Cole Escola

Cole Escola (born November 25, 1986) is an American comedian, actor, singer, 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 also named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

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 entire family out of their mobile home with a gun, after which Escola, their mother, and their brother subsequently lived in government housing. Their sister was not living with them at this time. Escola participated in community theater and starred in high school productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, and Little Shop of Horrors. 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. They subsequently performed at children's birthday parties and worked at the Scholastic bookstore. They also supported themself during this period working at a vegan bakery and as a sex worker.