Colman Domingo is an actor who, after working since the mid-90s, is finally getting the recognition he deserves. And even though his Oscar nomination for Rustin didn’t land him an Academy Award, it’s clear audiences can’t get enough of him or his impeccable style whenever he lands on the red carpet.
Domingo’s range consistently drives his roles, with his most recent being Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic and the upcoming Nat King Cole biopic. There are even rumors stirring of him appearing in the MCU. In addition, he’s always spotlighted the Latine, LGBTQIA+, and African American communities with every role he takes on. What’s resulted is an impressive portfolio of roles that helps audiences better understand the talented actor, writer, and creator behind them.
Here are 7 movies and TV shows to get to know Colman Domingo.
1
The Big Gay Sketch Show (2006-2010)
The Big Gay Sketch Show was a sketch comedy series on Logo that featured a hilarious cast that included Domingo, Kate McKinnon, and many others. The series allowed Domingo to flex his comedic skills with hilarious skits such as Maya Angelou reading Craigslist or a skit where he portrayed Oprah (leading to the two becoming friends in real life.)
2
Fear the Walking Dead (2015-2023)
Splintering off the success of The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead winds the clocks back to the first days of the zombie apocalypse. Audiences are introduced to a con man named Victor Strand, played by Domingo. In the show’s eight seasons, Strand evolves from hero to villain and back again as the show’s most complex and layered character.
3
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is inspired by a play of the same name by August Wilson and follows Ma Rainey and her blues band as they record a new album. Domingo plays Cutler the Trumbonist and shares many emotionally charged scenes with the late Chadwick Boseman as they navigate the struggles of being Black musicians in the 1920s.
4
Candyman (2021)
Following the 1992 horror film of the same name, Candyman follows a young artist who encounters the urban legend of Candyman and learns the horrors are more real than he realized. Domingo plays William Burke, a mysterious and haunting man who reveals many dark secrets about the legend of Candyman.
5
Euphoria (2019- )
Euphoria explores the struggles teenagers face, ranging from dating to drug abuse, gender, and sexual assault. Domingo’s Ali Muhammud is a recovered drug addict who hit rock bottom but gained a new lease on life. Changing his name and discovering a new faith, Ali’s mission as Rue’s (Zendaya) mentor and friend is to help her overcome her addiction and rebuild her life.
6
New Moon (2022)
New Moon was written by Domingo and his husband, Raúl Domingo, and is a short film about a young boy named Jay Jay talking about the magic of dreams and the new moon with his mother, Edie. Domingo narrates the story, speaking of a personal experience with his mother one summer night in West Philadelphia. The short was also shortlisted for Best Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards and is based on Domingo’s solo play “A Boy and His Soul.”
7
Rustin (2023)
Rustin features Domingo as the historical figure Bayard Rustin and his work with Martin Luther King Jr. on the orchestration of the March on Washington in 1963. The movie pulls no punches in addressing Rustin’s work to push for equality for African Americans and the LGBTQIA+ community, which he was a part of.