{{Short description|American comedian and actress}} {{Use American English|date=December 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Sherry Cola | image = Sherry Cola.jpg | caption = Cola in 2026 | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|29|2019|6|27}}<ref name=":6" /> | birth_place = Shanghai, China | alma_mater = CSU Fullerton | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|comedian}} | years_active = 2017–present }} '''Sherry Cola'''<ref>"Cola" is a stage name. Her real Chinese surname is not public.</ref><ref name=":5"/> is an American actress and comedian. Cola began her career in radio and stand-up comedy. She made her acting debut in 2017 on Amazon's ''I Love Dick''. Cola gained recognition for starring as Alice Kwan in the Freeform drama series ''Good Trouble'' (2019–2024). After her breakthrough with the 2023 comedies ''Joy Ride'' and ''Shortcomings'', Cola has appeared in the Netflix comedies ''A Family Affair'' (2024) and ''Nobody Wants This'' (2024–present), as well as ''Shrinking'' on Apple TV.
==Early life== Sherry Cola grew up in Temple City, California. Her parents gave her the Americanized first name "Sherry".<ref name=":5"/> They ran a restaurant in San Gabriel, California.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Kelly |date=2021-02-20 |title=Sherry Cola on authenticity, queer representation and comedy — and the weirdness along the way |url=https://highschool.latimes.com/uc-berkeley/sherry-cola-on-authenticity-queer-representation-and-comedy-and-the-weirdness-along-the-way/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=HS Insider |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816155757/https://highschool.latimes.com/uc-berkeley/sherry-cola-on-authenticity-queer-representation-and-comedy-and-the-weirdness-along-the-way/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Cola attended California State University, Fullerton for seven years, saying about that time, "I didn't have my shit together, frankly." At CSU Fullerton, she did campus radio. After graduation, she worked at 97.1 FM in Los Angeles.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Davenport |first=Emily |date=2022-03-07 |title=Comedian Sherry Cola talks acting, new season of 'Good Trouble' and lending her voice to 'Turning Red' {{!}} amNewYork |url=https://www.amny.com/entertainment/sherry-cola-acting-good-trouble-turning-red/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.amny.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220409132534/https://www.amny.com/entertainment/sherry-cola-acting-good-trouble-turning-red/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She majored in communications with an emphasis on entertainment studies.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Escandon |first=Rosa |title=29-Year-Old Sherry Cola's Whirlwind Life |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/rosaescandon/2019/06/27/29-year-old-sherry-colas-whirlwind-life/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
==Career== {{Update|section|date=October 2024}} Sherry Cola is her stage name.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitney |first=Alyse |date=2023-07-06 |title=Sherry Cola Always Knew She Was Meant for More—and Then Came 'Joy Ride' |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/sherry-cola-joy-ride |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=Glamour |language=en-US}}</ref> It was devised in 2011 as her username for the online food review website Yelp.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Fang |first=Marina |date=2023-06-23 |title=Sherry Cola Is Unlearning Scarcity And Embracing Abundance |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sherry-cola-interview-joy-ride-shortcomings_n_6488deb1e4b048eb91123a9b |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref>
During this period, she also created short-form comedic content online, including the recurring character Lil’ Tasty, for the online parody web series, ''Drive Luber''.<ref name=":0" /> She hosted comedic segments on AMP Radio, which eventually led to her own show, ''The BAE Show'',<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Pedersen |first=Erik |date=2016-11-18 |title=Sibylla Deen Sails With 'The Last Ship'; Sherry Cola Joins 'I Love Dick' |url=https://deadline.com/2016/11/sibylla-deen-the-last-ship-sherry-cola-i-love-dick-1201857159/ |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> at the station.<ref name=":6" /> She later began pursuing comedy by taking Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) classes and doing stand-up comedy.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" />
She made her first major television acting appearance in 2017 in the Amazon series ''I Love Dick'', in which she played the recurring role of Natalie.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=11 February 2021 |title=Sherry Cola: "My whole life was kind of an inside conversation" |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/sherry-cola-my-whole-life-was-kind-inside-conversation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521105500/https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/sherry-cola-my-whole-life-was-kind-inside-conversation |archive-date=2023-05-21 |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.goldenglobes.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":7" /> Following this, she expanded into film and television acting, appearing in the romantic drama ''Endings, Beginnings'' (2020),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devaney |first=Gino |date=2023-07-14 |title=Actress/Comedian Sherry Cola on Hits 96 Talks NEW Movie, "JOY RIDE" |url=https://www.hits96.com/actress-comedian-sherry-cola-on-hits-96-talks-new-movie-joy-ride/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Hits 96 {{!}} WDOD-FM |language=en-US}}</ref> directed by Drake Doremus, and in the independent film ''Sick Girl'', which was produced in 2019.<ref name=":6" />
Cola is also known for her role as Alice Kwan on the Freeform television series ''Good Trouble''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gao |first=Emily Lu |date=2020-10-02 |title=Good Trouble’s Sherry Cola Talks Her Come Up, BLM, Her Queerness and Asian American Camaraderie |url=https://www.mochimag.com/entertainment/sherry-cola/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Mochi Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
In addition to on-screen work, Cola has continued to perform stand-up comedy and has appeared as an opening act for established comedians, including Ronny Chieng.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Galuppo |first=Mia |date=2023-06-16 |title=‘Joy Ride’ Actress Sherry Cola on Her Raucous Summer Comedy and No Longer Being Just the Zany Best Friend |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/joy-ride-sherry-cola-summer-comedy-1235514603/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
She has also worked in voice acting and was cast as one of the lead characters in the animated feature film ''The Tiger’s Apprentice'', produced by Paramount, alongside Sandra Oh and Michelle Yeoh.
