Glad to hear that! He is really phenomenal. Those wolf vicious eyes. He was my favorite. I had some conversation with him (2 years ago) and he was sarcastic, gentle, funny and so depressive at the same time. It was alarming...
I actually have a lot of thoughts on Cole and how he relates to the industry as a whole.
I work in casting but Cole was before my time in the field. I used to follow him a bit online though when I was younger and his agents sometimes send me his photos in packages.
Back in the day Cole was so interesting to me because he has such a distinctive personality and presence compared to most models (if you see him in interviews). It's clear watching him speak that he's extremely smart, funny and perceptive.
He feels more like an actor than a model and I always thought he could probably be successful as one if he got trained and decided to seriously pursue it. I actually think he could be successful at a lot of things if he applied himself.
My sense of him just from interviews (and please correct me if I'm totally off base here) is that he's not particularly ambitious, self promoting or calculating. I'm not saying he doesn't have dreams but he strikes me as someone who very much lives in the present and doesn't really plan ahead. I mean the random tattooing on his body that he allowed people to scribble on like a bathroom wall is reflective of that lack of foresight. Not to shade him for doing that, just saying. He also seems really really ADHD, impulsive and unfocused. I can see him trying something and then giving up or getting distracted.
And I also wonder if he has other vices or HAD other vices that got in the way of him applying himself, because that would fit with his personality type too.
I saw a brief interview clip with him from a few years ago and he seems very depressed and beaten down compared to his interviews ten years ago. You can also see the exhaustion on his face. I hope he's okay.
It's unfortunate that when it comes to modeling these kids give up on the path of having a normal life - a lot of them don't go to college and build skill sets that they could apply to later getting normal jobs. And the industry chews them up and spits them out. So they're on top of the world thinking they're the sh*t for a few years, making lots of money, and then when they age out they're left with no path ahead. (Being an influencer is actually smarter because you have more control over your own career and you don't have an agent or industry willing to drop you when they get bored with your face.)
I think this is especially true for someone like Cole who has a grunge chic appearance and is far from a traditional commercial model. He can't transition into selling real estate or becoming an influencer. He's aged out of the e-boy demographic and he's not like the type of hot cheesy model who can just post shirtless photos of himself and shill sh*t. And even if he had what it takes to be an influencer, I don't believe it's in his nature to sell himself in that way. Yes, modeling is selling yourself but I'm not sure if it feels as gross to someone like Cole because there's at least some artistry involved and you're relying on other people to sell you - you're not the one actively promoting yourself. Cole seems like a good person to me - one who has some integrity.
The fact that he's male doesn't help to be honest. Male models make a lot less money and so he probably doesn't have the savings a successful female model would have after her career ended. And to be totally frank female models when they age out of their careers can always marry a rich guy and secure their futures in that way. That's harder for guys.
This is all to say I hope he's okay. And I really think he should consider acting - like enroll in classes at Stella Adler or William Esper if he hasn't already. Because he has the face and presence for it, and it would allow him to build a career and channel his creativity into something more meaningful than modeling. It's not too late for him to do this. There's so much content being made right now and there's a dearth of interesting, edgy American male actors of any age.
Cole, if you're reading this, I hope you're ok.
