Real ones have known how talented Colman Domingo is for years, though his star only truly ascended recently thanks to his back-to-back Oscar nominations over the last two years for “Rustin” (read /Film’s review) and “Sing Sing.” Domingo was also named to Time’s Most Influential People list for 2024. With several big projects on the way, including a Steven Spielberg film that’s reportedly about aliens, there’s no question that Domingo is one of the biggest names in Hollywood today. And yet, he almost passed on the show that helped him earn more mainstream appeal years ago.
In 2015, Domingo began a long tenure as Victor Strand on “Fear the Walking Dead,” the first of many spin-offs for AMC’s popular “Walking Dead” franchise (and, arguably, its most critically successful). Domingo stayed on “Fear the Walking Dead” for all eight seasons, becoming both a core pillar of the property and a fan favorite, even as the “Walking Dead” universe became more and more crowded with other shows. And yet, when the job first came across his desk, Domingo considered turning it down for a reason he’s since admitted was somewhat silly.
“I was a theater snob,” Domingo confessed on a recent episode of Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast. “I was like, ‘Absolutely not.'” At the time, Domingo was with a new agent, and when she first suggested “Fear the Walking Dead,” he didn’t even know what “The Walking Dead” was, assuming that the genre TV element of it would make it too low-art for his interest. Fortunately for fans, once he got a look at the actual script, he quickly changed his mind.
Fear the Walking Dead changed a lot for Colman Domingo
Although he was hesitant at first, Colman Domingo was won over by the strong writing of “Fear the Walking Dead” and immediately put himself up for the part of Victor. “She sends me the sides, and it was fantastic,” he told Horowitz, referring to his agent. “I thought, ‘I didn’t know TV could be like this.’ It was rich, it was great storytelling, a really provocative character, and I had a take on the character, so I sent that tape in without really thinking about it. And then, literally a couple days later I got an offer, just from a self-tape, to be a series regular on ‘Fear the Walking Dead.’ Apparently I had a good take on it.”
While his audition was kind of spur-of-the-moment, the results were massive. Because of the franchise’s growing profile and the strong reviews that “Fear” received in particular (largely due to strong performances like his), Domingo was launched into the pop culture spotlight. While he’d had immense success previously on the live stage and in other projects, the AMC series brought him a whole new level of exposure.
“It literally did change my entire career,” Domingo told Horowitz. “I was kindly ready to step away from the whole industry because things were not progressing the way I thought made sense. I wasn’t booking, I wasn’t working, I had no access, or agency, and I was entering my mid-40s.” A decade later, Domingo is one of the most sought-after actors in the world. Sometimes, one good audition and an open mind can change everything.
“Fear the Walking Dead” is currently streaming on AMC+.
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