Sherry Cola Superbly Takes Up Space On AppleTV’s ‘Shrinking’

Sherry Cola (Photo credit: Leslie Alejandro)

Leslie Alejandro

There’s something so heartbreaking about a refreshing dramedy series like AppleTV+’s Shrinking that can give you a glimmer of hope about getting help and speaking to someone to process your thoughts – in this case, a therapist. The series has been praised for its heartfelt storylines and realistic portrayals of grief, loneliness, and the process of processing it all. That optimism can be felt throughout the series, especially in therapist Gaby (Jessica Williams), who has multiple breakthroughs with her patients as she uses her upbeat, charismatic personality to charm them into opening up. For Season 2, Episode 2, Gaby became focused on the introverted Maya (Sherry Cola).

Maya refused to speak in the first few sessions, but she slowly began to open up when Gaby started using unconventional methods, aka “Jimmy”-ing (a term coined by lead character Jimmy (Jason Segel)), like seeing the patient outside of office hours, even at a trivia game night. It seemed to be working as Maya began opening up about her depression, loneliness, and feelings of abandonment. It almost felt cathartic, as Maya’s story was so relatable. It’s difficult to make new friends, especially as adults.

As Maya and Gaby hung out more and grew closer, Maya thought they had moved past the patient-therapist relationship and had become friends. But reality hit Maya hard when she called Gaby to hang out, only to learn that Gaby had a personal emergency and would have to wait until their next appointment. Left alone with her thoughts, Maya canceled her appointments, and Gaby tried many times to reach her, believing Maya was okay. In a heartbreaking scene that followed at the end of Episode 7, Gaby received a call and learned that Maya had died by suicide.

Cola knew about the character’s story arc when she signed on to the project and appreciated that it really was a “reflection of reality.” The comedian-actress mentally prepared herself to go through Maya’s journey.

“Sometimes you don’t get a happy ending, and you’re left with ‘What now?,” Cola says over Zoom from her hotel room in New York. “How could I have prevented this? You see how it impacts Gaby. It’s a very heavy and sensitive storyline, and I don’t take it lightly. A lot of people in the world are struggling to express themselves and to find a community and people around whom they can feel comfortable.”

At first glance, it’s hard to believe Maya would ever be in this situation. She has a great career, a fancy apartment, and seems well put together. Yet, underneath the sweet smile, there’s pain, grief, and loneliness. Cola says Maya is a reminder that everyone is going through something and that they’re not alone, and to reach out for help.

“I keep saying this was very human and real, because [Maya’s] arc was,” Cola shares. “[In the beginning,] she’s not taking therapy seriously, but then you see her warming up to this friendship that she has potentially with her therapist. Gaby is trying her best to help break down her walls. You then see a sliver of hope as she finds happiness with the friends Gaby introduces her to. It’s very much a human experience of three steps forward, two steps back, or two steps forward, three steps back. There’s so much darkness in life – yet we laugh and try to have fun. We just deal with things so differently.”

The actress has now been submitted for Outstanding Guest in a Comedy Series for this Award season, which she is surprised and honored. Below, Cola discusses Maya’s journey and the aftermath throughout the series, the audience’s reception, and the mental and emotional toll she endured in portraying the character authentically.

Laura Sirikul: I know you were told what happened to Maya during the series, but when you read it, how did you feel?

Sherry Cola: When I first got the audition, it was written as an Asian woman, and that already means the world. Someone wants this character to exist. It just felt overdue. I got the callback and booked it. I can’t believe I get to tell this story. You just want to make sure you tell this story with love and hope. This show really taught me a lot about finding your people, since I’ve been in therapy for almost five years now. Mental health just entered the group chat in our community. We truly don’t see enough Asian women on TV in this predicament of not wanting to open up, feeling abandoned by her friends, and feeling like ‘What’s the point?’ It’s just so real. We all have those days. I’ve personally gone through my own version of rock bottom while simultaneously being on cloud nine. It’s such a dichotomy, and that’s something that therapy has taught me: pain and joy can exist at the same time. We don’t have to be consumed by just one adjective. It feels like everything when it’s in front of us, but let’s balance all of these thoughts and feelings.

Sirikul: What has been the audience reception of the character’s story arc?

