Nick Cordero’s ‘Waitress’ Co-Star Sara Bareilles Mourns His Death in Heartfelt Tribute

Sara Bareilles is paying tribute to Nick Cordero, who died from coronavirus complications Sunday morning. Bareilles and Cordero had worked on the 2016 Broadway production of Waitress together, with Bareilles remembering him as “talented and humble” in her Sunday evening post.

Sharing an image of the late Broadway star and Tony Award nominee, who was just 41, Bareilles wrote that Cordero “was light. Kind and gentle. Talented and humble. Funny and friendly. The best laugh.” She added that she was “sending so much love to the love warrior” Amanda Kloots, and the couple’s 1-year-old son Elvis, and also sending “an immense hug to any one who is feeling the loss of this giant heart.”

Bareilles had written the music and lyrics for the 2016 production, in which Cordero starred as Earl. Based on the 2007 comedy-drama film of the same name, Waitress debuted at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Following the Sunday announcement that Cordero had tragically lost his months-long battle, many of his Waitress co-stars took to social media to pay their respects.

Also taking to Instagram, Kimiko Glenn, who took on the role of Dawn Pinkett, wrote that she was “in disbelief” and that she had “only wonderful memories of you.” Sharing a series of pictures of Cordero and his son, Glenn wrote in a separate post that she was “so lucky to have known you,” adding that “he was a gentle giant and an absolute legend.” She also encouraged people to wear a mask.

Writing that she was “devastated,” Jenna Ushkowitz, who starred as Dawn, encouraged people to abide by coronavirus guidelines, such as wearing a mask, writing that she “just doesn’t understand why we are still having to yell at others to wear a godd– mask. We are mourning a friend and a light in this world who shouldn’t be lost to this virus and didn’t deserve this. What can you do? WEAR A MASK. HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR OTHERS AND YOURSELF.”

The series of posts came after the Waitress cast had shown their support for Cordero throughout his hospitalization. In April, many of the cast members joined together for a virtual cover of Cordero’s song “Live Your Life,” which became an anthem for fans to show their support. Cordero, 41, also starred in Broadway productions of Rock of Ages and Bullets Over Broadway, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination.