Julie Nolke

Julie Marie Nolke
Born
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
NationalityCanadian
EducationYork University (BFA in Acting)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • YouTuber
  • writer
Years active2014–present
Known forExplaining The Pandemic to my Past Self
Tastemade videos and show
PartnerSamuel Larson[citation needed]
Children1
YouTube information
Channel
Genres
  • Skits
  • parodies
  • vlogs
Subscribers1.07 million[1]
Total views171.36 million[1]
100,000 subscribers2020
1,000,000 subscribers2022
Last updated: 07 Nov 2023

Julie Marie Nolke is a Canadian comedian, actress, writer, and YouTuber. She is best known for her comedic YouTube series Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self.[2][3][4]

Career

Nolke initially started her YouTube channel Feeling Peckish in May 2015 as a hobby with her boyfriend Sam where she uploaded cooking videos.[5] She was then hired by Tastemade to make videos, develop ideas for content, and to produce branded content.[6][7] She has also starred in the Tastemade show One for the Road with Andrew Gunadie.[8] She later changed her YouTube channel name to Julie Nolke, where she now uploads skits, parodies and vlogs.

According to Nolke, the inspiration for her channel is: "I want to debunk this idea that women aren't funny. I think you can not only be a funny woman, but you can talk about things from a woman's perspective and have it be funny. That's the main mantra of the channel."[9] Her YouTube video Are We Bad Feminists? won the "Excellence in Writing" award at the 2019 Buffer Festival.[10] She also directed, wrote, and starred in a YouTube video When you buy ADULT TOYS online, which was nominated for the 2020 Outstanding Comedy Short at the Toronto Sketchfest "Best of the Fest" award show.[11]

In April 2020, Nolke uploaded the first episode of Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self to YouTube, a comedy sketch depicting her time-traveling to talk to her past self before the COVID-19 pandemic[12][13] where she vaguely discusses various social and political issues that have arisen in the future with her past self,[14] such as the pandemic,[15][13] the George Floyd protests,[16] and the 2020 Beirut explosion.[4] The first several videos in the series collectively had more than 25 million views by October 2020.[3] By January 2022, she had uploaded seven videos in the series.[17] Explaining the Pandemic to My Past Self was nominated for a 2021 Webby Award in the Viral, General Video category.[18][19] Nolke won 2021 Webby Awards in Best Individual Performance and two Audience Choice Awards for best viral video and best writing.[2]

In addition to her YouTube channel, she has had roles in movies, short films, and television shows, including Oil Men, What We Do in the Shadows,[5] TallBoyz, Workin' Moms,[20] and Run the Burbs.[21] She starred in the comedy short Hashtag Apocalypse, which received an award of distinction at the 2019 Canada Shorts Film Festival.[22] Nolke had a small role in Secret Society of Second-Born Royals, but has said her part was cut in the final version.[23]

In September 2022, she founded YouTube comedy group Pulp Comedy which features six Canadian comedy actors and writers.[24]

Personal life

Nolke was born in Calgary, Alberta.[9]

Filmography

Julie Nolke filmography
Year Title Role Notes Ref
2014 Exquisite Destiny [25]
2017 Oil Men Leanne Romanko
2019 TallBoyz Stephanie [20]
2019 Hashtag Apocalypse Elliot
2020 What We Do in the Shadows Witch No. 1 [26]
2020 Workin' Moms Bank Manager
2022–present Run the Burbs Sam [27]
2022 Coroner Cori Episode: "Safe Space"
2023 You're My Hero Peyton
2023 The Wedding Rule Gemma (lead)

References

  1. ^ a b "About JulieNolke". YouTube.
  2. ^ a b Dutt, Aruna (May 19, 2021). "Canadian YouTuber Julie Nolke just won the internet". CBC.
  3. ^ a b Forani, Jonathan (October 16, 2020). "'Permission to laugh': How one Canadian YouTuber found humour amid lockdowns". CTV News. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Dhopade, Prajakta (March 29, 2021). "This YouTube star used comedy as pandemic therapy—and amassed millions of fans". Maclean's. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "SWAGGERMAGAZINE: SELFMADE – JULIE NOLKE INTERVIEW". www.swaggermagazine.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  6. ^ Harwell, Drew (August 14, 2016). "Why you can now quit your job to make Snapchat videos". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  7. ^ Pierson, David (October 24, 2015). "As the online video world grows, content creators must cast a wide net". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  8. ^ Rody, Bree (September 26, 2019). "Tastemade brings longform, ad-supported content to Canada". Media in Canada. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Dhopade, Prajakta (September 2, 2020). "This Canadian explained the pandemic to her past self. Yeah, you've seen the video". Maclean's. Toronto ON. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  10. ^ BWW News Desk. "The Buffer Festival 2019 Awards Celebrate Excellence In Filmmaking". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  11. ^ CBC Comedy (July 29, 2020). "Celebrate the best of Toronto Sketchfest with our live broadcast". CBC. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  12. ^ Ifeanyi, KC (April 15, 2020). "This comedian warning her past self about COVID-19 hilariously nails how ill prepared we were". Fast Company. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Severn, Carly (March 19, 2021). "'This Will End': A Message to My Pre-Pandemic Self". KQED. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  14. ^ Williams, Lisa (December 25, 2020). "Use your slow-cooker to have chicken ready for supper with little work". The Gazette. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  15. ^ Dicker, Ron (April 15, 2020). "Comedian Explains The Pandemic To Her Bewildered Self From January". HuffPost. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  16. ^ Knibbs, Kate (August 3, 2020). "An American Pickle Might Have Been Fresher in the 2010s". Wired. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  17. ^ "Explaining the Pandemic to my Past Self – YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  18. ^ Spangler, Todd (April 20, 2021). "Variety Lands Three 2021 Webby Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  19. ^ Lewis, Hilary (April 20, 2021). "Webby Awards: Trevor Noah, Jennifer Garner, HBO Among Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Social Spotlight: Julie Nolke". ET Canada. Toronto ON. November 2, 2020. Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  21. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (September 27, 2021). "'Run The Burbs': Rakhee Morzaria, Zoriah Wong, Roman Pesino & More Set As Main Cast Of CBC Family Comedy From Andrew Phung". Deadline. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  22. ^ "2019 Festival Results & Awards: Awards of Distinction". Canada Shorts: Canadian and International Short Film Festival. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  23. ^ "LIVE BIRTHDAY Q&A AND GIVEAWAY!!!". Julie Nolke. YouTube. August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  24. ^ "Introducing Pulp Comedy, Julie Nolke's love letter to the next generation of Canadian comics". blog.youtube. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "Exquisite – Sarah Basso". Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  26. ^ "The First Couple To Ever Get Married by Julie Nolke". Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  27. ^ Alexandra Del Rosario, "‘Run The Burbs’: Rakhee Morzaria, Zoriah Wong, Roman Pesino & More Set As Main Cast Of CBC Family Comedy From Andrew Phung". Deadline Hollywood, September 27, 2021.