Colman Domingo Catches the Light
Praised for his gripping performance in Sing Sing — a prison drama underscoring the transformative power of the arts — Colman Domingo returns to the Palm Springs International Film Festival to claim his second consecutive Spotlight Award.
In the quiet, sun-soaked expanse of Palm Springs, Colman Domingo found a rare moment of stillness.
He and his husband, Raul, had just checked into a hotel for a weekend getaway when his phone rang. It was Bruce Cohen, producer of Rustin, calling with news Domingo had been waiting for. “That’s literally where I got the call inviting me to play Bayard Rustin and to lead the film,” Domingo recalls. The timing felt almost spiritual. “It felt divine, actually. Good things happen here,” he says.
That moment encapsulates the essence of Colman Domingo — a man who has spent decades carefully cultivating his craft and creating his world from the inside out. At 55, Domingo is now reaping the rewards of his patience, hard work, and singular artistry. His career, marked by a commitment to authenticity and deep humanity, feels as hot and expansive as the desert landscapes he loves.
Palm Springs is not where Domingo’s story begins, but it has become a restorative waypoint — a place where he can breathe, reflect, and reconnect with himself. “I didn’t start going to Palm Springs until I lived in L.A.,” Domingo shares. “It was everything I loved. The midcentury homes, the ease of life, even the heat — 118 degrees felt good for my body.”
It has also become a place of celebration. This month, the Palm Springs International Film Festival presents Domingo with his second consecutive Spotlight Award. Last year, he was honored for his performance in Rustin, a role that went on to garner an Academy Award nomination. Now, he’s recognized for Sing Sing, which he also executive produced.
This photo and above: HOMME PLISSÉ Coat, top, and trousers, Issey Miyake. Chambelimoc loafers, Christian Louboutin. Diamond tennis bracelet and oval-cut amethyst opera necklace, Brandon Boswell Diamonds. Bauhaus 24-karat gold-plated rings, Misho.
DOMINGO’S FOREARM TATTOO READS “EDITH,” A NOD TO HIS MOTHER AND THE NAME OF HIS PRODUCTION COMPANY. Jacket, top, trousers, scarf, Coeur Royal Beaded Necklace, socks, and loafers, Valentino. TENNIS Bracelets, rings, and earrings, Brandon Boswell Diamonds.
Domingo has projected himself into a world far beyond his roots, envisioning a life built on creativity, expression, and connection. He dreamed of stages in New York and San Francisco, later expanding his vision to the soundstages of Hollywood.
Planted in the soil of working-class West Philadelphia, Domingo describes his early years as unassuming but formative. “I grew up in the inner city, the third of four children,” he says. “I was pretty shy.”
He describes his younger self as invisible — not out of necessity, but by design. Books were his refuge, offering worlds that felt both safer and larger than the one he inhabited. “I was just a nerdy queer boy from Philadelphia, trying to get by.”
His mother, Edie, played a pivotal role in shaping his outlook. “She was always willing to try new things. She wanted us to try new things,” he recalls. “She said, ‘Go, try that, try that.’ And so I would do that stuff, and it would start to transform me, and I started to find that an artistic life was a possibility.”
This encouragement led Domingo to Temple University, where he initially pursued journalism. But an elective acting class cracked something open in him. “That’s when I started to come out of my shell,” he says.
The journey westward began in his early 20s, when he moved to San Francisco, a city that offered him the space to experiment and the freedom to bloom.
Colman Domingo’s artistry is defined by unrelenting creativity and depth. Sean San José, a lifelong friend and collaborator who also appears in Sing Sing, captures it best: “He has an unstoppable furnace of ideas. He can see circularly, above, and deep within — all at once.” That boundless perspective took root in San Francisco’s theater scene, where Domingo wrote his first play, Up Jumped Springtime (1998), and began perfecting the craft of fully realized characters. Those years were his proving ground, where discipline and dimensionality became hallmarks of his career.
New York sharpened his vision. Fresh from San Francisco, Domingo stepped into a kinetic new world, earning Tony nominations for A Boy and His Soul (2009) and The Scottsboro Boys (2010). These performances weren’t just showcases of his talent — they were declarations of his capacity to channel raw, human truths. Filmmaker Lee Daniels recalls watching The Scottsboro Boys: “I thought, Oh my God, I’m in the presence of a megastar.” That performance led to Domingo’s breakout film role in The Butler (2013, directed by Daniels).
On screen, Domingo’s ability to inhabit a character extends far beyond the script. Actress Regina King recalls an unscripted moment on If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), where Domingo brought quiet magic to a scene. “He just came into the space like, ‘This is home,’ ” King says. “He started dancing behind me without a word, and it told us exactly who this husband and wife are.” King describes him as a performer who elevates every scene, creating space for others to shine.
This generosity is matched by meticulous attention to detail. Whether it’s the gravelly voice of Mister in The Color Purple (2023), shaped by decades of hardship, or the seismic embodiment of Bayard Rustin in Rustin (2023), Domingo brings a singular intensity to his roles. “Playing Rustin required every part of me — mind, body, and soul,” he says, speaking to the personal resonance of portraying the gay civil rights leader.
For Sean San José, Domingo’s artistry boils down to one thing: soul. Watching Domingo shift seamlessly between complex characters like Mister and Rustin, he marvels, “He’s like a master chef. He knows exactly how long something needs to simmer. And when it’s ready, it’s perfect.” That perfection, born from decades of discipline, vision, and depth, is what makes Colman Domingo a transformative force in every medium he touches.
Generous, soulful, attentive. That’s who he is as an artist, but it’s also who he is as a man.
Actress Niecy Nash met Domingo on the set of Selma in 2014. She saw who he was immediately. “He said, ‘That’s my sister,’ and I said, ‘That’s my brother.’ We’ve been locked in ever since,” she says. The two have stayed tight in the years since, navigating Hollywood’s ups and downs and supporting each other as their careers have surged.
Nash says he also shows up for her personally. When she decided to marry Jessica Betts, for example, Domingo was among the first people she told. “When I called him and told him that I was going to marry a woman, he didn’t blink. He didn’t question it. He said, ‘Are you happy?’ I said, ‘The happiest I’ve ever been in my life.’ And he said, ‘Then I’m happy for you. What can I do? How can I help you? What do you need?’ He ended up being my officiant,” she says. “He married us in the backyard. The day we got our license … he put on music, he had Champagne. He was like, ‘I want to be the first one to toast you.’ ”
Jacket, sweater, trousers, and shoes, Alexander McQueen. Vintage blue topaz stud earrings and emerald and diamond ring, Brandon Boswell Diamonds. Necklace, Awe Inspired. Colman’s own gold chain.
And while Hollywood once treated “leading man” as shorthand for a very specific kind of whiteness and masculinity, Domingo’s journey has blown that mold to pieces. How does a man like him — audacious, irreverent, and quietly revolutionary — navigate an industry still playing catch-up? He shrugs off labels, swerves around stereotypes, and courageously explores his full humanity on screen and off. As a result, he’s emerged as both a disruptor and a muse.
“I never limited myself to what I believed I could play,” Domingo says. “And I think that’s why the world has not limited me.” He bristles at being labeled a “gay actor,” preferring to let his talent speak for itself. “That’s weird to me,” he says. “I’m an actor, period, and I play everything.”
Yet, Domingo doesn’t shy away from the significance of his place in Hollywood. His rise comes after decades when openly gay actors were often marginalized. He recounts the impact of hearing people question if a gay man could lead a film. “I just kept working, bringing my whole self into every role,” he says. Today, those roles range from the gritty, unrecognizable pimp in Zola (2020) to Divine G, the real-life wrongfully incarcerated man he portrays in Sing Sing, an A24 feature based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing, a maximum security prison in New York. Domingo’s performances, layered and deeply human, serve as a reminder of what art can do: expand our understanding of ourselves and each other.
