Justin Cooley
Justin Cooley is an American actor. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Seth in the off-Broadway and Broadway theatre productions of Kimberly Akimbo in 2022 and 2023.
Life and career
Cooley was born to Paul and Julie. He grew up in Overland Park, Kansas, where he attended Olathe East High School. He was named outstanding actor in a lead role for the Blue Star Awards, a regional theatre competition for high school students, and became a finalist for the Jimmy Awards. He enrolled at Texas Christian University, but received an offer to join the cast of Kimberly Akimbo and quickly deferred school for one semester to join the production off-Broadway as Seth. Cooley earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, a Lucille Lortel Awards nomination for Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical, an Outer Critics Circle Awards nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, and a Theatre World Award for his performance in the off-Broadway production.Cooley made his Broadway debut when Kimberly Akimbo moved to the Booth Theatre. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance.
Cooley has been announced to portray Leaf Coneybear in New World Stages' production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which opened November 17th, 2025.