Colman Domingo Biography

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Colman Domingo majored in journalism at Temple University. It wasn't until he moved to San Francisco that he began his acting career, in stage productions.

A talented writer, Colman penned his own one-man autobiographical play, titled A Boy and His Soul, which premiered off-Broadway. He has also appeared on Broadway in the play Well and the musical The Scottsboro Boys, reprising his role in the latter in the 2015 West End production. He also appeared on Broadway in the rock musical Passing Strange, reprising his role in the movie version directed by Spike Lee. Colman also wrote the book for the musical Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which debuted on Broadway in April 2018.

His first onscreen acting role was in the 1995 video Timepiece, about gay men who get together to discuss their experiences. In 1998 he made his film debut in Around the Fire, starring alongside Devon Sawa and Tara Reid, and in 1999 he played a role in his first major studio film, True Crime, starring Clint Easstwood and Isaiah Washington.

Numerous guest roles on TV series following, including on Nash Bridges, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Law & Order, The Big Gay Sketch Show, The Twilight Zone and Euphoria, receiving a Primetime Emmy Award for the latter series due to his guest role as "Ali" in the episode "Ruminations: Big And Little Bullys."

On the big screen, he's played roles in many acclaimed films, including the Oscar-winning film Lincoln (2012), 42 (2013) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) with Chadwick Boseman, The Butler (2013) and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), but it wasn't until 2023 that his talents on the big screen were recognized when he played a starring role in The Color Purple (2023) and the title role in Rustin (2023). Colman received his first Oscar nomination for his work in Rustin (2023), as well as a BAFTA nomination, Golden Globe nomination and Critics Choice Award nomination.

In 2014, Colman married his husband, producer Raúl Domingo.

Photo by Anna Kooris / A24 Films

Filmography:

Rustin (2023)
The Color Purple (2023)
Sing Sing (2023)
Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken (2023)
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
Candyman (2021)
The God Committee (2021)
Cinema Toast (2021)
Without Remorse (2021)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Zola (2020)
Lucy in the Sky (2019)
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
First Match (2018)
Assassination Nation (2018)
Culling Hens (2016)
The Birth of a Nation (2016)
Beautiful Something (2015)
Time Out of Mind (2014)
The Butler (2013)
Hair Brained (2013)
All is Bright (2013)
42 (2013)
Newlyweeds (2013)
Lincoln (2012)
Red Hook Summer (2012)
Passing Strange (2009)
Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
Fredomland (2006)
Kung Phooey! (2003)
Desi's Looking for a New Girl (2000)
Trie Crime (1999)
Around the Fire (1998)