This Oscar season, Colman Domingo became the first Afro Latino to receive a Best Actor nomination from the Academy, for his powerhouse performance in “Rustin.” It’s a deserving nod for a performer who has only recently broken through, but already has an incredible resume of performances to his name.
Initially a stage actor, Domingo first gained acting recognition in 2008 for his role in the ensemble of “Passing Strange”; he earned Tony and Olivier nominations for his acclaimed role in the 2010 musical “The Scottsboro Boys.” Despite his onstage success, his attempts to cross over to television and film proved more difficult. In an interview with the New York Times, he spoke about considering quitting acting entirely after facing numerous rejections for bit parts in prestige dramas. But his fortune turned around after a series of successes with minor roles in films, among them “Lincoln,” “42,” and “Selma.” In 2015, he joined the cast of “Walking Dead” spinoff “Fear the Walking Dead.” Domingo stuck with the AMC series for all eight seasons, and used it as a launchpad for his career as a perpetual ringer, an actor who uplifts every project he takes on.
Off of “Fear the Walking Dead,” Domingo fully broke through in 2019 when his supporting part as a warm but stern recovering addict in HBO’s hit teen drama “Euphoria” introduced him to a whole new audience of teens, while his performance in that year’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” further established him as a film actor. Acclaimed work in “Zola” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” only made his star rise further and faster, and Domingo finally got his first lead role with “Rustin.” While “Rustin” itself has received so-so reception, critics universally agrees that Domingo’s performance as Bayard Rustin, a civil rights activist and gay man, is exemplary, showing the range and charisma that makes Domingo such an exciting onscreen presence.
In celebration of Domingo’s Oscar nomination, IndieWire decided to revisit the actor’s TV and film work to determine which of his lead roles and plum supporting parts stand out from the pack. The films and TV shows listed here are ranked in accordance with the strength of Domingo’s performance, rather than the strength of the title overall. Read on for IndieWire’s list of Colman Domingo’s best movie and TV show performances, ranked.
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8. “BoJack Horseman” (2017)
Image Credit: IMDB Who Domingo plays: In the Season 4 episode “The Old Sugarman Place,” Domingo guest stars as the voice of a drunk, amiable, but troubled dragonfly named Eddie. When BoJack drives to his mother’s old lake house during a crisis, neighboring Eddie helps him fix the property up.
Why he’s great: Domingo is just one of many notable celebrities who made guest voice appearances throughout the six seasons of “BoJack Horseman.” But his performance is a standout, giving a likable dignity to Eddie while nailing the comedic timing and deftly exploring his darker traits. Plus, Domgino gets an opportunity to show off his gorgeous singing voice via his duet with Jane Krakowski, “I Will Always Think of You.”
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7. “If Beale Street Could Talk” (2018)
Image Credit: Everett Collection / Everett Collection Who Domingo plays: Joseph Rivers, the loving husband of Sharon (Regina King) and Tish (Kiki Layne). “If Beale Street Could Talk” follows the family’s struggles to clear the name of Tish’s lover Fonny (Stephen James) after he is sent to prison.
Why he’s great: Domingo has a decidedly smaller role in “If Beale Street Could Talk,” especially compared to King’s Oscar-winning performance. But he’s still wonderful in the film, providing a warm, charismatic turn that feels perfectly in sync with the story themes of familail support. Here, he’s the type of dad anyone would want.
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6. “Fear the Walking Dead” (2015-2023)
Image Credit: AMC Who Domingo plays: Victor Strand, a mysterious, dangerous conman who ends up allying with the Clark family when Los Angeles falls to the zombie apocalypse. Throughout “Fear the Walking Dead,” Strand’s past is revealed — and his selfish, manipulative streak puts him in conflict with his ostensible allies.
Why he’s great: Domingo makes for an amazing onscreen villain; his off-the-charts charisma makes him alluring and charming even when his characters are doing terrible things. Strand isn’t necessarily a full-on villain, but he’s most entertaining when he’s butting heads with the more straightforward heroes of the show and getting up to shady schemes. Domingo tracks Strand’s various lies and shades effortlessly across all eight seasons of the show, making him easily the most vivid character in the sometimes gray apocalypse of “Fear the Walking Dead.”
