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Colman Domingo

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Colman Domingo
Domingo at SXSW in 2024
Born
Colman Jason Domingo

(1969-11-28) November 28, 1969 (age 55)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationTemple University (BA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • playwright
  • director
Years active1995–present
WorksFull list
Spouse
Raúl Domingo
​
(m. 2014)​
AwardsFull list

Colman Jason Domingo (born November 28, 1969) is an American actor, playwright, and director. Prominent on both screen and stage since the 2010s, Domingo has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, and nominations for an Academy Award and two Tony Awards. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024.[1]

Domingo's early Broadway roles include the 2005 play Well and the 2008 musical Passing Strange. He gained acclaim for his role as Mr. Bones in the Broadway musical The Scottsboro Boys (2011), for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He reprised the role in the 2014 West End production, receiving a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. In 2018, he wrote the book for the Broadway musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

After early roles in various incarnations of the Law & Order series and as part of the main cast for The Big Gay Sketch Show, Domingo had his breakthrough playing Victor Strand in the AMC series Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2023).[2] He gained wider acclaim for his recurring role as the recovering drug addict Ali on the HBO series Euphoria (2019–present), winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2022.

Domingo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in the Netflix biopic Rustin (2023). His other notable film appearances include roles in Lincoln (2012), The Butler (2013), Selma (2014), If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), Zola (2020), and The Color Purple (2023). Domingo received further acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for his portrayal of John "Divine G" Whitfield in the prison drama Sing Sing, which premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival before being released in 2024.

Early life and education

Domingo was born and raised as the third of four children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by his mother, Edith Bowles, and her husband in a working class household.[3][4][5] His mother was a homemaker and also worked at a bank,[6] while his stepfather, Clarence, sanded floors for a living.[3][7] Edith passed away in 2006, the day after Domingo's audition for the theater musical Passing Strange.[5][8] His stepfather had died a few months earlier.[8]

Domingo's biological father was from Belize, with relatives from Guatemala.[9] He had previously left the family when Domingo was nine years old.[3] Domingo had a speech impediment, a lisp,[10] as a child and was sent to speech therapy classes by his mother.[8]

Domingo is a 1987 Overbrook High School graduate,[11] and later attended Temple University,[12][13][14] where he majored in journalism. Soon thereafter, he moved to San Francisco, California, where he started acting, mainly in theatre productions.[13][15]

Domingo taught classes and performed lectures at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014,[16] O'Neill National Theater Institute in 2015,[17] and University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016.[18]

Career

1994–2014: Early roles and professional struggles

Domingo's first on-screen acting credit is in a 1995 direct-to-video feature film called Timepiece.[citation needed] Domingo continued to act sporadically through the 1990s, making his television debut in the police procedural Nash Bridges in 1997. Then, he took a small role in Clint Eastwood's True Crime (1999) and acted in the independent films Desi's Looking for a New Girl (2000), Kung Phooey (2003), and the crime drama Freedomland (2006). He also took minor roles in Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury.[19] He also acted in the sketch series The Big Gay Sketch Show from 2008 to 2010.[20]

Domingo in 2006

On stage, Domingo starred as Mr. Franklin Jones, Joop, and Mr. Venus in the critically acclaimed rock musical Passing Strange,[21] which, after a successful 2007 run at The Public Theater, opened on Broadway on February 28, 2008. He received an Obie Award in spring 2008 as part of the ensemble of Passing Strange Off-Broadway,[22] and reprised his role in the film version of Passing Strange, directed by Spike Lee, which made its premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.[23]

In 2010, Domingo's self-penned, one-man autobiographical play titled A Boy and His Soul premiered Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre, for which he won a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show.[24] He was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award.[25][26] From June 14 to July 18, 2014, Domingo played Billy Flynn in the Broadway revival of Chicago.[27]

Domingo earned acclaim for his work in The Scottsboro Boys, directed by Susan Stroman on Broadway in 2010. For that performance, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in May 2011.[28] When The Scottsboro Boys opened in London, Domingo was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical in April 2014.[29] He was also nominated for the Fred Astaire Award for Best Principal Dancer on Broadway in 2011.[19]

Domingo also appeared Lee's films Miracle at St. Anna (2008) and Red Hook Summer (2012).[30][31] Around this time, he also booked supporting roles as Private Harold Green in Steven Spielberg's historical epic Lincoln (2012), as Lawson Bowman in 42 (2013), as Freddie Fallows in The Butler (2013), and as Ralph Abernathy in Selma (2014).[19][32][33]

