Cornell studied acting at the Juilliard School of  Drama. He has  appeared in both Broadway and Off-Broadway productions and numerous regional theater productions. He was a 2018 Lundt-Fontainne fellow which honors 10 theater actors annually from around the country. He has appeared in nearly 25 television shows and four films, including a recurring role on the FX series Rescue Me, playing the character of Richie. 

Cornell has the good fortune to have a fun and successful voice over career. This has included narrating several popular documentary series. Recording the narration for a series is truly a creative collaboration and he has enjoyed working with each group of directors and producers to craft a vocal sound that best compliments and enhances the content of their storylines. He's also recorded for a wide range of commercial products and brands including: Super 8 Motels, Hennessy VS Cognac, Ford,  Sony Records, Planters Almonds, Lowe's Home Improvement. On the animation front he's voiced leading roles in video games and cartoons. He also was heard for 4 years as the voice on NFL Gameday Morning, on the NFL Network.