Colman Domingo the first gay black actor nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor has a busy road ahead. His nomination was for his performance as Bayard Rustin (in Rustin) who was a leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights. Now he has announced that he is to star in films that are about two more legendary black artists.
First up he has joined the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” to play the pop star’s domineering and controversial father, Joe Jackson. He was the domineering patriarch of the musical family, launching the Jackson 5 and the solo careers of Michael and Janet. But later we, learned that he was such an alienating manager and abusive father, and eventually, his children, later in life, distanced themselves from him.
The movie is directed by Antoine Fuqua and the part of Michael will be played by his nephew newcomer Jaafar Jackson
In a statement issued by Lionsgate the filmmakers, Domingo said “I’m excited to be a part of a film that explores both the complicated soul of the legendary Michael Jackson as well as his impact on music and culture as a global icon,” . “Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front-row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation.”
“Michael” is scheduled to open in theaters in April next year.
Domingo will also be directing and starring as the legendary singer Nat King Cole in a movie musical from a script he co-wrote. He has previously co-wrote the play “Lights Out: Nat ‘King’ Cole” with Patricia McGregor which premiered at the Geffen Playhouse.
Cole’s career as a jazz and pop vocalist started in the late 1930s and spanned almost three decades where he found success and recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. Notably “Unforgettable,” “Smile,” and “Let There Be Love,” sold over 50 million records. The Grammy Awards gave Cole a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. However, despite achieving mainstream success, during his career, he faced intense racial discrimination.
If you cannot wait for those projects to see more of Domingo, he is in the new Coen movie “Drive-Away Dolls” that will be released on Feb 24t. Plus he is in Sing Sing directed by Greg Kwedar which is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing maximum security prison, the film centers on a group of inmates involved in the creation of theatrical stage shows through the program. This is expected to be released later in the year.
