daytime television King has built a catalog of leading roles, particularly in Hallmark Channel romantic movies: *A Royal Corgi Christmas* and *Nikki & Nora: Sister Sleuths* (2022), *The Professional Bridesmaid* and *The Santa Summit* (2023), *Two Scoops of Italy* and *Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story* (2024), and *A Make or Break Holiday* (2025).[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) • [19](https://www.justjared.com/2025/12/18/hunter-king-talks-her-hallmark-christmas-movie-working-with-evan-roderick-her-real-life-wedding-plans-exclusive-interview/) *Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story*, opposite [Tyler Hynes](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-hynes) and built around the [Kansas City Chiefs](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-chiefs), was Hallmark's most-watched movie of 2024.[20](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9323658/news/)
Outside the romance genre, she played Avery Keller in the drama *[A Girl Like Her](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-girl-like-her-2015-film)* (2015) and Jael Jones in *Give Me Your Eyes* (2023), for which she won a Best Actress award at the Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival in 2024.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) • [9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295/awards/) She has also done voice work on the animated series *Hamster & Gretel* and guest roles on *The Neighborhood* and *9-1-1: Nashville*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295) • [12](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/haleyking) In 2026 she starred in the found-footage horror film *Rabisu: The Curse of the Demon*, written and directed by her husband Chris Copier in his directorial debut, on which she also served as executive producer.[10](https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/03/hunter-king-talks-going-from-hallmark-to-horror-starring-in-husband-chris-copiers-directorial-debut-rabisu/) • [20](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9323658/news/)
## Personal life
King comes from a family of actors: her older sister Kelli and her younger sister [Joey King](https://www.edgepedia.org/joey-king), known for the lead role in *[Ramona and Beezus](https://www.edgepedia.org/ramona-and-beezus)*, are both in the profession, and the sisters have described themselves as close friends.[2](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65412554/) • [21](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3283242/meet-joey-kings-talented-sister-and-bff-hunter-king-whos-starring-hallmark-christmas-romcom-inspired) She was previously engaged to *The Young and the Restless* cameraman Nico Svoboda.[21](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3283242/meet-joey-kings-talented-sister-and-bff-hunter-king-whos-starring-hallmark-christmas-romcom-inspired) She met Chris Copier, a filmmaker who has served as first assistant director on several Hallmark films, on the set of an independent movie, and they married on February 14, 2026.[10](https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/03/hunter-king-talks-going-from-hallmark-to-horror-starring-in-husband-chris-copiers-directorial-debut-rabisu/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295)
## References
1. [Hunter King – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/hunter-king/)
2. [Hunter King Biography: In Her Own Words, IMDb/Uinterview](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65412554/)
3. [Hunter King – The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1446320-hunter-king)
4. [Hunter King (IV) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295)
5. [Y&R Alum Hunter King (ex-Summer) Lands New Prime-Time Series, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/yr-alum-hunter-king-ex-summer-lands-new-prime-time-series/)
6. [Hunter King News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/hunter-king/)
7. ['The Young and the Restless': Hunter King's Role Temporarily Recast, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/the-young-and-the-restless-hunter-king-role-temporarily-recast/)
8. ['Life In Pieces': Hunter King Upped To Series Regular For Season 2, Deadline via Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/life-pieces-hunter-king-upped-203942056.html)
9. [Hunter King – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1051295/awards/)
10. [Hunter King Talks Going from Hallmark to Horror & Starring in Husband Chris Copier's Directorial Debut 'Rabisu', Just Jared](https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/03/hunter-king-talks-going-from-hallmark-to-horror-starring-in-husband-chris-copiers-directorial-debut-rabisu/)
11. [ICYMI: Hunter King Interview - Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-hunter-king-interview-3/)
12. [Hunter King – Resume, Actors Access](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/haleyking)
13. [Who is 'The Young and the Restless' Actor Hunter King?, The Cheat Sheet](https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/who-is-the-young-and-the-restless-actor-hunter-king.html/)
14. [Interview with Hunter King, TVMEG](https://tvmeg.com/index.php/2024/06/27/king-2/)
15. [Hunter King and Michael Mealor Talk About Leaving Daytime In "Skyle", Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/hunter-king-and-michael-mealor-talk-about-leaving-daytime-in-skyle/)
16. [The Real Reason these 'Y&R' Stars Left and What Are They Doing Now, Soap Dirt](https://soapdirt.com/real-reason-yr-stars-left-what-are-they-doing-now-video/)
17. [Why Is Allison Lanier Leaving 'The Young and the Restless' as Summer Newman?, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1189490/allison-lanier-leaving-the-young-and-the-restless-summer-newman/)
18. [ICYMI: Hunter King Interview, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-hunter-king-interview/)
19. [Hunter King Talks Her Hallmark Christmas Movie & Real-Life Wedding Plans, Just Jared](https://www.justjared.com/2025/12/18/hunter-king-talks-her-hallmark-christmas-movie-working-with-evan-roderick-her-real-life-wedding-plans-exclusive-interview/)
20. [Chris Copier – News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9323658/news/)
21. [Meet Joey King's talented sister and BFF, Hunter King, South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3283242/meet-joey-kings-talented-sister-and-bff-hunter-king-whos-starring-hallmark-christmas-romcom-inspired)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Jo to Kl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license