After her breakthrough roles in the 2023 comedy films ''Joy Ride''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sherry Cola on Why Raunchy Comedy 'Joy Ride’ Will Change the Game {{!}} Advocate.com |url=https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/sherry-cola-joy-ride-comedy |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=www.advocate.com |language=en}}</ref> and ''Shortcomings'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=2023-08-06 |title=Sherry Cola on How Randall Park’s Directorial Debut ‘Shortcomings’ Puts ‘the Glasses-Wearing, Chubby, Asian Queer Girl on the Map’ |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/shortcomings-sherry-cola-interview-randall-park-1235688346/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> Cola appeared in the Netflix romantic comedy film ''A Family Affair'' (2024)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Photo: Sherry Cola Attends the "A Family Affair" Premiere in Los Angeles - LAP2024061302 - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/upi/651b3bbd955c1b542b945a9baa0fbc2c/Sherry-Cola-Attends-the-A-Family-Affair-Premiere-in-Los-Angeles/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref> and the Netflix comedy series ''Nobody Wants This'' (2024–present).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-24 |title=Meet the Cast and Characters of “Nobody Wants This” Season 2 |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/g69125868/nobody-wants-this-season-2-cast-characters/ |access-date=2026-02-10 |website=Harper's BAZAAR |language=en-US}}</ref> In April 2025, she was announced to join season 3 of Apple's ''Shrinking'' for a recurring role.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cordero |first=Rosy |date=2025-04-10 |title=Sherry Cola & Isabella Gomez Join Apple Comedy Series ‘Shrinking’ For Season 3 |url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/sherry-cola-isabella-gomez-apple-shrinking-season-3-1236365637/ |access-date=2026-02-24 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2026, she co-hosted the HGTV series ''Wild Vacation Rentals'' with her ''Nobody Wants This'' co-star D'Arcy Carden.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=Megan |date=2026-03-01 |title=‘Wild Vacation Rentals’: Sherry Cola and D’Arcy Carden on What Makes a Perfect Vacation Rental [Interview] |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/wild-vacation-rentals-sherry-cola-darcy-carden-perfect-vacation-rental-interview.html/ |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Cola is bisexual.<ref name=":2" /> As of June 2025, she is dating Marisela Zumbado.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-20 |title=Anna Camp & girlfriend make their red carpet debut, and these pics will have you swooning |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/anna-camp-girlfriend-red-carpet-202359499.html |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-GB}}</ref> She served as a Grand Marshal at San Francisco Pride 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-24 |title='Good Trouble' actress Sherry Cola embraces queerness as 2022 SF Pride Grand Marshal |url=https://abc7news.com/sherry-cola-sf-pride-2022-san-francisco-grand-marshal-good-trouble-actress/11993776/ |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028001837/https://abc7news.com/sherry-cola-sf-pride-2022-san-francisco-grand-marshal-good-trouble-actress/11993776/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Note |- | 2019 | ''Endings, Beginnings'' | Chris |<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Rodriguez |first=Bri |date=March 23, 2021 |title=Sherry Cola: From Early Radio Beginnings to a Multi-Faceted Career in Entertainment |url=https://www.rivalmagazinela.com/rival-online/sherry-cola |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Rival Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521105501/https://www.rivalmagazinela.com/rival-online/sherry-cola |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | 2021 | ''Music'' | Coffee Shop Manager | |- | 2022 | ''Turning Red'' | Helen (voice) |<ref name=":1" /> |- | rowspan=3 | 2023 | ''Shortcomings'' | Alice | <ref name=":1" /> |- | ''Joy Ride'' | Lolo Chen | |- | ''Sick Girl'' | Laurel | <ref name=":2" /> |- | rowspan=3 | 2024 | ''The Tiger's Apprentice'' | Naomi (voice) | |- | ''Thelma the Unicorn'' | Female Talent Judge (voice) | |- | ''A Family Affair'' | Stella | |- | rowspan="5" | 2025 | ''Bride Hard'' | Nadine | |- | ''Freakier Friday'' | Pickleball Announcer | |- | ''Good Fortune'' | Linda | |- | ''You're Dating a Narcissist!'' | Diane | |- | ''The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants'' | Studio Spokesperson / Krusty Krab Patron (voice) | |- | rowspan="2" | 2026 | ''Goat'' | Hannah (voice) | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2025-07-29 |title=Jennifer Hudson, Aaron Pierre, Jelly Roll, Ayesha Curry Among Those Joining Sony Animation Pic ‘Goat’ |url=https://deadline.com/2025/07/jennifer-hudson-aaron-pierre-jelly-roll-ayesha-curry-goat-1236472780/ |access-date=2025-07-29 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | ''Little Brother'' | TBA | Post-production<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephan |first=Katcy |date=2025-07-14 |title=Chris Meloni, Ego Nwodim, Sherry Cola, Caleb Hearon and Ben Ahlers Join ‘Little Brother’ Netflix Comedy Feature (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/little-brother-netflix-chris-meloni-ego-nwodim-cast-1236453860/ |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | TBA | Untitled Stephen Merchant film | | Filming |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Title !Role !Note |- |rowspan=4 | 2017 | ''I Love Dick'' | Natalie | Recurring role<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Denny |date=2021-07-16 |title=Sherry Cola: Representing the Future of Asian Entertainers |url=https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/sherry-cola-representing-the-future-of-asian-entertainers/ |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=OUT FRONT |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210716160547/https://www.outfrontmagazine.com/sherry-cola-representing-the-future-of-asian-entertainers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | ''Transparent'' | Improviser #3 | Episode: "Groin Anomaly"<ref name=":4" /> |- | ''Life in Pieces'' | Cutter | Episode: "Treasure Ride Poker Hearing" |- | ''SafeWord'' | Herself | MTV<ref name=":3" /> |- | 2018–2019 | ''Claws'' | Special Agent Lucy Chun | Recurring role<ref name=":2" /> |- | 2019–2024 | ''Good Trouble'' | Alice Kwan | Main role |- | 2021 | ''Poorly Drawn Lines'' | The Guardian of The Forest of the Backyard (voice) | Episode: "The Forest of the Backyard" |- | 2022 | ''Baby Shark's Big Show!'' | Viv (voice) | 2 episodes |- | rowspan=2 | 2023 | ''Transformers: EarthSpark'' | Cadet Kwan (voice) | 2 episodes |- | ''Blue Eye Samurai'' |Kuma (voice) |Episode: "Peculiarities" |- | rowspan=3 | 2024 | ''American Dad!'' |Hamster Owner (voice) |Episode: "An Adult Woman" |- | ''That '90s Show'' | Morgan | Episode: "Two Princes" |- | ''Primos'' | Ms. Mahoney (voice) | 2 episodes |- | 2024–present | ''Nobody Wants This'' | Ashley | Recurring role<ref>{{cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Denise |title=Kristen Bell-Adam Brody Netflix Comedy Gets Title, Premiere Date & First-Look Photo |url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/kristen-bell-adam-brody-netflix-comedy-premiere-date-nobody-wants-this-trailer-1235918074/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=May 16, 2024 |date=May 15, 2024}}</ref> |- | rowspan=5 | 2025 | ''Grimsburg'' | Charlotte Kang (voice) | Episode: "Granddaddy Issues" |- | ''Poker Face'' | Paige | Episode: "Last Looks" |- | ''Long Story Short'' |Veronica (voice) |Episode: "Kendra's Job" |- | ''Solar Opposites'' |Mary (voice) |Episode: "The Realm of Satin and Swords" |- | ''Krapopolis'' | Ali (voice) | Episode: "Society of Swords" |- | rowspan=2 | 2026 | ''Camp Rock 3'' | Lark | Television film |- | ''Shrinking'' |Maya |Recurring role |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=nm8781499|name=Sherry Cola}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cola, Sherry}}
Category:Living people Category:American actresses of Chinese descent Category:American comedians of Chinese descent Category:American film actresses Category:American television actresses Category:American voice actresses Category:California State University, Fullerton, alumni Category:Chinese emigrants to the United States Category:American bisexual actresses Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent Category:LGBTQ people from California Category:American women comedians Category:American bisexual comedians Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:People from Monterey Park, California Category:People from Temple City, California