Although he’s directed some work for TV before, Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo is set to make his big-screen debut as director.
The out-gay actor is set to helm Scandalous for Miramax. The movie will focus on a 1957 love affair between actors Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.
Despite reportedly falling hard for one another after meeting on The Steve Allen Show, the relationship was kept under wraps. A high-profile interracial relationship at such a time could have proved detrimental to both performers’ careers.
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Powerful figures in Hollywood were aghast when they heard of the relationship. This included Harry Cohn, the Columbia Pictures chief who had Novak under contract.
In early 1958, a Chicago gossip columnist wrote a detailed account of the relationship, forcing both performers to issue denials. Within days of the article hitting newsstands, Davis married a Black chorus girl named Loray White.
Sydney Sweeney and David Jonsson
Scandalous will star Domingo’s Euphoria co-star Sydney Sweeney as Kim Novak. Sweeney is also credited as one of the movie’s producers. British actor David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus, Industry) will play Davis.
Domingo shared a Deadline story about the project to his Instagram stories, as did Sweeney and Jonsson.
Besides Scandalous, Domingo is also working on directing and starring in a biopic of Nat King Cole. There’s currently no word yet on when that might go into production. Scandalous is expected to start filming after Domingo and Sweeney wrap up filming on the third season of Euphoria.
Following the critical acclaim for the movies Rustin and Sing Sing, Domingo is very busy right now. He took the role of Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. He’s also involved with Tina Fey’s Netflix show, The Four Seasons.
Domingo took time out from his busy schedule to remind people to vote in the US election. He posted some images from some of his iconic roles to his Instagram stories and said, “History has its eyes on us. Vote my young brothers and sisters. Vote. I just did my civic duty. I pray that you do not sit this one out. I play the roles that I do because I care deeply about all of us. Vote. Vote. Vote.”
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