rustin Coleman was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, including Best Actor, for his role as civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.
musical version of the color purple It was released on Christmas Day and grossed a whopping $18 million on its first day, making it the second-highest grossing Christmas Day opening in history.
And indeed, the Tony Award-nominated actor scottsboro boys Although she now has an impressive resume, she revealed that one audition almost broke her heart.
by new york timesColeman used to insist on auditioning for “under-5” roles, or bit roles with only one or two lines of dialogue.
The 54-year-old actor thought “Under 5” would lead to more important roles, until one rejection nearly drove him insane.
Coleman auditioned for a bit role on the HBO series. boardwalk empire He ended up working as a maître d’être at a black-run nightclub. He sang for the producers in a tuxedo and even tap danced.
The Times reported: “His representatives said at the beginning of the call that they all said: boardwalk empire I loved his audition. This is what makes the difference for me, Domingo thought.. This would finally be my big break. There was just one problem, his agent said. After the callback, the show’s historian reminded producers that while these nightclub managers are typically light-skinned, Domingo was not. boardwalk empire Passed. “
“That’s when I lost my mind,” Coleman said, which led her to tell her agent, “I can’t take it anymore. I think I’m going to die.”
It’s shocking to know such nonsense. darkness His skin color kept him from getting promising roles, but even colorism couldn’t stifle Colman’s unparalleled talent.
Unfortunately, as co-star Taraji P. Henson revealed during the press tour, Coleman’s struggles as a black actor are not uncommon. The color is purple.
The Times also said Coleman is now an “offers only” actor to avoid reliving the hurtful and prejudiced audition process. “I became an ‘offers only’ actor probably sooner than the industry thought I should have,” Coleman said. “But I decided that I have a body of work. You can go and see it, you can ask other directors about me, and you can decide whether to make me an offer or not. You can decide.”
Colman Domingo’s time has come. I’m incredibly proud.
stream rustin On Netflix. the color purple is currently showing in theaters around the country.