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5. “The Color Purple” (2023)
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Who Domingo plays: “Mister,” a cruel, abusive, misogynistic farmer in Georgia in 1909. In the musical version of “The Color Purple,” Mister (real name Albert Johnson) is the husband of the main character Celie (Fantasia Barrino), who was forced into the marriage by her father.
Why he’s great: Domingo is almost too good an actor to play an intentionally one-note part like Mister; he brings oceans of presence and talent to a film that’s supposed to be squarely focused on the women. Still, you can never complain about Domingo singing, and his deep baritone is a perfect fit for the score. The actor understands the assignment, portraying Mister so loathsomely that the audience can’t wait until Celie finally leaves him.
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4. “Euphoria” (2019-2022)
Image Credit: Eddy Chen / HBO Who Domingo plays: Ali, a practicing Muslim and recovering drug addict. In “Euphoria,” Ali is a peripheral character who comes into focus as a main catalyst in Rue’s arc when he agrees to be her sponsor through Narcotics Anonymous.
Why he’s great: Domingo won a Guest Emmy Award for his performance in a special episode of “Euphoria,” and deservedly so; the installment, a two-hander between him and series lead Zendaya, is the biggest acting showcase the star had ever received to that point: an hour-long emotional rollercoaster of a conversation between two troubled individuals at vastly different life stages. But Domingo is terrific all the other times he appears in the show too, smartly balancing Ali’s stern exterior with his innnate warmth and kindness. He only gets a few scenes per season, but Domingo makes Ali feel like a living, breathing person.
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3. “Zola” (2020)
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Who Domingo plays: X, the pimp of Stefani (Riley Keough). “Zola” follows Stefani as she ropes the title character (Taylour Paige) into coming to Tampa with her, and the crazy, dangerous situations they and X get into along the way.
Why he’s great: In the wild, messy ride of “Zola,” Domingo is one of the clearest highlights. X on paper could be a nothing part, but Domingo plays him like a seductive schemer, calm and constantly in control of the situation. But he has a temper too, and Domingo effortlessly switches between both modes with just a line and a flare-up of a put-on Nigerian accent. In a talented ensemble, Domingo leaves most of his co-stars squarely in the dust.
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2. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (2020)
Image Credit: David Lee/NETFLIX Who Domingo plays: Cutler, a religious jazz trombonist player who plays for a recording session of blues singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis). Cutler’s beliefs cause friction with the other members of the band, especially Chadwick Boseman’s unstable band leader Levee.
Why he’s great: “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is an all-around acting triumph, with juicy, beefy scenes for basically everyone in its small ensemble. Domingo doesn’t get as much oxygen in the story as leads Davis and Boseman, but he’s terrific when the film gives him a platform to demonstrate his talents. The role is one of Domingo’s kindest, and he gets opportunities to display his talent for onscreen warmth opposite Davis. And he’s dynamite in his scenes with Boseman, facing off against the late great actor with screen-shaking intensity. A late film monologue where Cutler describes his religious beliefs is one of the best beats in Domingo’s career so far, a fantastic showcase for what made him a great stage actor before he became a screen star.
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1. “Rustin” (2023)
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Who Domingo plays: Bayard Rustin, a Black gay activist famous for his work in the Civil Rights movement. “Rustin” focuses on the man’s life and work,, specifically his role as a central organizer for the 1963 March on Washington.
Why he’s great: It feels ridiculous that “Rustin” is the first lead role for a star as talented as Domingo, but he never was first billed in any major movie before the Netflix biopic. And every moment Domingo is on screen (which is, basically, the entire movie), he demonstrates exactly why he deserves a hundred more lead roles. He’s titanic as “Rustin,” a fiery figure that the audience can’t help but be enchanted by. He brings a theatrical, loud energy to the icon, and an intense physicality that makes him feel gigantic onscreen. It’s the type of performance that carries a movie, and “Rustin” would fall apart with anyone but Domingo at its center. The performance is his first lead role, but its quality ensures it won’t be his last.
