Jeff Heller
In an acting career that has spanned less than a decade, comedian Sherry Cola has racked up quite an impressive resume, with roles in films such as Shortcomings, Joyride, Bride Hard, and Freakier Friday. This year, she joined the cast of the Apple TV+ acclaimed series, Shrinking as Maya, a patient of Gaby (Jessica Williams) who is battling severe depression.
We spoke with Cola about landing her role in Shrinking, exploring the U.S. with her best friend, and who her favorite Jonas brother is.
So how are you doing?
Good, my love. I just got back from New York yesterday because I was with the phenomenal Shrinking cast in NYC for a bunch of FYC events, and it’s just an honor and a thrill to be able to continue the conversation about my character. It really is everything.
How did the role in Shrinking come to you?
It was an audition. February 2025, so a little over a year ago. And of course, this show is so respected and so feel good and so human. It’s definitely something that everyone wants to be a part of. So, I see this character, Maya, who’s written as an Asian woman, which already means a lot to me because I don’t see characters like this on TV very often at all. I’ve been in therapy myself for almost five years now, and mental health has just entered the group chat within the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) community, because society has always wanted Asian women to say less and not rock the boat and bottle your emotions. So, the fact that I can have conversations like this on the screen with the radiant Jessica Williams, who plays Gabby, my therapist. We just simply don’t see people like us having conversations like this.
So anyway, from what I knew from the audition, I was already just drawn to the role. It was a Zoom with the casting directors, Debbie and Brett, whom I adore. And then I believe this was on a Friday, and then I got the call back a few days later. So, yeah, honey, I auditioned for it.
I’m over here hustling, you know what I’m saying, Jeff? It really is one of those things where when you get the call that you booked it, you’re just so on cloud nine because you know how beloved this show is and how much it impacts people. The emotional camaraderie of this cast is magic. It really is. The fact that I’m a part of the conversation. It’s my vision board.
Were you aware of Maya’s character arc when you signed on?
Yes, early on, the producers and writers walked me through the story, which felt very intentional and purposeful and very just thought out. That’s what’s really cool about the writers and the producers of Shrinking. Everything serves a purpose. And I think it’s very much a reflection of real life, these characters. And sometimes you don’t get a happy ending. Sometimes you see someone trying their best, and perhaps there’s a sliver of hope here, but then you’re back at rock bottom.
Perhaps there’s like a taste of cloud nine, but then you’re in a dark place again. And that could not be a better example of the human experience. I think that’s what they do so well on the show, that it’s the highs and lows and the in-betweens and how you navigate grief and still try to find joy. That’s something I’ve learned in therapy personally. Multiple emotions can exist simultaneously.
But, yeah, they definitely gave me a heads up that this was the plan for Maya. For me, it made sense, for the sake of telling this specific story, especially with her dynamic with Gabby and the cause and effect of that dynamic and relationship. It just felt very tender and real. And I think we’ve all seen ourselves in Maya in some way, shape or form. You know, Jeff, I’ve been blown away at the comments and the messages I’ve been getting because people have just felt so seen and heard through this character. I literally have chills right now because whether it’s the loneliness or whether it’s the desire to find community or whether it’s just someone who’s never seen an Asian woman in therapy on TV before. We meet her, and she has a guard up. She’s sarcastic. She’s self-deprecating. She’s all of these things that are defense mechanisms and the way we cope when we don’t, when we’re hesitant to do the work.
Most of your scenes were with Jessica Williams. What was it like working with her?
Jessica Williams is brilliant and beautiful inside and out. And she’s so funny, and she’s radiant, but she’s so grounded. In the therapy scenes, there’s a little bit of lightheartedness in between the moments where she’s like, “OK, let’s talk about something real. What are you hiding and what are you avoiding? I feel there’s so much versatility in our scenes, especially in that episode of the trivia night. I remember us being in the bar with the trivia night portion and riffing, but then we get to the parking lot, it turns into this very tender moment of vulnerability that my character was so terrified of.
Maya is just so lonely, and she’s trying to put herself out there. We see that in that final phone call to Gabby. We’ve all been there where we want to reach out to someone, and it’s a risk. We might get rejected. We might not get the response that we expect. The expectations versus reality. And you see Maya processing that entire phone call as you’re with her.
It really is such a dream to be able to play with Jessica Williams through the comedy and the drama. There’s so much darkness in our everyday lives. We all have traumas that we’re still unpacking, and we try to find the funny. We just try to find levity and also hold space for ourselves. We spent a lot of time taking care of others, and then we put ourselves in the backseat. But Jessica Williams is a national treasure, and I can’t wait to work with her forever and always.
I want to shift gears a little bit. You currently have Wild Vacation Rentals airing on HGTV, which you did with your friend D’Arcy Carden. What was that experience like?
Oh, my God. I mean, speaking of just geniuses, D’Arcy Carden and I were gifted the opportunity of an HGTV show unscripted. We are riffing the entire time, which is my dream to just squeeze all of this brain juice 24/7.
But it was cool, kind of just like being in the middle of everywhere, USA, with D’Arcy and seeing parts of the country that we’ve never seen, you know, where there is an abundance of ladybugs or we were 50 feet underground, or we were 60 feet in the air, or we were on a suspension bridge, or we we’re going down a slide. I feel like adventure is definitely the word for Wild Vacation Rentals because she and I just got to really breathe that outdoor air and be one with the earth in a lot of ways.
The fact that I come from radio and I come from stand up, this hosting thing is something that I very much enjoy. So, to do it with someone like D’Arcy, it was a no brainer. We’re like, “OK, get us on the road.”
It’s just such a treat to have so many things going on because we know it’s a miracle to work right now. And the fact that I’m doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that, it’s something I don’t take for granted. I’m in this film called Little Brother that’s out in June on Netflix with John Cena and Eric Andre that I’m also just super excited about. It’s a comedy that’s really going to blow your socks off. So that’s something else on the horizon that I can’t wait for all the Sherry Cola heads to see.
Before I let you go, I have to ask you about another upcoming project. You are in Camp Rock 3.
Yes.
There’s a whole generation looking forward to this film, and I’m sure they all want to know if you have a favorite Jonas brother.
I adore all three of them equally. I will say, though, Kevin Jonas’s song Changing is on repeat. But, truly, I had so much fun with the brothers, and I can’t wait for the Camp Rock heads to see this third of the trilogy. I mean, this is like, what, 15 years later? So highly anticipated. And I think it absolutely delivers. It is so elevated. And these new teenagers are just superstars. This is a Disney dream machine. It’s a millennial pop culture phenomenon. And the fact that I get to be a part of it is, once again, something I don’t take lightly. I just can’t believe that I’m doing what I love with people who are equally as passionate and kind.
When we were filming in Vancouver, the Jonas Brothers were doing their multitasking thing and had a concert in Vancouver. So, after we were filming, we all went to see them. It was in a gigantic stadium. We’re talking filled to the brim. And you realize how humble they are and how they also operate with gratitude. They’re honestly the Beatles. They write their own music. They play their own instruments. And they have these bands who are so dedicated from day one. So, to witness that version of them after being on set with them as actors was really, really cool.
Well, thank you very much for taking the time, and congratulations.
Thank you very much! Bye-bye.
Bye now.
Shrinking is currently streaming on AppleTV+.
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