Julie Nolke is living her dream by Dying on the Outside
Julie Nolke kindly found time in her busy schedule to answer some of my most burning questions so Small Change readers can get to know this amazingly versatile actor and creative better.
Believe it or not, you know Julie Nolke! The award-winning actor, writer, filmmaker and creator of her self-titled comedy YouTube channel with over one million subscribers and close to two million views, is definitely a face you have seen many, many times.
Nolke has been nominated for two Streamy Awards, won three Webby Awards (2021), and in both 2019 and 2023 won Excellence in Writing at Toronto’s prestigious Buffer Festival. But Nolke is probably best known for her viral online series Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self which has over 65 million views.
Julie Nolke as Sam on Run the Burbs Credit: Photo provided by Want & Able Arts Consulting
While writing, producing, editing and acting in content for the web, Nolke also works in film and television. Recent credits include starring in The Wedding Rule (W Network), Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), What We Do in the Shadows (FX), Coroner (CBC/Apple TV), Odd Squad (PBS), TallBoyz (CBC), the Emmy Award winning Workin’ Moms (CBC/Netflix), Cabin Connection (Super Channel), and in the recurring role of “Sam” on Run the Burbs (CBC/Hulu).
Julie Nolke in Dying On The Outside Credit: Photo provided by Want & Able Arts Consulting
As if that wasn’t enough, Nolke recently completed a sold out run in four cities across Canada before the comedian and content creator brought her 2025 comedy tour Dying On The Outside to Montreal (August 28), Ottawa (August 29), and Hamilton (September 5). Directed by Gwynne Phillips, Dying On The Outside is a full length one woman sketch comedy performance featuring Nolke’s deepest, darkest inner workings, but with a hilarious spin, of course.
I was lucky enough to catch Nolke’s almost sold out performance at the Westdale Theatre where she had the audience right in the palm of her hand. Between laughing with classic favourite Mirror Julie, cringe laughing while the audience helped a cyclist find her missing leg, and belly laughing as she tries to put a new born to bed, her act was flawless and physically demanding with entertaining transitions between scene and character changes.
Nolke kindly found time in her busy schedule to answer some of my most burning questions via email which I’m sharing with Small Change readers so they can get to know this amazingly versatile entertainer better.
DN: Julie, why did you turn down an engineering scholarship and move from Calgary to Toronto to go to acting school at York University? And, how did your parents react to that decision?
JN: At the time I graduated high school I was passionate about both engineering and performance. I can’t imagine how different my life would’ve been as an engineer but I’m thrilled that I decided to take the risk and pursue the arts instead. At the end of the day I was looking for a career path where I could enjoy myself at work every day and I thought that would be more likely as an actor.
My parents were incredibly supportive albeit nervous that I was moving across the country to be a starving actor. They knew how head strong I was so any amount of pushback would’ve resulted in me further engraining my choice.
DN: When things didn’t go as planned, you took a corporate job as a customer service rep and bartended to cover expensive acting classes. Then, you met your husband, director Samuel Larson, who was also struggling to find work and that led to your YouTube segments that became a mainstay for you to practise acting, producing and writing. Eventually, you quit your day jobs thanks in part to your series, “Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self,” which currently has more than 65 million views.
How did stepping outside your comfort zone lead to a series of videos that your audience not only loved and shared, but that catapulted you into film and television fame?
JN: When we started making Youtube videos I never had the intention of being famous or even making a living from it. I had spent years auditioning and really just wanted to practice and prove to casting directors in Toronto that I knew how to be on camera. After several years our channel picked up traction and we were able to quit our day jobs. But even then, we never pursued going “viral.” Instead, we focused on content that made us laugh. This is exactly how we approached our “Explaining the Pandemic” series. It was cathartic.
DN: Why take your one-woman comedy show on the road with Dying on the Outside? What did you hope to achieve? And, how did it impact your nuclear family?
JN: After so many years on the platform, I started to feel disconnected from my viewers. I decided I needed to make something where I could connect with the audience again and share something in person. I think our current culture has a yearning desire for social interaction and public events and I thought what better way to participate in that than by performing live for people. This was paired with my desire to get back into theatre and voila — Dying on the Outside was born.
My family is along for the ride every step of the way. My husband and I created the channel together and so we understand and appreciate new artistic risks and endeavours.
DN: Explain the dynamic between you and Gwynne Phillips* — award-winning actor, writer, director, producer and half of the acclaimed sketch comedy duo The Templeton Philharmonic?
JN: Gwynne is one of the most talented individuals I’ve had the honour of working with. She’s an incredible actor, writer and performer and I admired her work deeply long before I asked her to direct. I felt a lot of imposter syndrome when it came to stepping into the world of sketch comedy so I knew I needed an expert with high standards.
We worked very collaboratively on the show. I would present pitches at meetings and Gwynne would help me shape the idea before I’d go away and write the sketch. Then when it came to rehearsals we’d chat through acting beats, add or delete lines, etc.
DN: Where can Small Change readers catch one of your amazing performances next?
JN: Welp, I’m currently 7 months pregnant so this will be the last live performance for a little while. We post weekly sketch comedy videos over on my YouTube channel.
DN: One last question, what is the meaning of the show's title, Dying on the Outside?
JN: After molding the show, Gwynne and I realized there are a lot of themes of death and embarrassment throughout. It was Gwynne who came up with the name and it immediately felt like the perfect fit.
*Dying On The Outside was directed by Gwynne Phillips an award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer based in Toronto. Phillips is half of the acclaimed sketch comedy duo The Templeton Philharmonic. Phillips has written and produced several short films including Alaska which won “Best Comedy” at JFL NorthWest. Additional screen credits include Priscilla (Sofia Coppola), Börje (Crave), Children Ruin Everything (Crave), I Like Movies (Chandler Levack), American Gods (STARZ), Sensitive Skin (HBO Canada), Kim's Convenience (CBC), and The Amazing Gayl Pile (CBC Gem/Amazon Prime/OutTV).
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You can also find my work in public parking, herizons, rabble.ca and on my Wix site. Follow me on Instagram, X @doreennicoll61, Bluesky @nicollneedschange and Facebook