Cole Escola (born November 25, 1986) is an American comedian, actor, and playwright. They are best known for their cabaret work and appearances on the television series Difficult People (2015–2017), At Home with Amy Sedaris (2017–2020), Search Party (2020–2021), and Big Mouth (2022), as well as for writing and starring in the play Oh, Mary! which opened on Broadway in 2024. Escola received two nominations for two Tony Awards for their work on Oh, Mary!, winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. They were named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and won a Laurence Olivier Award when the play moved to the West End.
Early life Escola was born and raised in Clatskanie, Oregon. They are of Finnish and Norwegian descent. When they were six, their father chased the family out of their mobile home with a gun, after which Escola, their mother, and their brother subsequently lived in government housing.Sharkey, M. (June 11, 2015). "Comedy School with Cole Escola". Out. Retrieved September 18, 2017.Vincentelli, Elisabeth (July 6, 2017). "He's Got a Good Wig on His Shoulders: Meet Cole Escola," The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2017.Goodman, Elyssa (July 18, 2017). "Is America Ready for Cole Escola?". Vice. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
Escola participated in community theater and starred in high school productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, and Little Shop of Horrors.Rowe, Amy (August 8, 2017). "A glimpse into rising comedy and 'Difficult People' star Cole Escola's way of life". Daily News|location=New York. Retrieved September 18, 2017. After graduating from R. A. Long High School in 2005, Escola moved to New York City to study humanities at Marymount Manhattan College, dropping out after one year.Paulu, Tom (June 15, 2009). "R.A. Long grad stars in new LOGO TV comedy series". The Daily News (Longview). Retrieved September 18, 2017. They subsequently performed at children's birthday parties and worked at the Scholastic bookstore. They supported themself during this period working at a vegan bakery and as a sex worker.Whalen, Lauren Emily (October 31, 2018). "Cole Escola, from Craigslist to the Park West," Windy City Times. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
Career Stage From 2008 to 2012, Escola was a regular guest performer in the Our Hit Parade cabaret series,Vincentelli, Elisabeth (December 20, 2012). "So long, 'Our Hit Parade,' it's been a great ride!". New York Post. Retrieved September 18, 2017. and later began performing monthly solo shows at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre. They appeared in Scott Wittman's 2012 cabaret show Jukebox Jackie at La MaMa and played an unborn fetus in Bridget Everett's 2014 cabaret show Rock Bottom at Joe's Pub. In a sketch called Queers in History, Escola strutted "jauntily across the stage wearing a newsboy cap and underwear." On June 14, 2017, Escola's hour-long solo show Help! I'm Stuck premiered at Joe's Pub, where it has since played numerous sold-out engagements.
In 2013, Escola played Roland Maule in the Two River Theater revival of Noël Coward's Present Laughter.Gates, Anita (June 14, 2013). "An Idol, Aging but Still in the Spotlight". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
In 2024, Escola wrote and starred in their play Oh, Mary! at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, in which they played First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. It was directed by Sam Pinkleton and also starred Conrad Ricamora and James Scully. The show transferred to Broadway in July 2024, marking Escola's Broadway debut as an actor and playwright. At the 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Escola was awarded the John Gassner Award for Oh, Mary!. The piece was a 2025 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Escola won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 2025, for their performance in Oh, Mary!, becoming the first openly non-binary performer to win a Tony in that category.
In October 2024, Escola was included in the Time 100 Next list of the world's most influential rising leaders.
On May 26, 2026, it was announced that Escola would succeed Catherine Tate in the West End production of Oh, Mary!.
Television In 2008, Escola met fellow comedian Jeffery Self in New York; bonding over a shared love of theater and 1990s sitcoms, they began creating surreal, semi-scripted YouTube videos under the moniker "Very Good Looking (VGL) Gay Boys." The sketches, in which Escola often played the demented comic foil to Self's straight man,Callahan, Dan (January 19, 2011). "Cole Escola's Locker Room Humor," L Magazine. Retrieved September 18, 2017. received over 100,000 views, prompting coverage in New York magazine and a development deal from Logo TV. Jeffery & Cole Casserole premiered on Logo on June 19, 2009; it ran for two seasons and has been deemed as a "cult classic" by Vice magazine. Escola and Self wrote the screenplay for an as-yet-unproduced comedy in which two friends "have to go through a lot to redeem their free sandwich."Wong, Curtis M. (September 19, 2012). "Cole Escola On 'Downtown Darling' Show At 54 Below, Getting Naked Onstage And 'ADD Musicality'". HuffPost. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
From 2015 to 2017, Escola played Matthew on the Hulu television series Difficult People, a role that series creator Julie Klausner wrote with them in mind. They have appeared in recurring roles on Mozart in the Jungle, Girlboss, and At Home with Amy Sedaris, in which they play Sedaris' neighbor, Chassie Tucker. In 2020, Escola appeared as Chip (The Twink) on the HBO Max original Search Party. Chip became a season regular in season 4. Escola voiced The Secret Keeper on the Cartoon Network animated series Craig of the Creek in the episode "Secret in a Bottle". In 2021, Escola voiced a gargoyle in an episode of What We Do in the Shadows.
