Colman Domingo Recalls Being Passed Over for ‘Boardwalk Empire’ Role Due to His Skin Color
Colman Domingo reflected on years of discouragement in his attempt to break into the film and television industry in a profile by the New York Times, opening up about getting passed over for a role on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” because he wasn’t “light-skinned.”
Domingo, the star of this year’s biopic “Rustin” and a supporting role in the Warner Bros. blockbuster “The Color Purple,” discussed his challenging years breaking into the industry.
The actor recounted a specific instance, a callback for HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” which left him so discouraged that he contemplated leaving acting behind altogether.
According to the profile, Domingo jumped through hoops to audition for the program, donning a tuxedo, singing and dancing for producers, all while trying out for a small part of a maître d’ at a Black-owned nightclub.
Initially, when Domingo’s agent called him following the audition, he thought it could be his big break.
However, his agent said that a researcher consulting the show pointed out that Domingo’s hiring would be historically inaccurate due to his skin color. The actor was passed over because the researcher argued that maître d’s in that period would typically have lighter skin than Domingo.
“That’s when I lost my mind,” Domingo recalled in the article. “I can’t take it anymore, I think this is going to kill me.”
The actor later told his husband that he was considering walking away from the industry and quitting acting for good.
Years later, Domingo is having a blockbuster year, playing the leading man in “Rustin” for Netflix where he is receiving strong praise and generating awards season buzz.
“I don’t want to miss this moment,” Domingo said. “All the films, all the lights, all the accolades, all the beautiful critical responses — I want to bathe in all of that right now.”
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