According to The New York Times, Domingo considered "quitting the acting business over the rejection" in 2014 after missing out on several television auditions, including one for a small role on Boardwalk Empire because casting directors allegedly said that his skin was too dark.[34] However, soon after this period of struggle, Domingo booked his breakout role in AMC's The Walking Dead spinoff television series, Fear the Walking Dead.[19]

2015–2018: Rise to prominence with Fear the Walking Dead

Domingo in 2016

On Fear the Walking Dead, Domingo portrayed the character of Victor Strand; his first appearance was in the fifth episode of the first season, titled "Cobalt".[35] In December of that year, it was announced that Domingo was promoted to series regular for the second season of the series.[2] IndieWire called him "easily the most vivid character in the sometimes gray apocalypse" of the series.[36]

In 2016, Domingo made appearances on several television series, including as Dr. Russell Daniels in the Cinemax series The Knick,[19] Father Frank on Lucifer,[37] and on Louis C.K.'s Horace and Pete.[38] In 2017, Domingo joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a member of the Actors' Branch,[39] and played a dragonfly on the fourth season of the Netflix animated series Bojack Horseman.[36]

Domingo with Fear the Walking Dead cast members in 2018

In 2018, Domingo joined the Directors Guild of America as a director on season four of Fear The Walking Dead.[40][41] He became the first ever actor from the series to helm an episode within The Walking Dead franchise.[42] He ultimately directed 3 episodes of Fear The Walking Dead (episode 12 of season four, "Weak"; episode three of season five, "Humbug's Gulch"; and episode three of season six, "Alaska").[43]

In 2018, he also wrote the book for the Broadway musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,[44] and appeared in Barry Jenkins' If Beale Street Could Talk, a film adaptation of the James Baldwin 1974 novel of the same name.[45] In the latter, his on-screen wife was played by Regina King, who received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.[46] He also collaborated with Sam Levinson for the first time in 2018, with a supporting role in the black comedy film Assassination Nation.[47]

2019–present: Career breakthrough with Euphoria, Rustin, and Sing Sing

In 2019, Levinson cast Domingo in a recurring role as Ali, a recovering drug addict, in the HBO drama series Euphoria. Domingo attracted considerable attention for his performance in Euphoria,[48] eventually winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2022 for his work in the second season of the series.[49]

In 2020, Domingo signed a first-look deal with AMC Networks.[50] That year, he also received acclaim for his role as Cutler in the Netflix adaptation of August Wilson's play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which also starred Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. The following year, he received further notice for his role as X, a ruthless pimp, in the crime film Zola, which was directed by Janicza Bravofor A24.[51] For his role as X, he received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.[52] That year, he also served as an executive producer on Scott Aharoni and Dennis Latos' short film Leylak, which premiered at that year's Tribeca Film Festival and qualified for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.[53]

Domingo at the 75th Tony Awards in 2022

In 2023, Domingo starred as civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in the Netflix film Rustin, which was directed by George C. Wolfe. Upon the announcement of his being cast in the lead role, the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice voiced their approval directly to Domingo, espousing that "Your powerful voice helps amplify Bayard Rustin, Godfather of Intersectionality, Planned the March, Brought non-violence to the Movement, Inspired the Freedom Riders, Lost to history because of who he loved, Who he was. Angelic Troublemakers unite!"[54]

For his performance in Rustin, he received nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. His Academy Award nomination for Rustin made him the first Afro-Latino to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor,[55] as well as the second openly gay man, after Ian McKellen, and the first American openly gay man, to receive an Academy Award nomination for playing a gay character.[56][57]

He received positive notice for his performance as Mister in the second film adaptation of The Colour Purple novel and musical, and along with the ensemble cast, he received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for the film.[58] That year, he also voiced the DC Comics superhero Batman in the Spotify scripted podcast The Riddler: Secrets in the Dark.[59]

Domingo portrayed John "Divine G" Whitfield in the prison drama Sing Sing, which premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and which was picked up by A24 for theatrical distribution the following year. Upon release in 2024, the film attracted acclaim from critics,[60] and Domingo was later nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his performance.[61]

Upcoming projects

In January 2024, it was announced that Domingo was cast to play Joe Jackson in the musical biopic Michael (2025) about the life of singer Michael Jackson.[62] It was also announced Domingo is set to direct and star in the leading role of an untitled Nat King Cole biopic from a script he co-wrote.[63]

Personal life

Domingo in 2018

From 2009 to 2017, Domingo lived in the federally subsidized artists' building Manhattan Plaza.[64][65]

Domingo is gay.[66] He met his husband, Raúl Domingo, in 2005.[67] They married in 2014.[68]

Filmography

Main article: Colman Domingo on screen and stage

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Colman Domingo

Domingo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in the Netflix biopic Rustin (2023). Domingo won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as a drug addict in the HBO series Euphoria (2022).

