NEW YORK 鈥� Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, who specialized in playing tough guys on Broadway in such shows as 鈥淲aitress,鈥� 鈥淎 Bronx Tale鈥� and 鈥淏ullets Over Broadway,鈥� has died in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. He was 41.
Cordero died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai hospital after more than 90 days in the hospital, according to his wife, Amanda Kloots. 鈥淕od has another angel in heaven now,鈥� she posted on Instagram. 鈥淣ick was such a bright light. He was everyone鈥檚 friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband.鈥�
Cordero entered the emergency room on March 30 and had a succession of health setbacks, including mini-strokes, blood clots, septic infections, a tracheostomy and a temporary pacemaker implanted. He had been on a ventilator and unconscious and had his right leg amputated. A double lung transplant was being explored.
Viola Davis was among those in mourning, writing to his widow and child that 鈥渕y heart is with you all.鈥� Fellow Broadway actress and president of Actors鈥� Equity Association Kate Shindle wrote on Twitter that she was 鈥渉eartbroken for his family and deeply saddened by the loss of this talented and widely loved actor.鈥�
During Cordero鈥檚 hospitalization, Kloots sent him daily videos of her and their 1-year-old son, Elvis, so he could see them if he woke up, and urged friends and fans to join a daily sing-a-long. A GoFundMe page to pay for medical expenses has raised over $600,000.
鈥淚 tell him, I say, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e gonna walk out of this hospital, honey. I believe it. I know you can,鈥濃�� she told 鈥淐BS This Morning鈥� this summer. 鈥濃�榃e鈥檙e gonna dance again. You鈥檙e gonna hold your son again.鈥� My line is, 鈥楧on鈥檛 get lost. Get focused.鈥濃��
The lanky Cordero originated the menacing role of husband Earl opposite his estranged wife, played by Jessie Mueller, in 鈥淲aitress鈥� as well as the role of Sonny in Chazz Palminteri鈥檚 鈥淎 Bronx Tale.鈥� It was at 鈥淏ullets Over Broadway鈥� where Cordero met his wife. The two married in 2017.
Castmembers from 鈥淲aitress鈥� 鈥� Jessie Mueller, Keala Settle, Kimik Glenn and songwriter Sara Bareilles 鈥� helped raise money for Cordero by covering his song 鈥淟ive Your Life.鈥� Sylvester Stallone sent a video with best wishes.
Kloots had said that it was difficult to tell whether Cordero understood what happened to him, but said he could respond to commands by looking up and down when he was alert.
Her husband played a mob soldier with a flare for the dramatic in Broadway鈥檚 Woody Allen 1994 film adaptation of 鈥淏ullets Over Broadway,鈥� for which he received a Tony nomination for best-featured actor in a musical. He and his family moved to Los Angeles to star in 鈥淩ock of Ages.鈥�
On the small screen, Cordero appeared in several episodes of 鈥淏lue Bloods鈥� and 鈥淟aw & Order: Special Victims Unit鈥� and he had a role in the film 鈥淕oing in Style.鈥�
Actor and guitarist for Bruce Springsteen Stevie Van Zandt offered Cordero his first TV acting gig in the final episode of 鈥淟ilyhammer.鈥� After he was hospitalized, Van Zandt teamed up with Constantine Maroulis and Vincent Pastore to make a video performing 鈥淟ive Your Life.鈥�
Cordero was last onstage in a Kennedy Center presentation of 鈥淟ittler Shop of Horrors.鈥� His off-Broadway credits include 鈥淭he Toxic Avenger鈥� and 鈥淏rooklynite.鈥�
He was born on Sept. 17, 1978 in Hamilton, Ont., where he also grew up. He attended Ryerson University in Toronto.
The virus has sickened other Broadway veterans, including the actors Danny Burstein, Tony Shalhoub, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Gavin Creel, Aaron Tveit and Laura Bell Bundy as well as composer David Bryan. It has also claimed the life of Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally.
By Mark Kennedy
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
