New Netflix thriller series The Madness will feature an Oscar-nominated actor portraying a man who finds himself accused of a gruesome murder.
Colman Domingo plays Muncie Daniels, a media pundit on the brink of hosting his own show on major network CNN. However, a fateful excursion in the woods while working on his book leads him to a horrific crime scene.
As Daniels becomes increasingly entwined in a conspiracy, with shadowy figures seemingly monitoring his every move, it’s unclear who he can trust, and his family is also put at risk.
The Madness premieres on the streaming platform on November 28. Unlike some notable series, this one won’t introduce a breakout star in the lead role.
Instead, an established star of both stage and screen will take on the part.But who exactly is Colman Domingo, and where might you have seen him before? Here’s all you need to know.
Colman Domingo stars in The Madness for Netflix (Image: Netflix)
Don’t miss…
Who is Colman Domingo?
Born as Colman Jason Domingo on November 28, 1969, he was brought up in Philadelphia by his mother Edith and step-father Clarence. His mother was a bank employee, and Colman attended Temple University where he initially majored in journalism reports .
It was his move to San Francisco, California that marked the beginning of his acting career, which started on stage. He featured in the highly praised rock musical Passing Strange in 2007 and was part of the original Broadway cast when it moved in 2008. He also starred in The Scottsboro Boys both on Broadway and in London’s West End.
Tragically, his mother passed away the day after his audition for Passing Strange, and his step-father died a month later. Colman has not only acted but also written and directed numerous stage productions.
His one-man autobiographical play A Boy and His Soul premiered Off-Broadway in 2010. Earlier this year, Time magazine recognised Colman as one of the 100 most influential people globally.
Colman Domingo has been nominated for a BAFTA and an Oscar (Image: Getty)
Previous roles
With an impressive list of credits to his name, the actor has appeared in a multitude of films and television shows. However, there are a few standout roles that fans will likely remember him for.
Initially a guest star, he was promoted to the main cast from season 2 of Fear The Walking Dead, playing Victor Strand for its subsequent seven series. Colman also had a recurring role in HBO’s Euphoria, earning him an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in A Drama Series.
On the silver screen, Colman has featured in Selma, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom alongside Chadwick Boseman. His other appearances include Candyman, Sing Sing and the musical The Color Purple.
He received Oscar and BAFTA nominations in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of civil rights icon Bayard Rustin in Rustin, but was pipped to the post on both occasions by Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer. Despite this, Colman has expressed admiration for Murphy, calling him a ‘good guy’.
He’s also set to lend his voice to Norman Osborn in the upcoming Disney+ animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and will portray Michael Jackson’s father in the King of Pop’s biopic.
Is Colman Domingo married?
The actor found love with his now-husband Raul Domingo (formerly Aktanov) following an encounter in a supermarket parking lot back in 2005. As reported by Elle, despite being with friends, there was an instant recognition of something extraordinary.
Raul took to Craigslist’s Missed Connections to reach out, prompting Colman to exclaim to GG: “I literally jumped out of my chair when I saw the post.”
Elaborating on the tale during a 2020 interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he recounted: “We passed each other. We never spoke…A few days later, I’m on Craigslist trying to buy a used computer to help with my writing. I went to the home screen and you know, they have Missed Connections, things like ads, so I would read them because I’m a romantic. I go to the second page of Missed Connections and it said, ‘Saw you outside of Walgreens, Berkeley.'”
Their first date occurred just two days later, and Colman confesses they fell in love soon after. Raul is a rather private individual, keeping his account under wraps. Nonetheless, the duo have maintained their close bond since their initial meeting nearly twenty years ago.
When Colman accepted a role filming in Alaska, Raul accompanied him, securing a position as an assistant costume designer. They relocated back to New York together, where Colman eventually popped the question, leading to their marriage in 2014.
Raul has consistently shown unwavering support for Colman, attending almost every performance of Colman’s show Jonestown. The couple also teamed up on a short animated film titled New Moon, which explores a mother and son discussing their life, aspirations and dreams.
The Madness is streaming on