“Before him, people weren’t doing this,” says Lee Daniels, now one of Domingo’s closest friends and collaborators.
For Daniels, Domingo’s ascent is seismic. “The stars are aligned for him to be celebrated,” the director says. “I don’t think he realizes the history that he’s making for gay men. He genuinely isn’t aware of it.” Daniels points to Zola as a prime example of Domingo’s transformative power. “There was no trace of Colman in that character,” he marvels. “It was like he pulled it out of thin air. That’s when I knew he was just getting started.”
Domingo balances this openness with a fierce dedication to privacy. “The world shouldn’t have all of me,” he says. “You have some of me, but not all of me.” This boundary has allowed him to thrive in an industry that often demands everything, keeping his focus on the work while sharing just enough to inspire others.
“The offers that come in now are mostly straight roles,” he says with modest pride. “No one’s looking at me like, ‘He’s gay, he can’t do that.’ Because I said I can do anything.”
That adaptability hasn’t gone unnoticed. He’s been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Movie Award, and three Independent Spirit Awards. He’s won an Emmy as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his work on Euphoria and five NAACP Image Awards, among other honors. His new Netflix series, The Madness, was the most-watched show on the streaming platform the week it premiered.
This month, Domingo will add another Palm Springs International Film Festival Spotlight Award to his collection, further cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors.
“Our festival is known for celebrating exceptional storytelling,” says Nachhattar Singh Chandi, chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Society, which puts on the annual event. “Domingo’s wide-ranging career fits perfectly, showcasing his adaptability and mastery across stage and screen.”
Domingo’s personal style is as bold and dynamic as his performances. From tailored Louis Vuitton suits to avant-garde red carpet ensembles, his fashion choices tell a story. “Fashion is about expressing all the parts of who I am,” Domingo says. “It’s like acting — I’m telling a story with what I wear.”
“He’s the fashion king,” Daniels says emphatically. “He brings it every time.” Fittingly, Anna Wintour tapped Domingo to co-chair the 2025 Met Gala, themed around the artistry of fine Black tailoring.
Nash, however, jokes about her friend’s sartorial ascent. “When he officiated my wedding, if I had to do a do-over, I’d still marry the same person, but Colman would’ve had better fashion,” she says, laughing.
Domingo is reflective about what it means to reach this stage in his career. “I try to live with grace and remember where I come from,” he says. “I didn’t dream of fame — I dreamed of doing meaningful work.” San José, who often checks in with Colman, makes sure his friend takes time to savor the success. “I write him every day, saying, ‘Are you breathing? Are you eating?’ ” he shares. “He’s worked so hard for this moment, and he deserves to enjoy it.”
Coat, top, trousers, and gloves, Givenchy. Diamond collar Necklace and bracelet, Brandon Boswell Diamonds.
styling: Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald for The Only Agency. grooming: Jamie Richmond for Exclusive Artists using Valentino Beauty and Aesop Skincare
In the late afternoon light of Palm Springs, Colman Domingo’s silhouette is unmistakable against the sand and sky, as striking a s the desert lilies that dot the arid terrain. These delicate flowers — thriving in one of the harshest climates, storing energy deep within their bulbs until conditions allow them to burst forth in radiant bloom — feel like the perfect metaphor for Domingo’s life and career. Each flower, each petal, is a manifestation of something nurtured deep within, awaiting its moment to shine.
As Regina King puts it, “There’s not really anything Colman can’t do. He’s just built that way.”
Through patience, purpose, and an unwavering pursuit of authenticity, Domingo has created a legacy that seems as vast and enduring as the desert that renews him. “I’m always looking for the next challenge, the next spark that makes me feel alive,” he says. As conditions nurture his bloom, Domingo continues to dazzle, embodying the beauty of a career that flourishes on its own terms and proving that some things are, in fact, worth the wait.
The Location: Nicknamed “Hideaway,” this Desert Palisades home designed by Sean Lockyer of Studio AR&D Architects is available via Locations Unlimited.