“Right now, my garden is in full bloom and it’s a beautiful time,” says Colman Domingo. The Euphoria alum is rightfully content because, earlier this week, he became a first-time Oscar nominee for his lauded performance as Bayard Rustin, the unsung gay civil rights activist who organised the 1963 March on Washington. With his nomination, Domingo made history as only the second gay man, and first Black gay man, to be nominated for playing a gay character.
Just two days after his nomination – he found out he’s up for Best Actor from the bathroom, then ‘jumped with joy’ with his husband Raúl Aktanov – Domingo tells GAY TIMES: “Even in one [awards] season, people see me playing Bayard Rustin and they can also see me as Mister in The Color Purple. That’s unusual territory for an openly gay man. I play these roles that are not defined just by their sexuality.”
“Unusual territory” is the perfect way to describe it: Domingo’s 33-year filmography includes roles as a high school principal (Assassination Nation), pimp (Zola), zombie-hunter (Fear the Walking Dead), “rubbernecking” CIA officer (American Dad) and, as confirmed one hour after this call, Michael Jackson’s father in the King of Pop’s upcoming biopic. He also – get this – impersonated Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks and more during his stint on The Big Gay Sketch Show. “People thought I just got here but now they’re like, ‘No, he’s been working for a long time,’” the (let’s say it again) Oscar nominee adds. “‘We just didn’t know it was him because he keeps shapeshifting.’”
Next month, Domingo will continue to showcase his diverse range with a “bonkers” role in Ethan Coen’s solo directorial debut, Drive-Away Dolls, a lesbian road trip comedy in which he delivers an “incredible monologue about… a penis”. Here, we discuss all of the above, why he wants Rustin to be shown in schools and the “existential” third season of Euphoria.
Colman, huge congratulations on your Oscar nomination.
Isn’t that wild? Thank you!
Has it sunk in yet that you’re now, officially, ‘Colman Domingo, Academy Award-nominated actor’?
Yes. It’s sunken in. This morning I actually said it out loud and thought, ‘That’s really cool.’ I love, more than anything, the people that I’m nominated with. These are all men that I truly respect. I woke up early for some reason and felt like watching another film [of theirs], so I watched The Holdovers because I admire these guys. So, I’m having a great time, man. It’s a really beautiful moment.
You were in the bathroom cleaning when you found out, right?
Yes, because my body decided to wake me up sooner than I wanted to. I was like, ‘I have to do something,’ so I started cleaning out one of my closets. My husband sat in front of the fireplace with his coffee watching the news feed. As he was listening, I would walk around the house. I would end up back in the bedroom, listening a little bit, cheering on some friends and then I would go into the closet. It started getting closer to my category, so I decided to go into the bathroom. I was just pacing. Then, I heard a ding on my phone because the feed was coming in, maybe ten seconds faster on the East Coast.
It was my manager saying, ‘Congratulations Oscar nominee.’ I don’t know if it was complete shock, but I didn’t respond at all, because it didn’t seem real. I then looked over at my husband, who was still listening, and I heard ‘Bradley Cooper’ and ‘Colman Domingo.’ My husband completely lays on the floor and starts crying. That’s when my brain caught up so then I started crying. I picked him up and we jumped up and down. Then, it was joy. It was great.
Bloody hell, I even nearly started crying on the tube this morning when I read about your husband’s reaction…
Thank you, Sam! I possibly know why it’s resonating with so many people, this nomination. Not only just for me and my work, but the character I represent, the communities I represent. Everyone’s like, ‘Go, go, go! Great, that’s one for us.’ It’s a profound win for many of us, especially LGBTQ Black folks who grew up in public schools in Philadelphia, Afro-Latinas on my father’s side. Everyone’s like, ‘Yes Colman, we see you and it’s a win for all of us.’
Around a decade ago, you almost quit the industry. I assume this Oscar nom means you won’t be hiding anytime soon?
I don’t know about that! Only kidding. Listen, it’s always a trepidacious, beautiful, interesting and wild ride, the life of an artist. Right now, my garden is in full bloom and it’s a beautiful time. There have been times where I had a drought. And sometimes in the drought, you really think about what you’re doing and try to make new agreements with it, whether you want to plant more seeds or not. There’s always a choice we have as an artist. Right now, it’s a really fruitful time in my career and I have many opportunities. I hope that continues.
Let’s talk about history being made here. You’re only the second gay man, and first Black gay man, to be nominated for playing a gay role. When Ian McKellen became the first, it sadly didn’t have a knock-on effect. Do you think we’re finally at a point where your nomination will open the door for other gay actors to do the same?
Yes, and… I think, even in one [awards] season, people see me playing Bayard Rustin and they can also see me as Mister in The Color Purple. That’s unusual territory for an openly gay man. I play these roles that are not defined just by their sexuality. I also hope that people can see the character work and the detail that I put in with Bayard Rustin. It’s not just because I’m gay that I can play gay. I can access certain things, have a willingness and a curiosity of history so I can give all of that. I want to, hopefully, be seen in the breath of all that I do and not [have people] be like, ‘Oh, gay people doing these gay things.’ It’s, ‘Yes, and?’ like we see in improv.
I thought you were paying tribute to Ariana Grande’s new single for a second there.
Yes, exactly! It’s a great single, I love it. I’ve been playing it non-stop!
As an actor, it must have been wonderful to tackle a role as meaty and culturally important as Rustin, whose story has been somewhat erased. But on a more personal level, what was it like to be the person to bring his story to the mainstream?
It feels like a tremendous responsibility, one you wanna give everything you have to. I was telling a friend the other day that it was the role that I felt like I was tasked to do, in an extraordinary way, and leave it all on the floor as if it was my last film, because it’s in dedication to one of my personal heroes. That means you leave nothing, you investigate and interrogate all of it. I felt like that was what I achieved on our last day. I gave everything I could. I gave what I was supposed to give. It was that rare moment because you know these roles don’t come up everyday, where you can actually play one of your personal heroes. It’s an incredible script full of light, humour and wit, it includes his sexuality in a real messy, weird and interesting way.