Cola: The audience was definitely shocked and also touched. A character like Maya is so meaningful. I’ve never seen many Asian women in therapy on TV. It’s such a conversation. Society has brainwashed us for decades into bottling our emotions, saying less, not rocking the boat, and just carrying so much on our shoulders. So, to see an Asian woman being vulnerable and trying to put herself out there, even though she’s been hurt and has trust issues. It’s just so refreshing and necessary. The storyline felt really intentional, and that’s a testament to the writers and producers, who gave me a heads-up that this was the plan for Maya. It made sense because this show is about people navigating grief and trying to find joy in between, and about the emotional camaraderie among these characters and this brilliant, beautiful ensemble. This arc was such a gift for me because of the number of comments and DMs that I got from hundreds of people, just feeling seen and heard, whether it be about loneliness or trying to make friends in your 30s. Shrinking does such a phenomenal job of calling things out in a way that feels like a safe space. Maya is all of us. We can see ourselves in her and in every single character, in some way, shape, or form. You root for her, and her dynamic with Gaby is so special. Jessica Williams is a national treasure. I can’t wait to work with her more in this career of ours. She just held space, and her energy was so fun to bounce off of. Gaby and Maya forever.

Sirikul: Maya struggled with depression, loneliness, and grief. How much of yourself did you have to pull to play this character?

Cola: As I said, we’ve all been there in some way, shape, or form in feeling alone or having no one to hang out with. You’re just going day-by-day, settling for the bare minimum, and feeling like you don’t deserve more than this. That’s a layer of Maya. It’s the themes of not feeling good enough, of it taking a lot of effort, or of only having myself to count on. All of these things are very much part of Maya’s mentality as she tries to put herself out there. She opens up a little bit. Every episode felt like a “Will she? Won’t she?” The fact that she found Gaby was so meaningful because you’ve never seen people like Jessica Williams and me having these kinds of conversations on television. It’s just so rare. Jessica and I have had so many magical moments on set. Specifically, there was a moment after the trivia night in the episode, where we were in the parking lot, and Maya finally shared something. I remember driving home that night, feeling something I’ve never done before. It was just so therapeutic. This show is obviously about therapy, and it is so therapeutic, because how lucky are we to express ourselves through the craft and heal a version of ourselves from maybe 2011 that never got to say these things. And now you see how it resonates with so many people. I’ve definitely been a version of Maya. That’s what’s beautiful about acting. It’s not necessarily acting, because if you’re lucky and honest, you get to find a version of you from the past that has been in this position. These emotions and characters are so intentional, especially in [Shrinking creator] Bill Lawrence’s work. I remember one of the episodes leading up to the big moment: Bill made sure to walk through the dialogue beats so we did it right. It just felt like there was so much care for this character on set, on the paper, and on the screen. Because it was so brief yet impactful, the audience felt immediately connected to her and wanted her to win and find the light. When that final moment happened, everyone was just hit so hard because these writers are just so good at what they do when it comes to representing a feeling and representing someone who deserves to take up space.

Sirikul: You’ve been in so many comedies, and have played funny, upbeat, and sarcastic roles – like Gaby! How does it feel playing a character that isn’t like the characters you’ve done before?

Cola: It was really a treat tapping into that dramatic side. My background is comedy. In Good Trouble, I did a lot of dramatic work and in other projects as well, but this specific character just showed people a different version of me, which I definitely don’t take for granted. It is different from the other characters I’ve played. This was a dark cloud. This was discomfort. This was so contained. She was not expressive and wasn’t an open book. She resisted so much. That is such a fun challenge, as a human being, to portray someone like Maya. Because I’ve been there. There are days when I look forward to therapy, and I can’t wait to unpack something with my therapist, but there are also days when it feels like homework, because it is. Processing something that happened in your life, whether good or bad, is work. It’s a mountain to climb. This character was a fun challenge because there were moments when Jessica was being Gaby, and I, as Sherry, would riff and go off with the comedy, but that resistance was a liberating feeling because this is the kind of work I’ve been dying to do. I want to dig deeper into what makes us imperfect and the strange things in between. This is the kind of work I’ve been dying to do – the unspoken thoughts and feelings in between the obvious. I just want to continue doing the very grounded work. Less is more. I remember when I first started in radio, and then doing stand-up, I was so animated. Even in my facial expressions, I was so loud, and that is still who I am. It’s such a dream to continue showing these multi-dimensional characters, like how I’ll sometimes be super femme: wearing a dress with floral prints with some cleavage, and the next day, I’ll be in this super power-top mamacita suit. It’s just about breaking out of this box that society and Hollywood put us in. I feel very lucky to be able to show the world that I can do it all. I want to just keep reflecting the human experience on the screen. That’s exactly what Maya is doing. It’s the way she made the audience feel that I am so grateful for this show, because Shrinking is everything. It’s heartfelt, devastating, and hilarious. The fact that Bill Lawrence, the producers, the writers, the directors, and the entire cast and crew welcomed me with open arms on a show as spectacular as this. It’s critically acclaimed and respected. The fact that the work itself spoke to so many people, I’m still pinching myself. Shrinking has such a wide audience as well. The people who come up to me are from all different walks of life. They have felt like Maya. So here we are, this Asian woman making all sorts of people feel less alone. I could cry just thinking about it. It’s been such a gift to continue the conversation, especially since we filmed this over a year ago, and you see the impact when it comes out. I just feel very, very fortunate that I got to be a part of it.

