Colman Domingo talks about his past experiences breaking into film and television.
In 2014, following his Tony nomination for The Scottsboro Boys Domingo says he has to audition for “under five” roles with less than five lines of dialogue. In an interview with The New York TimesThe euphoria The actor gave a callback for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.
“That’s what it will change for me,” Domingo thought at the time. “This will eventually be my big breakthrough.”
The role was for the maître d’ at a black-owned nightclub, and Domingo wore a tuxedo to the audition and impressed producers with his singing and dancing skills.
“There was just one problem,” his agent said. After the callback, a historian on the show reminded producers that the head waiters at these nightclubs were typically light-skinned, but Domingo was not. Boardwalk Empire was over,” the article says.
Domingo added: “Then I went crazy. I can’t take it anymore, I think it’s going to kill me.”
At this point, Domingo thought about quitting acting for good. Ten years later, Domingo is at a different point in his career. There is Oscar hype surrounding his role on Netflix Rustin, and is currently starring in the musical film The color purple.
After his experience a decade ago, Domingo says he is now an actor who only focuses on offers.
“I probably became an ‘offer actor’ sooner than the industry thought I should have,” he said. “But I decided I had a job. You can watch it, you can ask other directors about me and you can make me the offer or not.
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
