Colman Domingo
Emmy-winning actor and playwright; two-time Oscar nominee for Rustin and Sing Sing, who plays Joe Jackson in Fuqua's 2026 biopic Michael.
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- Country
- United States
- Full name
- Colman Domingo
- Known for
- Primetime Emmy winner for HBO's Euphoria (2022); consecutive Academy Award Best Actor nominations for Rustin (2023) and Sing Sing (2024); plays Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson in Michael (2026)
- Born
- 28 November 1969, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Education
- Studied journalism at Temple University; quit the degree at 21 and moved to San Francisco to become an actor
- Stage honours
- Tony Award nominations for The Scottsboro Boys (2010, as a performer) and Fat Ham (2023, as a co-producer)
- Awards arc
- 2022 Emmy win; 2024 and 2025 back-to-back Oscar nominations; Time 100 (2024); co-chair of the Met Gala (2025)
- Directing
- Feature directorial debut in development — the Nat King Cole musical biopic reported as Unforgettable, which he also co-wrote and will star in
- Personal
- Lives in Los Angeles with his husband, Raúl Domingo
Colman Domingo is an American actor, playwright, and director — an Emmy winner for HBO’s Euphoria and a two-time Academy Award Best Actor nominee for Rustin (2023) and Sing Sing (2024) — who plays Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson in Antoine Fuqua’s 2026 Michael Jackson biopic Michael (Associated Press; The Source).
Born 28 November 1969 in Philadelphia, Domingo studied journalism at Temple University before quitting at 21, moving to San Francisco, and spending a decade becoming a multi-hyphenate theater artist — a writer, director and producer — before Broadway came calling (Playbill; PhillyVoice; NME). He earned a Tony nomination for The Scottsboro Boys in 2010, nearly quit acting in 2014 after a racially charged casting rejection, then rebuilt through AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead (from 2015), the 2022 Emmy as Ali in Euphoria, and consecutive Oscar nominations — a run capped by a Time 100 honor in 2024 and co-chairing the 2025 Met Gala (Playbill; NME; Entertainment Weekly; Entertainment Tonight).
The long road to back-to-back Oscar nominations
Domingo’s awards arc is a story about 2014. That year he aced an audition for the Prohibition-era series Boardwalk Empire, then was told a Black maître d’ of the period would be lighter-skinned — a rejection that made him contemplate quitting acting altogether (NME). He gave a new management team six months; eleven years on, they are still together and he is booked solid for three years (NME). The turnaround began with his 2015 casting in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead and the 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series as Ali, the recovering addict who sponsors Zendaya’s Rue (NME; Remezcla). Then came the January 2024 Academy Award nomination for playing Bayard Rustin in Netflix’s Rustin — and, a year later, a second consecutive Best Actor nomination for Sing Sing (Associated Press; Entertainment Weekly). Back-to-back nominations in that category — a run that began barely a decade after he nearly walked away from the profession (Entertainment Weekly; NME).
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Tony nomination — The Scottsboro Boys (performer) |
| 2014 | Boardwalk Empire rejection; nearly quits acting |
| 2022 | Emmy — Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Euphoria) |
| 2023 | Second Tony nomination — Fat Ham (co-producer) |
| 2024 | Oscar nomination — Best Actor (Rustin); Time 100 |
| 2025 | Oscar nomination — Best Actor (Sing Sing); Met Gala co-chair |
The playwright and director behind the actor
What most Domingo biographies treat as a footnote is the spine of his career: he has written and directed for decades. He co-wrote the book for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2018, and co-produced the Pulitzer-winning Fat Ham — the production behind his second Tony nomination (NME; Entertainment Weekly). On Sing Sing he was executive producer; director Greg Kwedar gave him “the gift of bringing every part of myself as a creator”: shaping direction and writing alongside his turn as John “Divine G” Whitfield, the wrongfully convicted man who finds purpose in a prison theater program (NME). Next is the director’s chair proper: Domingo will direct and star in a Nat King Cole musical biopic he co-wrote — his feature debut, building on the Lights Out stage play he made with Patricia McGregor (Playbill). Industry outlets report it, titled Unforgettable, heading to the European Film Market — though that title rests on tier3 reporting (Cup of Soul Show).
Joe Jackson in Michael
Lionsgate announced Domingo’s casting as Joe Jackson in January 2024 — two days after his first Oscar nomination, the Associated Press reported — for Antoine Fuqua’s then-in-production biopic from a script by John Logan (Associated Press; PhillyVoice). The AP described Joe Jackson as the controversial patriarch who launched the Jackson 5 and the solo careers of Michael and Janet: “an alienating manager and abusive father” (Associated Press). Domingo called it “a rich, complex and flawed character,” adding that he had “a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation” — Jaafar Jackson, Michael Jackson’s real-life nephew, plays his uncle (PhillyVoice). Preparing the role, Domingo described Joe as a cruel disciplinarian accused of abuse, yet insisted he gave “all he had” to make his children successful: “You don’t do that because you don’t like your children. You do it because you love them deeply” (NME). The finished film, released April 24, 2026, pairs him with Nia Long as Katherine Jackson (The Source).
