Ranking the Best Performances to Date From Colman Domingo

It’s impossible not to like Colman Domingo. That goes for his acting as well as for the man himself. You can tell for yourselves in both of our conversations, here for his performance on Euphoria and here for his work in Rustin. There’s a reason why there was a sense of joy in the industry when he received his first Academy Award nomination for Rustin. Now, he’s enjoying a run unlike anything else he’s had throughout his career. Whether it’s a plum supporting gig in The Running Man or a cameo in Wicked: For Good last year, he now has Dead Man’s Wire hitting theaters. So, today is a great time to pay tribute to Domingo and his notable talents.

When I raved about Domingo here in my Telluride review of Rustin, I had this to say:

Colman Domingo deserves an Oscar nomination for the finest work of his career so far. He brings out the life and the passion of Rustin in a way that really gives you a sense of the man. Domingo is exceptional and you can’t take your eyes off of him.

Earlier this week, I reviewed Dead Man’s Wire here and praised Domingo amongst the cast, writing:

The other highlight is Colman Domingo, perfectly cast as the radio man, utilizing his charisma, his voice, and his ability to command your attention without even speaking.

Below, you can see how Domingo ranks for me. I think the undisputed top three are Rustin, Sing Sing, and Zola, with any of them taking the pole position on a given day. Next in line would be things like Assassination Nation, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Selma. Where does Dead Man’s Wire debut? What about The Running Man? Find out below. Regardless, Domingo is not just going to get more Oscar nominations in the years to come, I’d bank on him winning one before long.

Here now is my ranking of the best Colman Domingo performances so far. Behold:

Honorable Mention: The Color Purple and Euphoria

10. Drive-Away Dolls

9. The Running Man

8. If Beale Street Could Talk

7. Selma

6. Assassination Nation

5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

4. Dead Man’s Wire

3. Rustin

2. Zola

1. Sing Sing

What is your favorite performance from Colman Domingo? Let us know!