Nick Cordero
A charismatic Broadway performer whose powerful voice and tragic passing highlighted the devastating reach of the COVID-19 pandemic.
1978–2020 (age 42)·Canadian actor and singer·Birthday: September 17·Generation X
Biography
Nick Cordero brought a burly, everyman charm and a astonishingly rich voice to the stages of Broadway, creating memorable characters that felt both grounded and larger than life. The Canadian actor's breakthrough came as the mobster-turned-playwright Cheech in Woody Allen's 'Bullets Over Broadway,' a performance that earned him a Tony nomination and widespread recognition for his comedic timing and vocal prowess. He solidified his reputation as a versatile musical theatre star with roles in 'Waitress' and 'A Bronx Tale,' where his rendition of 'I Like It' became a nightly showstopper. In 2020, Cordero's life became a public and heartbreaking story when he was hospitalized with COVID-19. What was expected to be a short stay turned into a grueling three-month battle, documented by his wife, that included a leg amputation and severe lung damage. His fight, followed by thousands, put a human face on the pandemic's cruelty, and his passing at 41 cut short a career that was still brightly ascending.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nick was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Nick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2020Died at 42
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in 'Bullets Over Broadway' (2014).
- Earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for 'The Toxic Avenger' (2009).
- Starred as Sonny in the Broadway musical 'A Bronx Tale,' originating the role in the 2016 production.
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished musician and released an album of rock-oriented music titled 'Live Your Life'.
He met his wife, Amanda Kloots, when they were both in the ensemble of the Broadway musical 'Bullets Over Broadway'.
Before his Broadway success, he starred in the touring production of 'The Addams Family' as Lurch.
“Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. That’s my motto.”
