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Encore: A Bentley Soujourn With Nick Cordero

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Yesterday morning, 41-year-old Tony-award nominated actor, singer, musician, husband and father Nick Cordero succumbed to complications from Covid-19. This is an interview with him we originally ran in 2017.
Yesterday morning,41-year-old Tony-award nominated actor, singer, musician, husband and father Nick Cordero succumbed to complications from Covid-19.
I first saw Nick off-Broadway in The Toxic Avenger eleven years ago. An hour later, we happened to be at the same bar in midtown. I had to approach and tell him I loved his work. We talked and when he found out I test-drive cars, he suggested we go for a ride sometime. It took seven years, but we made it happen, and it was a lot of fun.
In honor of Nick, I am re-running our interview here, and wish his wife Amanda Kloots, his infant son Elvis and his friends and family my deepest condolences.
Nick Cordero, known for introducing tough guys in “Bullets Over Broadway,” “A Bronx Tale” and other roles, is as soft-spoken and laid back as his characters are colorfully menacing.
I’m expecting the man to show up for his interview on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in a suit, fedora, spats and a .38 bulging under an overcoat, but he emerges from his building in a slightly rumpled collared blue shirt, slacks, a Yankees cap and an “ordinary guy” vibe. The top of our baby blue 2017 Bentley GT V8 S Convertible is closed to keep noise down, but I have immediate doubts as to whether the 6’5″ Cordero will be able to fit.
Cordero seems to be used to a world shorter than he is, though, and jumps into the passenger chair of this $230,800 vehicle without comment and without coming even close to bumping his noggin. I’m impressed. Off we blast toward the Cloisters at the northern tip of the city for some photos.
It’s a beautiful ride, of course. The captain and passenger chairs feel as though they were custom-made, there’s a nice, tight feeling in the wheel-accelerator-brake combination and the ride turns heads, not an easy feat in this jaded town.
We buzz along the West Side Highway.
JM: Are you a car dude?
NC: Well, not as much as you, obviously. I do love nice cars and I love driving.
JM: What do you think of this car? You can be honest.
NC: I love this car. I don’t know if I’d pick the blue interior. But it’s glistening, this car.
JM: You’re the star of a hit Broadway show. Tell me what your day is like. Where did you just come from this morning?
NC: This morning I did a voice-over job for Mercedes-Benz downtown. They’re promoting their new vans. So I’m the voice of Mercedes vans.
JM: Yea! Benz! So you’ve been busy, yes?
NC: Yea. It’s been a good year. I’m doing “A Bronx Tale,” it’s going really well, people are buying tickets. We got no love from the Tonys this year, though, but that’s just one piece of the pie. The other is that people are buying tickets, so no complaints.
JM: Dumb question maybe, but what’s it like to step out in front of a packed house every night?
NC: It’s fantastic. You know, you just put your heart and soul into a new production, but you never know, man.

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