The Oscar-nominated actor and his gorgeous (yet rarely seen) husband, Raul Domingo, share the same last name. This has raised questions on who took whose name, or if they tly agreed on it.
In a 2016 interview with Interview Magazine, Domingo spoke about how his last name confuses many, as he doesn’t speak Spanish. He’s also mentioned that some people have asked if it is a stage name. Domingo has always been a man of culture and honoring his roots. But where is the actor from? Let’s take a look at Domingo’s ethnicity and how he honors it.
Colman Domingo’s ethnicity
Colman Domingo began his career on the stage in his home city of Philadelphia, where he grew up with his three siblings, mother, and stepfather. He wasn’t one of those kids who always knew they wanted to act, and he went to school for journalism at Temple University. He began acting after that, and struggled for years as many young actors do.
Even before he got his big break in Fear the Walking Dead, Domingo was already wildly accomplished. He had a Lucille Lortel Award, an Olivier Award, and a Tony nomination to his name among many, and starred in films like Lincoln, Selma, and more. He later gained further mainstream success for his role in HBO’s Euphoria where he played Ali, a recovering drug addict.
Interestingly, Domingo is his real last name, which he got from his father. In the interview, he explained that his father is from Belize and had a family that hails from Guatemala. His mother, Edith Bowles, was an African-American woman. So, Colman Domingo is an Afro-Latino man.
Honoring his roots
Colman Domingo invited the #Oscars to dance at that commercial break. pic.twitter.com/r73ZgEJAs3
— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) March 3, 2025
Colman Domingo might not be an LA native, but he spent many of the early years of his career working in the Bay Area and decided to pay tribute to the City’s first responders. During a break in the ceremony, Domingo took the stage and raised a toast, saying, “This is a toast to our city, Los Angeles. I think we all fell in love with it a bit more recently. Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Los Angeles. We watched our first responders, firefighters, and communities go above and beyond.” Then, he added, “I think we need a dance party.”
In one of the most viral moments to come from the event, Domingo then led a mini dance party right there in the middle of the ceremony. As Frankie Beverly’s “Before I Let Go” played, he showed his moves and encouraged the gathered guests to in. “Get up with me! Get your phones up and let’s dance!”
The actor is no stranger to speaking up for his community. Last year, he partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation on their National Day of Racial Healing event. It aims at honoring and providing for communities who have suffered from the effects of racism nationwide. He also advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. He highlighted the importance of ing those that came before us in his movie, Rustin. The movie told the story of openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.
Published: Mar 5, 2025 07:50 am