Paradise,starring Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden, Julianne Nicholson, and others, is awild ride of twists and turnsamid a world rocked by widespread devastation. Social structures and political institutions have been maintained, as best they could, until a scandal rocks the community.
At the top of the political framework of the world ofParadiseis President Cal Bradford. His Secret Service detail, led by Special Agents Xavier Collins (Brown) and Billy Pace (Jon Beavers), is thrown into a scandal when Bradford is killed. One additional agent, Jane Driscoll, is also part of the effort to figure out what happened to Bradford while maintaining the stability of the fragile society.
Special Agent Jane Driscoll is played by Nicole Brydon Bloom, an actress who previously appeared in 2023’sThe Gilded Ageand 2024’sWe Were the Lucky Ones. Nicole has a long-standing connection to politics and the media, making her even more appropriate for the show — she’s the daughter of David Bloom, a journalist who perished while embedded with the US military in 2003.
Nicole Brydon Bloom Was Nine Years Old When Her Father, Journalist David Bloom, Died in 2003
Nicole Brydon Bloom, who became engaged toactor Justin Therouxin 2024, was only nine years old when her father, David Bloom, died in 2003.David was a journalist and correspondent for NBC News as well as the co-anchor of Weekend Today at the time of his death.
On the 20th anniversary of his death, David’s daughters — Nicole and her twin sister, Christine, and Ava (who was only three years old at the time of her father’s death) — talked about the last time they saw himon Today. Christine recalled:
“We were all huddled in our in front entryway of our house and we all held hands in a circle and said the Our Father… He hugged us all goodbye, and then he got in his black town car and drove down the street. After he passed, I had like recurring dreams that he was coming back down the street in that town car and he was coming home again.”
Nicole offered more insight into what David’s last message to them was when they received itwithin a day of his untimely passing:
“So when you’re missing me as I am missing you, remember to say a prayer for all the other boys and girls who are missing their mommies and daddies, too… And yes, my dear sweet girls, when I’m a little bit scared, I promise you I will remember you and your mom, and I will know in my heart just how much you love me to the moon and back, right? Love, daddy.”
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Nicole Brydon Bloom’s Life and Career Reflect Her Interests, Resilience, and Her Father’s Legacy
If her father were working today,Nicole Brydon Bloom believes he would be “going to the most dangerous parts of the world, still seeking those stories.“And, in the footsteps of her father, Nicole Brydon Brown entered Elon University as a journalism major before changing her major to acting. When it came to journalism, Nicole said,
“I grew up watching him, and he was exceptional in his field… I thought it was a really noble profession, and there was something that felt special about potentially walking in his footsteps.”
As an up-and-coming actress,Nicole didn’t fully disconnect from how she described her father’s passion.According to former NBC journalist Tim Russert, “You couldn’t keep him away from a story… Whenever something was breaking, he wanted to be there.” Similarly, David Boom’s co-anchor on weekendToday, Soledad O’Brien, said, “he died doing what he loved, and doing what he did best.” In that same sense,Nicole dedicated herself to"learning about the world, learning about how people think or work” in her training as an actor.
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When speaking about her role inParadisealongsidecostars Krys Marshall and John Beavers, Nicole said she was excited to play a character that is “complex and nuanced.” Additionally, inParadise,Nicole’s role as Special Agent Jane Driscoll finds her in extreme proximity to politics and the inner workings of security and government much the same way her father’s career did.
In many other ways,Nicole’s acting career has taken shape in the spirit of her father’s legacy.InThe Gilded Age, for example, Nicole played socialite Maud Beaton, a character based onreal-life con artist Cassie Chadwick. Nicole’s portrayal of Caroline inWe Were the Lucky Oneswas equally steeped in historyduring the Second World War.
The Bloom Family Has Continued to Keep David’s Legacy Alive Through Activism and Advocacy
At the time of his death, David Bloom was in Iraq asan embedded journalistaccompanying the 3rd Infantry Division. David’s widow, Melanie, explained in 2023 thatDavid died as a result of complications from deep vein thrombosis and a blood clot traveling to his lungs, ultimately causing a pulmonary embolism.
David had been sitting for extended periods in cramped military vehicles, was dehydrated, and was getting little sleep at the time of his death. Melanie said David had complained about cramps in his legs before he died, but that neither she nor her husband realized what was causing his discomfort.
David’s death was a shock to Melanie and her three daughters because, while he was as safe as he could be on the outside,she shared that:
“None of that gear could have protected him from what I refer to as the bomb that lay within his own body — a blood clot he wasn’t aware of and couldn’t shield himself from.”
Since David’s death, Melanie has beenvocal about the dangers of DVT:
“My hope is that in telling David’s and my story I can help raise public awareness and support health education measures surrounding this silent, insidious killer that took my husband’s life - and that also affects two million Americans and takes hundreds of thousands of lives each year.”
She has also, “worked hard to keep his memory alive and help them cherish and love the time that we shared with him. I encourage [Nicole, Christine, and Ava] to live their lives as David would have wanted them to — by seeking joy, being strong and living life to its fullest.”