Frequently asked questions
Has Colman Domingo won an Oscar? No — he has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Actor, for Rustin (January 2024) and Sing Sing (the following year), without winning either. His major acting win to date is the 2022 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for playing Ali in HBO’s Euphoria.
Who does Colman Domingo play in the Michael Jackson biopic? He plays Joe Jackson, the Jackson family patriarch — the hard-driving manager of the Jackson 5 whom the AP described as a controversial, alienating father figure. Lionsgate announced the casting in January 2024, and the film released on April 24, 2026, with Nia Long as Katherine Jackson.
What was his role in Euphoria? He played Ali, a recovering drug addict who acts as a sponsor and mentor to Zendaya’s Rue as she struggles with addiction. The performance won him the 2022 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Is Colman Domingo a director as well as an actor? Increasingly, yes. He co-wrote the book for Broadway’s Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, co-produced the Tony-nominated Fat Ham, and was an executive producer on Sing Sing. His feature directorial debut — a Nat King Cole musical biopic he co-wrote and will star in — is in development.
What this profile does not claim
- It does not assert the “first Afro-Latino” historic-first framings of his Oscar nominations; those appear only in tier3 outlets and are flagged in openItems rather than repeated.
- It does not repeat the “back-to-back since Denzel Washington” comparison, which was not verified in a fully-read source.
- It does not evaluate the quality of his performances or the films; the sources document roles, production facts and awards, not critical verdicts.
- It does not assert a second Emmy nomination for The Four Seasons, which was not independently verified.
- It publishes no personal-life details beyond what NME documents — that he lives in Los Angeles with his husband Raúl — and nothing about how the couple met.
- It treats the Marvel/Kang casting talk as rumors he deflected, not as fact.
- It does not re-document Michael’s reshoots, box office or settlement history; that is this site’s film profile’s subject, and this profile covers only Domingo’s casting and role.
Timeline
- 1969
- Born 28 November 1969 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- 1990
- At 21, quits his journalism degree in Philadelphia and moves to San Francisco to become an actor; spends a decade there becoming a writer, director and theater producer.
- 2010
- Receives a Tony Award nomination for his performance in The Scottsboro Boys.
- 2014
- After a racially charged rejection for a Boardwalk Empire role, contemplates quitting acting; gives a new management team six months to turn his career around.
- 2015
- Cast in AMC's Fear the Walking Dead.
- 2018
- Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, for which he co-wrote the book, opens on Broadway.
- 2022
- Wins the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series as Ali in HBO's Euphoria, at the Creative Arts Emmys in September.
- 2023
- Co-produces James Ijames' Fat Ham on Broadway; earns his second Tony Award nomination.
- 2024
- Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for Rustin in January; two days later Lionsgate announces he will play Joe Jackson in Michael. Named to the Time 100 in April, with a tribute by Lenny Kravitz.
- 2025
- Receives a second consecutive Academy Award Best Actor nomination, for Sing Sing; co-chairs the Met Gala.
- 2026
- Michael opens theatrically on April 24 with Domingo as Joe Jackson opposite Nia Long's Katherine Jackson; his Nat King Cole biopic, reported as Unforgettable, heads to the European Film Market with Lionsgate handling international sales.
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- The Nat King Cole biopic's title (Unforgettable) and its European Film Market sales status rest solely on tier3 reporting (Cup of Soul Show, February 2026); the directorial debut itself, the co-writing credit and the starring role are confirmed by Playbill via Variety.
- Historic-first claims — 'first Afro-Latino nominated for Best Actor', 'first two-time Afro-Latino nominee' — appear in tier3 outlets (Remezcla, Edible LA, Park Magazine); no fully-read tier1/tier2 source confirmed the framing, so it is not asserted in the body.
- The 'first back-to-back Best Actor nominee since Denzel Washington' comparison appeared only in snippets, not in a fully-read source; it is not asserted.
- A reported second Emmy nomination for Netflix's The Four Seasons appeared only in a tertiary snippet and was not independently verified; it is not asserted.
- The exact day of the Rustin Oscar-nomination announcement (23 January 2024) appeared only in a tertiary source; the profile dates the nomination to January 2024 per the AP.
- Personal life beyond what NME documents — that he lives in Los Angeles with his husband Raúl — is not covered by the fully-read sources and nothing further is asserted, including how the couple met.
