Photography by Raul Romo

“Right now, my garden is in full bloom and it’s a beautiful time,” says Colman Domingo. The Euphoria alum is rightfully content. Earlier this week, he became a first-time Oscar nominee for his lauded performance as Bayard Rustin, the unsung gay civil rights activist who organised the 1963 March on Washington. With his nomination, Domingo made history as only the second gay man, and first Black gay man, to be nominated for playing a gay character.

Just two days after his nomination – he found out he’s up for Best Actor from the bathroom, then ‘jumped with joy’ with his husband Raúl Aktanov – Domingo tells GAY TIMES: “Even in one [awards] season, people see me playing Bayard Rustin and they can also see me as Mister in The Color Purple. That’s unusual territory for an openly gay man. I play these roles that are not defined just by their sexuality.”

“Unusual territory” is the perfect way to describe it: Domingo’s 33-year filmography includes roles as a high school principal (Assassination Nation), pimp (Zola), zombie-hunter (Fear the Walking Dead), “rubbernecking” CIA officer (American Dad) and, as confirmed one hour after this call, Michael Jackson’s father in the King of Pop’s upcoming biopic. He also – get this – impersonated Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Tyra Banks and more during his stint on The Big Gay Sketch Show. “People thought I just got here but now they’re like, ‘No, he’s been working for a long time,’” the (let’s say it again) Oscar nominee adds. “‘We just didn’t know it was him because he keeps shapeshifting.’”

Next month, Domingo will continue to showcase his diverse range with a “bonkers” role in Ethan Coen’s solo directorial debut, Drive-Away Dolls, a lesbian road trip comedy in which he delivers an “incredible monologue about… a penis”. Here, we discuss all of the above, why he wants Rustin to be shown in schools and the “existential” third season of Euphoria.

Colman, huge congratulations on your Oscar nomination.

Isn’t that wild? Thank you!

Has it sunk in yet that you’re now, officially, ‘Colman Domingo, Academy Award-nominated actor’?

Yes. It’s sunken in. This morning I actually said it out loud and thought, ‘That’s really cool.’ I love, more than anything, the people that I’m nominated with. These are all men that I truly respect. I woke up early for some reason and felt like watching another film [of theirs], so I watched The Holdovers because I admire these guys. So, I’m having a great time, man. It’s a really beautiful moment.

You were in the bathroom cleaning when you found out, right?

Yes, because my body decided to wake me up sooner than I wanted to. I was like, ‘I have to do something,’ so I started cleaning out one of my closets. My husband sat in front of the fireplace with his coffee watching the news feed. As he was listening, I would walk around the house. I would end up back in the bedroom, listening a little bit, cheering on some friends and then I would go into the closet. It started getting closer to my category, so I decided to go into the bathroom. I was just pacing. Then, I heard a ding on my phone because the feed was coming in, maybe ten seconds faster on the East Coast.