Cole Quirk shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Cole, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Cooking and baking. From TikTok recipes to cookbooks, I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen a lot more. It feels good to have people try my dishes and enjoy them. In the last few years I’ve added a fun assortment of kitchen gadgets and a few fancy knives into the mix that makes the process a lot easier. I also love singing and dancing to music while cooking, which everyone should try!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a writer/director from Blue Bell, a small town outside of Philadelphia. I received my BS in Crime, Law and Justice from Penn State and attended New England School of Law thinking I wanted to be a prosecutor. After working in criminal defense and IP law, I found joy in sketch and improv comedy at Upright Citizen’s Brigade NY & LA, Second City Chicago, and The People’s Improv Theater NY. Shifting away from law and into entertainment, I received my MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA. I then assisted writers on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS), The 100 (CW), Resurrection (ABC), Scream (MTV), and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC). On the writer/director side, my play “I’m Jennifer Mother F*cking Lawrence” premiered in the Hollywood Fringe Festival. My short films THE COPIER and ESP were official selections of the California Women’s Film Festival. I sold a murder mystery feature to The Hallmark Channel and was a staff writer on Justified: City Primeval (FX). I tend to write legal/crime dramas and direct darkly comedic comedies.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Being silly as a kid is so important, and being embraced by other silly kids is such a powerful confidence booster. I went to summer camp for many years and believe that a few of the friends I made there who embraced my oddities and unique creative expressions (wearing a lot of tie-dye, mismatching and not caring, seeing if you could tie a towel around your neck as a cape and take pictures jumping off of a bench to make it look like you were flying, ya know, normal kids stuff) showed me that you just need to find your people. It’s ok if the people that match are not for you.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I’ve worked in some abusive environments. When you’re standing in the eye of the storm, as long as you don’t move, it doesn’t hurt. You freeze and pretend you’re somewhere else. You don’t see how big and bad it is until you’re looking at it from the outside. Years after being in one of those storms, I decided to write about it. This was the first piece of writing that people really started to respond to. Perhaps they could relate, or the authenticity of experience jumped off the page, but that is when I took a terrible time and flipped it into power.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. I am authentically me, which is a silly person who loves tea in the morning, Broadway showtunes, game nights with friends, slowcooking in my cast iron oven and crafting overly sweet lattes as an afternoon treat. I dress simply and comfortably and love to laugh. I’ll be the first to recommend a stand-up special (if you haven’t seen Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette or Daniel Sloss’s Jigsaw and X, do it tonight and have your life changed). Also James Acaster’s Repertoire is hysterical. Find me at a farm-to-table restaurant, on a Pilates reformer, at my computer looking at international flights for my next adventure, or petting the nearest cat.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
Directing. It’s a long road, with the goal to direct episodic dark comedies/comedies. Starting small, with the short films that I’ve done, and slowly building to larger projects with more pages, a bigger crew, and advanced equipment is what I’m hoping will take me into the next step in directing. Shadowing on set more and getting accepted into a directing fellowship are all things that I’m pushing for in order to get even more experience. I want the television cast and crew to get excited and relieved when they see my name on the call sheet for that week because they know they will be in good hands.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colequirk
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@quirkoftheday
