Nick Cordero
Cordero in 2014
Born	Nicholas Eduardo Alberto Cordero (1978-09-17)September 17, 1978 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died	July 5, 2020(2020-07-05) (aged 41) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	COVID-19
Education	Ryerson University
Occupations	Actor singer
Years active	2005–2020
Spouse	Amanda Kloots ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1

Nicholas Eduardo Alberto Cordero (September 17, 1978 – July 5, 2020) was aCanadian actor and singer.^[1] He was nominated for theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Cheech in the 2014Broadway musicalBullets Over Broadway^[2] and was twice nominated forDrama Desk Awards. His career also included television and film roles.

Cordero died at age 41 fromCOVID-19-related complications after more than three months in the hospital.

Cordero was born and raised inHamilton, Ontario,^[3] to a Canadian mother and a father fromCosta Rica.^[4] He graduated fromWestdale Secondary School in Hamilton^[3] and attendedRyerson University inToronto for two years before dropping out to perform in the band Lovemethod.^[5]

Cordero's acting debut was in the title role in theoff-Broadway production ofThe Toxic Avenger. He also played the role of Dennis inRock of Ages on Broadway in 2012 and on tour.^[6] Cordero appeared onBroadway in 2014 in the musicalBullets Over Broadway in the role of Cheech,^[7] for which he was nominated for theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical^[8] and theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.^[9] He won theOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and aTheatre World Award for the role.^[10]

In March 2016, Cordero joined the Broadway production ofWaitress, playing the role of Earl.^[11] He leftWaitress to join the Broadway premiere of the musicalA Bronx Tale, playing Sonny at theLongacre Theatre starting on November 3, 2016.^[12] For this role, Cordero was nominated for theDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical in 2017.^[13] Also in 2017, he portrayed Victor Lugo in "Out of the Blue" and "Heavy Is the Head", the fourth and tenth episodes of the eighth season of theCBS police procedural dramaBlue Bloods.^[14][15] He reprised the role in 2018 in "Your Six", the twentieth episode of the eighth season of the show.^[16] In March 2020 Cordero moved toLos Angeles to work in a production ofRock of Ages.^[17][18]

On September 3, 2017, Cordero married dancerAmanda Kloots in a formal ceremony.^[19] Their son was born on June 10, 2019.^[20]

Cordero was initially diagnosed withpneumonia while staying with his wife and son at the guest house of formerBullets Over Broadway co-starZach Braff.^[21][22] He was admitted to a hospital on March 30, 2020, where he was later diagnosed withCOVID-19 during thepandemic in Los Angeles.^[23] He was initially offeredhydroxychloroquine.^[24][25] Due to his worsening condition, his doctors put him in amedically-induced coma and placed him on aventilator, and treated him withdialysis andextracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).^[26] He was also enrolled into the clinical trial for the antiviral drugremdesivir, which was taking place atCedars-Sinai Medical Center.^[27]

On April 18, 2020, his right leg wasamputated due to ablood clot as a result of complications from his illness.^[28][29] By May 1, 2020, he had major lung damage including"holes in his lungs" and lung scarring.^[30] Atracheostomy tube was inserted to help him breathe.^[31][32][23]

On July 5, 2020, after 95 days in the hospital, Cordero died atCedars-Sinai Medical Center inLos Angeles, at age 41.^[1][33] His body was cremated.^[34]

On July 7, 2020, an effort was launched to rename theLongacre Theatre inManhattan after Cordero.^[35] On September 2, 2021, the Broadway production ofWaitress paid tribute to Cordero, with Kloots and the show's cast performing his single "Live Your Life". Additionally, the "Live Your Life Pie" has become a permanent part of the show's set and script.^[36] A film of a rooftop performance of a song fromBullets Over Broadway is dedicated to his memory, commemorating his portrayal of Cheech.^[37]

On September 2, 2020, American singer-songwriterFinneas released the song "What They'll Say About Us", which was partly inspired by Cordero's death.^[38]

On November 8, 2021, the first 'Nick Cordero Award' scholarship was awarded atToronto Metropolitan University. The fundraising efforts of his former classmates and friends enabled this award to be given in perpetuity.^[39]

• Nick Cordero atIMDb
• Nick Cordero at theInternet Broadway Database
• Nick Cordero at theInternet Off-Broadway Database
• Nick Cordero Interview atPlaybill.com
• Nick Cordero discography atDiscogs

• 1978 births
• 2020 deaths
• 21st-century Canadian male actors
• Canadian emigrants to the United States
• Canadian male film actors
• Canadian male musical theatre actors
• Canadian male television actors
• Male actors from Hamilton, Ontario
• Theatre World Award winners
• Canadian people of Costa Rican descent
• Deaths from pulmonary fibrosis
• Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in California

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from July 2020
• Use Canadian English from July 2020
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