Who is Cole Emhoff?
Kamala Harris’ stepson is not Jewish, but he credits her for nurturing his Jewish father’s faith
Cole Emhoff introduces his father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024 in Chicago. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
By Lauren Markoe August 21, 2024
Ella Emhoff drew attention for her eye-popping coat, at the 2021 inauguration of her stepmother, Kamala Harris, as vice president. At the Democratic National Convention this week, it’s her brother’s turn in the limelight.
Cole Emhoff, 29, narrated an two minute video tribute to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff before his father addressed the convention Tuesday night. It shows the second gentleman as a bar mitzvah boy, and makes references to Doug Emhoff’s deepening faith and signature issue, combating antisemitism.
What a gift from Cole. I’ll never forget this. pic.twitter.com/Hhjv99cLhJ
— Doug Emhoff (@DouglasEmhoff) August 21, 2024
Cole Emhoff strongly resembles his father, who — if Harris wins the presidency — would be the first Jewish resident of the White House. Cole is also the son of Kerstin Emhoff, a producer of creative and commercial films. She and Doug Emhoff divorced in 2010, when their son was in middle school.
Ella Emhoff does not consider herself Jewish, and there is no indication that Cole does either. Their mother is not Jewish, and they were not raised as Jews.
Cole Emhoff likes to play pickleball with his father and was named for musician John Coltrane. Here are a few more facts about the son of the second gentleman:
He got married last year
Cole Emhoff married Greenley Littlejohn on October 14 in a Los Angeles ceremony officiated by Harris. Their mothers walked them down the aisle. Littlejohn graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in fashion merchandising and works as a product manager for Brand ID. She and Cole live in Los Angeles, where he grew up.
With his sister, he coined the term ‘Momala’
Harris said she waited many months after she began dating Emhoff in 2013 to meet his children, then teenagers, explaining that she wanted to make sure the relationship worked out before she and Ella and Cole got attached.
Cole and Ella began calling her “Momala,” a name with Yiddish resonance, and a slogan on swag favored by Jews at the convention. Harris said she loves the term of endearment, and prefers it to “stepmother,” because of evil stepmother stereotypes.
He followed his parents into the entertainment business
Doug Emhoff was an entertainment lawyer for 30 years and quit after Harris won the vice presidency. Kerstin Emhoff is CEO of Ventureland, a film production company which helped produce her son’s video tribute to his father. She is also CEO of PRETTYBIRD, which makes music content.
Cole Emhoff has worked for several entertainment companies, first for William Morris Endeavor, and then as an executive assistant at Plan B Entertainment, Brad Pitt’s company. He has served on the crew of several major films, including the 2022 remake of Father of the Bride.
He has also acted. His IMDB page lists him as a star in “Dance Lady Dance,” a short film about a young woman and two of her friends who ”seek revenge on a helpless young man for disrespecting her on a date.” It was released the year he graduated from college and had an estimated budget of $400.
He studied psychology
Cole Emhoff majored in psychology at Colorado College and graduated in 2017. Doug Emhoff, Kerstin Emhoff and Harris all attended his graduation. His thesis was about how the brain processes and is often drawn to fake news.
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