Colman Domingo was "too black" - Actor already wanted to end his career
The talent was there, as was the will - but the skin color was a problem. The US actor Colman Domingo (54) reports in a new interview that he almost gave up his career nine years ago after he couldn't show exactly the right skin color in an audition.
Domingo told the New York Times about his difficulties at the time in landing roles in cinema or television films - even though he had already been nominated for a Tony Award for a Broadway performance at the time. In 2014, he finally auditioned for eight projects in one week, including for the series "Boardwalk Empire". This involved a role as a head waiter in a nightclub for people of color during Prohibition.
After the audition, his agent told him that they would have liked to cast him, but decided against him due to concerns about "historical accuracy". People of Color with lighter skin tones than Domingos were sought for the role. According to Colman, a researcher had told the producer that head waiters in nightclubs run by black people at the time were usually black people with a lighter skin color than Domingo.
"That was the moment I lost my mind"
"That was the moment I lost my mind," Domingo recalls. And told his agent: "I can't take it anymore, I think it's going to kill me." He then seriously considered leaving the industry in a conversation with his husband.
In the meantime, he has long since made his breakthrough with series such as "Fear the Walking Dead" and films such as the Oscar-winning "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom". Colman can currently be seen in the film biopic "Rustin" and in the musical film "The Color Purple".
No more auditions
He no longer auditions these days, even if it is probably too early, says Colman. Instead, he only responds to offers. "But I've decided that I have a body of work. You can look at it, you can ask other directors about me and make me an offer or not."
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- Despite his talented performance in 'Boardwalk Empire' and a Tony Award nomination, Colman Domingo faced discrimination due to his skin color during casting, with producers preferring actors with lighter skin tones for the role.
- Colman Domingo's experience of being "too black" for a role in 'Boardwalk Empire' led him to consider leaving Hollywood, sharing his frustration with his agent and husband.
- The New York Times reported on Domingo's experiences with discrimination, detailing how he faced challenges landing roles in cinema or television films due to his skin color.
- Colman Domingo's career has subsequently flourished, with notable roles in shows like 'Fear the Walking Dead' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' now turning down auditions in favor of waiting for offers based on his existing work.
Source: www.stern.de