In 2025, Escola was announced for the role of Bon Clay in the third season of the Netflix television series One Piece.
Film Escola is writing a Miss Piggy film, in collaboration with producers Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence.
Personal life In 2021, Escola came out as non-binary.
Acting credits Film YearTitleRoleNotes2010Size Zero(voice)Video short2013Junkie DoctorsBoy (Older)ShortYour Future One DollarTrevorShortBilly & Rachel's Halloween AdventureUnnamed roleShort2015Monologue for a Teenage BoyUnnamed roleVideo shortMom CommercialMomVideo short2018Wild Nights with EmilyDweeby Reader2021Normal GaysUnnamed roleShort2022Please Baby PleaseBilly2024Boys Go to JupiterOld SlippyVoice role
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2009Law & OrderTim JohnsonEpisode: "Reality Bites"2009–2010Jeffery & Cole CasseroleCole13 episodes2010Submissions OnlyGay 3Web series, episode: "Old Lace"2012Local TalentDrewEpisode: "Pilot"Jack in a BoxBeauWeb series, 3 episodes: "The Staff Meeting", "The Pest" and "The Bonding"2013The 3 BitsHenry Bits3 episodes: "Henry", "Henry: Part 2" and "Henry: Part 3"SmashCoat Check ClerkEpisode: "The Parents"Ladies' Man: A MADE MovieOllieTV movie on MTV2014Nurse JackieRobinEpisode: "Super Greens"2015MonicaCharles2 episodes: "Episode #1.3" and "Episode #1.6"6 Keys to Unlocking Your Diva-TentialJessupTV movieThe Battery's DownCrischWeb series, episode: "Reunion"2015–2017The Special Without Brett DavisJoyce Conner or Granny Lou4 episodesDifficult PeopleMatthew25 episodes2016The Chris Gethard ShowThe Human Fish's MotherEpisode: "Under the Sea Prom"The CharactersBooker / ColeEpisode: "John Early"2016–2018Mozart in the JungleShawn10 episodes2017New York Is DeadColtonWeb series, episode: "Episode #1.4"GirlbossNathan4 episodesMan Seeking WomanChris4 episodes2017–2020At Home with Amy SedarisChassie Tucker / Chassie / Singer No. 124 episodes2019–2022Tuca & BertiePastry Pete's Nephew (voice)13 episodes2019–2020National Lampoon Radio HourVarious / Maven Crawford10 episodes2020The Shivering TruthIke (voice)Episode: "The Burn Earner Spits"2020–2021Search PartyChip Wreck10 episodes2020–2022Craig of the CreekThe Secret Keeper (voice)2 episodes: "Secret in a Bottle" and "Silver Fist Returns"2021Summer Camp IslandSea Slug (voice)Episode: "Sea Bunnies"What We Do in the ShadowsGargoyle (voice)Episode: "The Escape"2021–2023Teenage EuthanasiaDillan Jeremy / various (voice)5 episodes2021–2022ZiweVarious characters5 episodes; also writer2021–2024Baby Shark's Big Show!Goldie / various (voice)47 episodes2022Would I Lie to You?SelfEpisode: "Allowance PowerPoint"Big MouthMontel / Alison (voice)7 episodes2023Frog and ToadGopher (voice)7 episodesDigman!Gustavia (voice)Episode: "The Puff People"Human ResourcesMontel (voice)8 episodes2024Life & BethCole4 episodesThe Girls on the BusDale4 episodesFantasmasDinaEpisode: "The Void"2025Jeopardy!Self/Mary Todd LincolnApril 14, 2025, episode; clue presenterKing of DragSelf; Guest judge1 episodeThe SimpsonsDevin (voice)3 episodesSuper Duper Bunny LeagueVarmint (voice)Episode: "Hoot'n Annie"
Theater Year Title Role Venue Notes2024Oh, Mary!Mary Todd Lincoln Lucille Lortel Theatre Off-Broadway2024–2025 Lyceum Theatre Broadway debut2026Trafalgar TheatreWest End debut
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2020Writers Guild of America AwardComedy/Variety – Sketch SeriesAt Home with Amy Sedaris20212022Comedy SeriesHacksNew SeriesQueerty AwardBest TV PerformanceSearch Party2024Drama Desk AwardSam Norkin Off-Broadway AwardOh, Mary!Drama League AwardDistinguished PerformanceOutstanding Production of a PlayOff-Broadway Alliance AwardsBest New PlayOuter Critics Circle AwardJohn Gassner Award for New American PlayOutstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway PlayTheatre World AwardObie AwardsPerformance2025GLAAD Media AwardOutstanding Broadway ProductionDrama League AwardDistinguished PerformanceOutstanding Production of a PlayPulitzer PrizePulitzer Prize for DramaTony AwardBest PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Queerty Awards Icon Award Themself Dorian AwardLGBTQ Theater Artist of the Season 2026 Laurence Olivier Awards Best Entertainment or Comedy Play Oh, Mary!
References
External links