Sirikul: We get to see the aftermath of Maya’s death on Gaby, and the devastation and doubt it gave her. How much did it impact you? Did the dread stay with you after they yelled ‘CUT!’?

Cola: All the emotions are coming back now that we’re talking about it. It couldn’t be more relatable. Maya was putting herself out there. She thought one thing, but then realized she had gotten carried away or had misread the situation. It took so much for her to be vulnerable in the first place, and to be humbled by that phone call and feel so alone again, it’s just so relatable. How many times have we texted a friend and it says “Read” and they don’t reply for like 12 hours? You’re just spiraling, thinking the worst, judging yourself, and being mad that you even tried to reach out. So many people have been there, including myself. It’s that emptiness, that feeling that you have nothing left to give, going through the motions of life, and being on autopilot. You just remind yourself that the only way out is through. I’ve definitely been there in a lot of ways. At the same time, I can still be full of life, make other people feel good, and bring radiance in moments when it’s not about me, and then go home and cry. I remember experiencing a dark time of heartbreak in 2021. It was so interesting. There were so many career highs, but deep down, I wasn’t okay. There was this day when I was dry heaving in my kitchen by myself, just bawling my eyes out all day, and then I did two comedy shows. I made other people laugh, and it was such a fascinating contrast. That’s exactly what this show is about. So when I play a character like Maya, I think back on those times when I felt there was no way things would get better, but they did. You can find the people who will be your safe space, the people who will take the time and be there for you. First of all, that Christina Perri song, “A Thousand Years,” will always trigger us and somehow heal us. We think about the shoulda, coulda, woulda of things on a daily. What could I have done differently? What could I have done to prevent this? We don’t know. Every single person and situation is different. Every patient-therapist dynamic is different. The aftermath and Gaby’s processing of it were very important to this arc.

Sirikul: I still can’t get over, “What do you mean we lost Maya?”

Cola: That was the most unexpected thing. The show is so real. I can’t express that enough. It’s so real in the discomfort and the unexpected human-ness in life. It’s so good. I feel so very lucky to be part of it.

Sirikul: Now that we’ve seen what it could do – Do you believe in “Jimmy”-ing?

Cola: It’s interesting. I did sneak onto Reddit a couple of times during the storylines. People were very expressive on both sides. Once again, it’s a case-by-case situation. “Jimmy-”ing is such an art. It’s a balance. There is a world where Gaby and Maya could have been besties, but that boundary is important when it comes to the therapist-patient relationship. At the same time, when you find your people, how could you not cross the line? It’s such a tender and specific dynamic. I believe in “Jimmy”-ing. Sometimes it’s so hard to say yes with the Gaby-Maya situation. Interpretation and timing are factors. Maya happened to call Gaby when she was occupied with a personal matter. If she had called an hour later or in the morning, would things have been different? It’s really fascinating, but I think “Jimmy”-ing is okay sometimes. Every character has some kind of -ing that makes them, them. I just posted a clip of one of the earlier episodes when Maya finally started to open up about trivia night. Gaby was thrilled she finally got something about her – what she does outside of this therapist’s office. Gaby tells her she has a few more minutes if she wants to keep going, but Maya immediately says, “Later, gator.” There’s something so flirty about the dynamic. It’s this push-and-pull and will-they-won’t-they that actually breaks through. I found it refreshing because we’re telling a story about loneliness, being guarded, and resistance to connection. It gets the audience giddy, like rooting for them in the NBA finals. They watch Maya, Gaby, and this journey they’re hoping for like Knicks in five. You’re so invested in this dynamic. That’s why, in this very brief pocket of time, people felt just drawn to Maya. It’s a lot to unpack. I’m still unpacking it as we speak. We can’t judge any of these characters for doing what they thought was right in the moment. Sometimes you don’t have time to think something through; life happens fast, and then you’re there reflecting on what happened. Sometimes it’s unfathomable. Sometimes you don’t process something until six years later. But it’s just important to remember you are not alone, and you can’t judge yourself because we’re all carrying so much. There are challenges every single hour, and we deal with them as best as we can. Our best is enough. Maya has taught us that there is hope if you just give yourself a chance.

Shrinking Season 2 is available to stream on AppleTV+.

If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline immediately, or call 911 / your local emergency services.