Who is Cole Escola? Parents and All about 2025 Tony Nominee

Cole Escola, who has recently been announced as one of the nominees for the 2025 Tony Award, is a comedian and playwright, who has recieved two nominations for their play "Oh, Mary!"

The nominations for the Tony Award were announced on May 1, with Cole Escola being nominated for "Best performance by an Actor in a Leading role in a Play," while their play, Oh, Mary!, has been nominated for "Best Play." The 2025 Tony Awards is set to take place later this year, on June 8, and will be hosted by two time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo.

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More about Cole Escola, as comedian is revealed to have been nominated for the Tony Award

Cole Escola, was born on 25 November, 1986 in Clatskaine, Oregon, to Steven and Christine Escola., according to Ethnicity Celebs. In a 2014 interview with Sharkey Photography, Cole Escola reflected on the difficult years of their childhood, adding that their father was an alcoholic, who one day chased his family with a gun, prompting Escola's mother to leave him. They said:

"I grew up in Oregon. I have a younger brother and an older sister. We were very poor. VERY POOR. We lived in a trailer for the first six years of my life in the corner of someone’s yard. My dad has severe PTSD from Vietnam and is also a big drinker. One night, he thought that people were chasing him so he chased us all out of the house with a gun. My mother decided not to go back. We lived with my grandmother for a while and also in government housing."

Following their graduation from high school in 2005, they studied at Marymount Manhattan College before dropping out due to financial difficulties. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Escola has been a part of many critically acclaimed projects, one of them being their work as a writer on the Emmy nominated series, "Hacks," starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder.

During the interview, they further added how they moved to New York, ended up opening a YouTube channel that would land them a writing gig for a TV show called, "Jeffrey & Cole Casserole." They said:

"I wanted to escape so I came to New York because I thought this is where NPR was. Three years later, I finally made a friend and we started making YouTube videos. This was back when YouTube videos looked like YouTube videos and not un-aired HBO pilots. Some TV people in suits liked our videos and for some insane reason gave us a TV show. It was called Jeffery & Cole Casserole. Six people watched it but it ran for two seasons and it was a dream."

In their interview with Sharkey Photography, they also spoke about struggling with their sexuality while growing up in small town. They reflected on the emotions they experienced, saying:

"Please God please make me not gay. Bisexual at least! Please make me attracted to women!” I was seventeen when I finally came out. The first time I actually said it was on my best friend’s answering machine. I wanted to tell her in person but I got too nervous so immediately after she left I called her phone knowing she wouldn’t be there to pick it up and I left a message. She called me back. She was so sweet and proud and happy for me. Obviously everyone knew. That was another thing that made it uncomfortable for me, everyone knows already! This is so embarrassing that I have to be like “I’m gay.”

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, right after the Tony Award nominations were announced, Cole Escola revealed the range of emotions they are feeling at moment. They said:

"Somewhere between overwhelmingly emotional and nothing. My head’s sort of spinning, and I’ve got two shows tonight, so that’s what I’m mostly trying to think about, not letting it in too much so I can do my job."

Cole Escola worked several odd jobs before moving to L.A. to pursue their dreams. In a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Search Party actor revealed how they had landed on the idea for their 2025 Tony Award nominated play, in which they portray the character of Mary Todd, saying:

"What if Abe’s assassination wasn’t such a bad thing for Mary Todd Lincoln."

Cole Escola, who came out as non binary in 2022, was previously included in the "TIME 100 Next List" of rising stars in 2024.