- Marvel/Kang the Conqueror casting rumors are documented only as rumors Domingo himself deflected (ET Online); they are not asserted as fact.
Sources
10 sources (1 tier 1, 7 tier 2, 2 tier 3), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
Built from ten sources read in full: one tier1 (Associated Press) and six tier2 (PhillyVoice, NME, Entertainment Weekly, two Playbill pieces, The Source, Entertainment Tonight), with two tier3 outlets (Remezcla, Cup of Soul Show) used only for corroborating detail — the Emmy category and date, and the Unforgettable title and EFM sales status, which are flagged in openItems. Wikipedia was consulted only as a lead index for the birth date and is not cited; Playbill Vault's birthday listing is the cited source. No first-party-only claims carry any section.
- Supports: Cast as Joe Jackson in Antoine Fuqua's in-production Michael, announced by Lionsgate two days after his Academy Award Best Actor nomination for playing civil-rights activist Bayard Rustin in Rustin; Joe Jackson (d. 2018) described as the controversial patriarch who launched the Jackson 5 and the solo careers of Michael and Janet; Jaafar Jackson as Michael; producer Graham King; involvement of the Michael Jackson estate Open original source
- Supports: West Philadelphia native and Temple University alumnus; casting reported via Deadline; Joe Jackson's hard-driving management and controversial parenting of the Jackson 5; Jaafar Jackson (27, son of Jermaine) as Michael; Domingo's statement to Variety ('rich, complex and flawed character', 'front row seat for Jaafar's incredible transformation'); writer John Logan (three-time Oscar nominee), director Antoine Fuqua, producer Graham King, co-executors John Branca and John McClain; prior Emmy for Euphoria; Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG nominations for Rustin; The Color Purple; Drive-Away Dolls Open original source
- Supports: Full career arc: born and raised in Philadelphia, quit journalism degree at 21, moved to San Francisco, then New York; co-wrote Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Broadway 2018); 2022 Emmy as Ali, the recovering addict mentoring Zendaya's Rue in Euphoria; Sing Sing as John 'Divine G' Whitfield (wrongfully convicted man in the RTA theater program), executive producer who shaped direction and writing, 18-day shoot between The Color Purple and Rustin, formerly incarcerated castmates, Clarence 'Divine Eye' Maclin's screenplay Oscar nomination; 2014 Boardwalk Empire maître d' rejection and near-quit, six-month management ultimatum; Olivier and Tony nominations for The Scottsboro Boys; Met Gala 2025 co-chair with Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky and Lewis Hamilton; The Running Man (Edgar Wright, Stephen King novel); lives in Los Angeles with husband Raúl; Joe Jackson as a 'cruel disciplinarian' accused of physical and emotional abuse by Michael and of sexual abuse by La Toya, and Domingo's own reading of Joe's devotion to his children's success Open original source
- Supports: Two-time Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee (Sing Sing, Rustin); two-time Tony nominee (The Scottsboro Boys, Fat Ham); Emmy winner for Euphoria; slate including Netflix's The Four Seasons, HBO's Euphoria, Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day and Michael; credits including Fear the Walking Dead, The Color Purple, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Selma and If Beale Street Could Talk Open original source
- Supports: Feature directorial debut directing and starring in a Nat King Cole biopic (via Variety exclusive); co-wrote the movie musical; Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole stage play with Patricia McGregor (People's Light 2017, Geffen Playhouse 2019, focused on the final Christmas broadcast); Tony nomination for The Scottsboro Boys in 2010 Open original source
- Supports: Colman Domingo (b. 1969) listed among the November 28 theater birthdays — establishes the 28 November 1969 birth date Open original source
- Supports: Domingo as Joe Jackson and Nia Long as Katherine Jackson in the released Michael (April 24 theatrical); directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by John Logan; Jaafar Jackson as Michael; Kat Graham as Diana Ross; Miles Teller as music attorney John Branca Open original source
- Supports: Time 100 2024 honor with Lenny Kravitz's tribute ('grace, humility, and gratitude'); gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on 25 April 2024; Domingo's reaction to the tribute Open original source
- Supports: 2022 Creative Arts Emmys (September 3–4) win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for HBO's Euphoria; Ali as sponsor helping Zendaya's Rue through drug addiction; Domingo's backstage remarks on Afro-Latine representation and his father's family from Belize and Guatemala Open original source
- Supports: Unforgettable title for the Nat King Cole biopic; Lionsgate international sales ahead of the European Film Market; script co-written with Vernon Scott; producers including Cassian Elwes, Charles D. King, William Rosenfeld, Poppy Hanks, Jimmy Edwards, Veronica Radaelli and Fred Berger; Iconic Artists Group's Nat King Cole estate rights (March 2022) Open original source
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