The oldest of five boys, Joe Cole was born around 1988 or 1989 and grew up in Kingston upon Thames in London. His younger brother is actor Finn Cole, who starred alongside him in Peaky Blinders.[1]
Cole's acting career began when he was accepted into the National Youth Theatre.[1] He obtained his first roles in a one-night show in the West End,[3] on The Bill and Holby City, and then in roles on stage at the Bush Theatre's sell-out School Season.[4] In the 2010s, he wrote a comedy series with Matt Lucas.[1]
From 2013 to 2017, Cole starred as John Shelby in the historical crime drama Peaky Blinders. In 2017, he starred in a season 4 episode of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, earning a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor.