Colman Domingo (Philadelphia, 1969) took longer than usual to achieve international recognition. The artist, who has been an actor, playwright and theater director for 30 years, began appearing on the big screen by playing short roles for directors such as Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg, and later became known for his short roles on the small screen. ‘Be afraid of the walking dead’and has since garnered critical acclaim for his work in films and ‘Beale Street Blues’ (2018) and ‘the color purple’ (2024) as an Emmy Award for his participation in the series ‘Euphoria’. Now, just a year after it happened First gay black actor in history to be nominated for an Oscar in the best actor categoryHe has a good chance of repeating this milestone, thanks to the great work he delivers in his new feature, thanks to the portrayal of activist Bayard Rustin in his biopic ‘Rustin’ (2023), ‘The Lives of Sing Sing’A drama based on a rehabilitation program through theater that has operated for years at New York’s maximum security Sin Sing prison, allowing inmates to find a path to personal transformation in the arts. Her performance had already brought her to the brink of winning the Golden Globe a few days ago.
Apart from starring in ‘The Lives of Sing Sing’, he is also one of its executive producers. What made you get involved in the movie?
I want to work on projects that have a real purpose. Since I was little, I wanted to use my work to make a cultural impact and make a difference. I believe I have a talent for storytelling and I want to use it effectively. I feel very connected to the story this movie tells because I am a black man and because of the color of my skin, I could be falsely accused of a crime and thrown in jail tomorrow. It seemed very important to me to show that although these centers did not make their job easier in any way, there were people in prison who took responsibility for their actions and were ready to do whatever it took to heal and rehabilitate themselves.
Would you say the film is partly a critique of the United States prison system?
Inevitably. The film was shot among several prisons and I had the opportunity to experience first-hand what it felt like to be in a cell. There’s no airflow in there, it’s hard to breathe and I’m sure that’s intentional. No one should be confined to such places, no matter what crime they have committed; This type of confinement is inhumane and I don’t think it will help rehabilitate anyone. In any case, I don’t consider ‘The Lives of Sing Sing’ to be a prison movie because it doesn’t deal with any of the clichés inherent in the genre; This does not include stabbings in the hallways or rape scenes in the showers. A film about the healing and transformative power of art.
Do you really believe that art can change the world?
Certainly. First of all, theater offers inmates like those portrayed in the film a means of therapy that they might not otherwise have, and not only that. If there were more arts in schools, if many young people had an instrument like theater or another artistic discipline to work through their emotions and traumas as they developed as people, they likely wouldn’t be in prison. . And if art can change them, that means it can change their families and communities, too. I owe this situation to art because theater took from me the vulnerability and courage necessary to face the world.
“There is this idea in our world that men, especially black men, cannot convey love and compassion to each other.”
‘The Lives of Sing Sing’ shows a vulnerability and sensitivity that is rare in films about prisons and convicts.
Whether we realize it or not, we all have many biases against incarcerated people. That’s why we wanted to highlight the humanity and ability to overcome these people despite being locked up in terrible places. The RTA program offers them the opportunity to destroy the stereotypes they have had to carry throughout their lives. In our world, there is a belief that men, especially black men, cannot be fragile, delicate, sensitive, and cannot convey love and compassion to each other. The film shows that this toxic masculinity does nothing but harm ourselves and our environment. I think it’s a radical move to portray the vulnerability of straight black men.
You had already been working for decades when international success and your first Oscar nomination came your way. How do you evaluate the development of your career?
I am 55 years old and have spent more than half my life writing, directing and starring in plays. While doing this job for years, I had to work as a waiter to make a living, and in 2015, I was about to quit acting because I could not see a future in acting. But I never asked anyone for a favor or waited for anyone to call me; I was too busy creating, writing, and performing my own work to care about how many audiences would come to see me. Of course, it makes me very happy that so many eyes are on me now. And I feel like it’s good that success is coming to me at this point, where I’ve lived long enough not to take myself too seriously. As soon as a player believes the praise showered on him, he disappears.
Fame has made her a fashion icon and a reference for the LGTBI community. What do you think about this?
I love fashion. When I walk the red carpet or attend an event, I know that all eyes are on me and I dress accordingly. This is a part of my job that I really enjoy. And if I inspire any member of the LGTBI community, I’m happy. I have remained out of the closet since the beginning of my career, being gay has never embarrassed me and it has never embarrassed my family either. If any of the people I’ve worked with throughout my life had a problem with my sexuality, they didn’t let me know. However, I find it somewhat worrying that courage is valued and honor is dedicated to those who decide to come forward after spending a long time in it. What about the courage of those of us who never hid?
Source: Informacion
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