Who Is Amanda Kloots' Late Husband? All About Nick Cordero's Legacy 5 Years After His Death

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Amanda Kloots' husband, Nick Cordero, was a celebrated stage actor
The couple married in 2017 and shared a son named Elvis
In 2020, Kloots shared about Cordero's journey after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and tragically announced his death on July 5As the world was coming to grips with the devastating impacts of COVID-19, Nick Cordero's story garnered mass attention thanks to his wife, Amanda Kloots.
Cordero caught the virus in late March of 2020 and spent 95 days in the hospital. He died five years ago on July 5, 2020.
While Cordero was hospitalized, Kloots shared regular updates about her husband's health on Instagram with the hopeful hashtag, #wakeupnick. It sparked mass support from strangers and loved ones alike. After his death, Florence Pugh, a fellow actor and friend of the couple, commemorated Cordero's life on Instagram, writing, 'Nick, we love you to infinity and beyond. Rest In Peace you beautiful, beautiful man.'
Kloots, a Broadway dancer-turned-fitness instructor, first met Cordero, an actor, in New York City. At the time, the pair were working on Bullets Over Broadway, for which Cordero received a Tony nomination.
'We were friends first and then fell in love,' Kloots wrote on Instagram about the early days of her relationship with Cordero. 'We got married in NYC in 2017 and had [our son] Elvis two years later.'
Kloots continues to honor her late husband's memory in various ways. She's written a memoir, Live Your Life (2021), about her and Cordero's love story. Kloots also transformed her engagement ring into something 'more casual' she can continue to wear on her hand 'every day,' no matter her relationship status. In April 2025, Kloots went red carpet official with her new boyfriend, Justin Gimelstob.
So, who was Amanda Kloots' husband? Here's everything to know about the late Nick Cordero and his relationship with the dancer.
Cordero was born and raised in the west end of Hamilton, Ontario, a city southwest of Toronto. His mother was originally from Canada, while his father originated from Costa Rica.
Following high school at Westdale Secondary, Cordero attended Toronto Metropolitan University, which is known for its arts programs. After two years studying acting, he dropped out to pursue music full time with his band Lovemethod.
The group eventually separated, and Cordero returned to acting.
While Cordero had television and film roles, his main place was in the theater. In Canada, he acted in Tony & Tina's Wedding, The Last Five Years, Equus, Blood Brothers and Fiddler On The Roof.
On the small screen, Cordero worked on Queer As Folk and Brothers before relocating to N.Y.C. in the mid-2000s.
Per The New York Times, Cordero's 'big break' came in 2014 with a musical adaptation of Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway. Cordero played Cheech, a tap-dancing gangster. It was this role that scored him a Tony nomination.
Following Bullets, Cordero played the title character's husband in Waitress, as well as a mobster in A Bronx Tale.
Bullets Over Broadway not only earned Cordero a Tony nomination, but it was also how he met his wife.
Kloots, a dancer for the show, was married when she met Cordero. 'We were friends first and then fell in love,' she wrote on Instagram. After years of knowing each other, they married on Sept. 3, 2017.
'We really wanted a nighttime classic NYC wedding,' Kloots told BRIDES. The pair married at The Skylark, a cocktail lounge in Midtown. 'We both have worked on Broadway, so being just south of Times Square, 30 floors up, right in the middle of the skyscrapers, seemed so perfect!' she added.
Kloots and Cordero had 70 guests in attendance, many of them Broadway performers.
In March 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cordero caught the virus, resulting in his hospitalization. The actor stayed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for more than 90 days.
On March 31, Kloots shared that Nick was in the ICU, as he had been experiencing difficulty breathing. During his prolonged hospital stay, Cordero faced complications including a lung infection, getting a temporary pacemaker and septic shock, the latter leading to a leg amputation.
As Cordero continued to receive treatment, Kloots shared regular updates about her husband's condition on Instagram, uniting many on the internet, from friends and former castmates to new fans.
Most of the updates Kloots gave and the support she received were shared through Instagram Stories, which she has saved as Highlights on her page. Following Kloots' lead, Cordero's supporters used the hashtag #wakeupnick and danced and/or sang for him daily.
On July 5, 2020, Kloots shared that her husband had died. 'God has another angel in heaven now,' she wrote. In her post, she expressed her gratitude for 'the outpour of love , support and help we've received these last 95 days.'
She added, 'You have no idea how much you lifted my spirits at 3pm everyday as the world sang Nicks song, Live Your Life.'
Cordero's legacy lives on in many ways, but most literally through his son, Elvis, who was born on June 10, 2019.
In 2024, Kloots recalled the 'crazy and beautiful moment' of having her son. 'Nick was the cutest new dad ... Elvis spent the first two days in the NICU and until I was strong enough to go he was running there every two minutes and taking every friend and family member to see his new son! He was SO PROUD.'
While thousands of strangers rallied around Kloots while Cordero was in the hospital, notable loved ones did too. Among them were Zach Braff, who was best friends with Cordero, and his then-girlfriend, Florence Pugh.
In the wake of Cordero's death, Pugh shared a video of him singing and wrote: 'My friend Nick Cordero passed this morning, holding hands with all his loved ones. Him and his wife @amandakloots have been fighting extremely hard for 90 days.' She ended with a call to 'take this virus seriously,' adding, 'Wear your mask, respect others' space, clean your hands and please be safe.'
In 2023, Braff honored the three-year anniversary of Cordero's death, writing, 'Three years ago today we lost our Nick. There was not a kinder person on Earth. We never know how long we've got. Carpe Diem.' While Cordero was in the hospital, Kloots and her family lived in Braff's guesthouse, per The New York Times.
Braff remains close with Kloot and her son. In June 2024, he attended Elvis' preschool graduation. To commemorate that day, the mom of one shared a series of photos, including one with Braff.
'I got to say between his birthday, Father's Day and then graduation.. June has not been an easy grief month at all ... BUT, to have friends in my life that show up, stand beside me, and hold our hands time and time again makes all the difference!' she said.
Read the original article on People