Actress and filmmaker Danielle Cole works from a core of exploration, empathy, and understanding to bring beautifully unusual characters to life with biting realism and unmistakable humanity. From a strong foundation in stage performance that has evolved into an emerging screen career, Danielle Cole seeks to inspire inner musings, growth and change from audiences who are introduced to her characters and creations.
A native of Guelph, Ontario, Danielle Cole was inspired to act when she watched a stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the age of 4. Encouraged by the prospect of stepping into the shoes of as many imaginary lives and experiences as she could during a single existence, Danielle Cole embraced acting and immersed herself in theatre early on, starring in local Guelph productions and reading the complete works of Shakespeare by the age of 15. After earning a theatre degree at the University of Guelph - highlighted by a lead role in a production of Extremities - she moved to Toronto to continue her education and begin the next chapter toward building her acting career.
Following the move, Danielle Cole graced the stage in productions like Noises Off and Macbeth while getting her feet wet in film and television projects like Punched Up, Urban Legends, Team Epic, and 24 Hour Rental. Eager to create projects of her own, she produced, co-directed, and starred in the 2010 comedy short film, Houseguest, which proved that she could handle creative duties on both sides of the camera.
Using her performance in Houseguest as momentum, Danielle Cole earned her first lead feature film role in the gritty 2014 horror-drama, Scars, which cast her as a serial killer who forms an unexpected bond with a scorned female. The film became a horror favourite on the underground festival circuit, earning play at the likes of the San Antonio Horrific Film Festival, the Fright Night Film Festival, the Terror Film Festival, and the Action on Film Festival - the last of which named Danielle Cole as the winner of Best Villain for her performance.
Danielle Cole continues to explore new genres as an actor while making further strides in other creative areas. Women Undercover, a crime drama series she developed was recently optioned by Cineflix while TV series like A Stranger in My Home, Murder U, and Fear Thy Neighbor have earned her additional credits as a writer on select episodes. In the film spectrum, the short drama Family Tree represents an acting and writing project, while her co-directing, writing, and starring effort, #Blessed, is about to start its festival circuit. Outside of screen projects, Danielle Cole is an active improviser with The Dandies, who have performed at the 2017 Toronto Comicon and will next appear at Fan Expo Canada.
Whether she shows up on stage, in front of the camera or behind it, Danielle Cole continues to harvest the most interesting complexities of life and bring them to an engaged audience with depth and originality.