Domingo also received Tony Award and Laurence Olivier Award nominations for his supporting performance in the musical The Scottsboro Boys. For his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, he received Screen Actors Guild Award and Independent Spirit Award nominations. He received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his performance as an abusive pimp in Zola (2021). He was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for The Color Purple.

For his performance in Sing Sing, Domingo has won several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award nomination in 2025.

References

  1. ^ Kravitz, Lenny (April 17, 2024). "The 100 Most Influential People of 2024: Colman Domingo". Time. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Goldberg, Lesley (December 3, 2015). "'Fear the Walking Dead' Promotes Colman Domingo to Series Regular for Season 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Rose, Steve (November 24, 2023). "'Are the Secret Service gonna come get me?': Colman Domingo on Rustin, Zendaya and touching Obama". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  4. ^ "Colman Domingo's time is now". The Seattle Times. November 20, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "How Colman Domingo's Late Mother Helped Him Bond with Oprah Winfrey: 'It's Magically Eerie' (Exclusive)". Peoplemag. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Schulman, Michael (August 16, 2021). "Colman Domingo Honors a Fabulous Friend". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  7. ^ Kuchwara, Michael; Press, The Associated (September 24, 2009). "Colman Domingo defines life by music of his youth". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c McGee, Celia (September 2, 2009). "Heartfelt Loss Pervades His Triumphs". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Thompson, Tessa (March 20, 2016). "Colman Domingo". Interview.
  10. ^ Davids, Brian (August 27, 2021). "'Candyman' Star Colman Domingo on Jordan Peele's "Beautiful Invitation" and His Key 'Zola' Scene". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  11. ^ "Oscars 2024: Colman Domingo is first Afro-Latino to be nominated for Best Actor". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. February 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Roberts, Kimberly C. (October 14, 2011). "'A Boy and His Soul' defies stereotypes". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Elkin, Michael (May 7, 2013). "Celebrating Success: From 'hood to Hollywood with actor Colman Domingo". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 26, 2014.
  14. ^ "Temple stars shine bright at film and television awards". Temple Now | news.temple.edu. January 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Katz, Leslie (March 11, 2021). "Colman Domingo recalls inspirational years in The City". The San Francisco Examiner. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  16. ^ "Performance Lecture by Colman Domingo", The University of Texas at Austin.
  17. ^ "National Theater Institute Semester". www.theoneill.org. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  18. ^ "UOWM Schedule". Artsextract.com. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  19. ^ a b c d e "Colman Domingo". Interview Magazine. March 20, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  20. ^ "Colman Domingo was 'mortified' when Oprah learned about his naughty impression of her". EW.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  21. ^ "Passing Strange". Negroproblem.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  22. ^ "The 2008 Obie Award Winners". The Village Voice. May 20, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  23. ^ "Spike Lee to make Sundance debut with musical "Passing Strange"". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 2008. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  24. ^ "2010 Nominations and Recipients". lortelaward.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  25. ^ "Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced; Ragtime and Scottsboro Top List". Playbill. May 3, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  26. ^ "Drama League Nominees Include Addams Family, American Idiot, Enron, Next Fall, Night Music". Playbill. April 20, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  27. ^ Gans, Andrew (June 14, 2010). "Domingo Is in Like Flynn in Broadway's Chicago Beginning June 14". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013.
  28. ^ "Just the List: 2011 Tony Award Nominees". Playbill. May 3, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  29. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 15, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. ^ Armitage, Helen (December 16, 2020). "Colman Domingo Movies & TV Shows: Where You Know The Fear The Walking Dead Star". ScreenRant. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  31. ^ "Who's a busy boy? Actor-playwright Colman Domingo". San Diego Union-Tribune. October 3, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  32. ^ "Colman Domingo Says Lee Daniels Directed The Butler in His Pajamas". Bravo TV Official Site. July 24, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  33. ^ Evans, Summer (December 29, 2023). "Colman Domingo explains his approach to complex characters in 'The Color Purple' and 'Rustin'". WABE. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  34. ^ Chapman, Wilson (December 27, 2023). "Colman Domingo Says 'Boardwalk Empire' Passed Him Over For a Role Because He Wasn't Light-Skinned: 'That's When I Lost My Mind'". IndieWire. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  35. ^ Chernov, Matthew (September 28, 2015). "'Fear the Walking Dead' Episode 5 Recap: What's the Plan, Dan?". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  36. ^ a b Chapman, Wilson (July 18, 2024). "Colman Domingo's 9 Best Performances: 'Sing Sing,' 'Euphoria,' 'Fear the Walking Dead,' and More". IndieWire. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  37. ^ "Exclusive: 'Lucifer' has some musical soul". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  38. ^ "Pete gets bad news on a tender Horace And Pete". AV Club. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  39. ^ Thompson, Anne (June 28, 2017). "Barry Jenkins and Jordan Peele Among the 774 Invited to Join the Academy As It Pushes for Inclusion". Indiewire.
  40. ^ "Directors Guild of America Members Directory". Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  41. ^ Davis, Brandon (May 14, 2018). "'Colman Domingo Directs Upcoming 'Fear The Walking Dead' Episode". ComicBook.com. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  42. ^ Pollock, Sarabeth (April 14, 2017). "'Colman Domingo is back in the director's chair for Fear TWD 603". Fansided.com. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  43. ^ "Colman Domingo's IMDB Director Filmography Page". IMDb. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  44. ^ "Mirvish.com: Summer The Donna Summer Musical". www.mirvish.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  45. ^ McNary, Dave (October 25, 2017). "Colman Domingo Joins Barry Jenkins' Drama 'If Beale Street Could Talk'". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  46. ^ Staff, Variety (February 24, 2019). "Oscar Winners 2019: The Complete List". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  47. ^ "A Guide To the Cast of Assassination Nation". W Magazine. September 22, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  48. ^ Thomas, Carly (August 8, 2024). "Colman Domingo Credits 'Euphoria' for Becoming a Heartthrob at the "Ripe Old Age of 54"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  49. ^ "Colman Domingo on his Emmy win, Oscar nod and starring in "The Madness" - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  50. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2020). "'Fear the Walking Dead' Co-Star Colman Domingo Inks First-Look Deal With AMC Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  51. ^ Sneider, Jeff (October 9, 2018). "Riley Keough, Colman Domingo Join Taylour Paige in Zola Movie". Collider. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  52. ^ Davis, Clayton (November 23, 2021). "Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall and Naomi Watts to Announce Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  53. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 29, 2021). "Colman Domingo Boards Oscar Entry Short 'Leylak' As EP".
  54. ^ Genai, Shanelle (October 6, 2021). "Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Audra McDonald, Glynn Turman All Tapped for Upcoming Bayard Rustin Biopic". The Root. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  55. ^ "Oscars 2024: Colman Domingo is first Afro-Latino to be nominated for Best Actor". ABC7 Chicago. February 28, 2024.
  56. ^ Salam, Maya (January 23, 2024). "Colman Domingo's Oscar Nomination Is Only the Second of Its Kind". The New York Times.
  57. ^ "British actor Ian McKellen recovering after falling off London stage". Reuters. June 18, 2024.
  58. ^ Czachor, Emily Mae (January 10, 2024). "SAG Awards nominations for 2024 announced: See the full list of nominees - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  59. ^ Couch, Aaron (September 23, 2023). "Colman Domingo to Voice Batman Opposite Hasan Minhaj's Riddler in Spotify Series". The Hollywood Reporter.
  60. ^ "Sing Sing | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  61. ^ "Golden Globes 2025: Full List of Nominations - GMA". Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  62. ^ "Colman Domingo To Play Patriarch Joe Jackson In Lionsgate & Universal's Michael Jackson Biopic 'Michael'". Deadline Hollywood. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  63. ^ "Colman Domingo to Direct and Star in Nat King Cole Biopic (Exclusive)". Variety. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  64. ^ Domingo, Colman; Stan, Sebastian (September 24, 2024). "A Little Danger with Sebastian Stan & Colman Domingo". A24. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  65. ^ Norton, Graham (December 20, 2024). "The Graham Norton Show, Series 32, Episode 12". BBC One. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  66. ^ Thomas, Carly (June 12, 2024). "Colman Domingo on "Constantly" Receiving Scripts "About Slavery and Being Queer"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  67. ^ Wolf, Cam (February 23, 2021). "How Euphoria's Colman Domingo Found True Love... on Craigslist". GQ. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  68. ^ "Candyman Star Colman Domingo on Being Out and Ready for His Close-Up". advocate.com. September 15, 2021.
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