Over the last few years, Colman Domingo has been on a truly spectacular run. Acclaimed performances in “Euphoria,” “Rustin” and “The Color Purple” have made him one of Hollywood’s most in-demand talents. In his new film “Sing Sing” he continues to deliver masterful work as Divine G, an incarcerated man who finds healing through a prison’s theater group.
The project is already receiving awards buzz, with Domingo poised to possibly garner Best Actor nods for the second straight year. The film is important to the actor — not just for the message it sends about rehabilitation, but also for how it portrays the men participating in these unconventional productions.
The Oscar nominee spoke with The Root about leaving his own preconceptions behind for the project and how it gives incarcerated Black men a chance to push aside stereotypes and show their full selves to the world.
As he entered the world of these men, Domingo wanted to make sure their humanity as artists was showcased. It was important to him that they be portrayed as complete human beings who are so much more than the crimes they may have committed.
“It was so important that I even had to have a little talk with myself before I started this process,” Domingo told The Root. “It was how much I needed to ask about why they were in there? And was that relevant? Was that important to me? Some of these men are doing rehabilitation work and doing work to better themselves in every single way. Doing this deep, deep work.”
“It’s not important for me, for this story, because it’s about how we do the work to become something different. I want to meet people where they were and meet them with their full selves. That’s really being human, instead of judging someone immediately by that one thing. I thought, no, that will take me away from getting to know them, getting to know who they are and getting known as human beings, and that’s what the film does as well.”
The “If Beale Street Could Talk” star is very aware that some viewers are going to come into the film with their own ideas about how Black men in prison should be portrayed. For him, the real groundbreaking aspect of the project is the level of “tenderness” between the men.
“Nothing to do with sexuality, just being tender, which helps us with our mental health, showing that we have all feelings,” Domingo said. “That’s the radical part of our film. What’s the norm is these tropes that people want to just continue to step in, we’re doing the exact opposite.”
“But it’s liberating, it’s healing, it’s joyful, it’s loving and it’s respectful. It’s very interesting that sometimes people can’t see what’s right before their eyes. They’d rather live in this dark fantasy of what they assume everyone is.”
“Sing Sing” is now playing in theaters.