love at first sight

Colman Domingo recalls telling future husband “I think I love you” on their first date

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Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo (Photo: Shutterstock)

Actor Colman Domingo was a guest on The Graham Norton Show in the UK on Friday night. He shared the couch alongside Sterling K. Brown, Dakota Johnson, and Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson.

Domingo is nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Bayard Rustin in the movie, Rustin. He’s the first Black gay actor to be nominated for a gay role.

At one stage in the show, Domingo shared how he met his husband. If you’re not a great believer in the idea of love at first sight, then think again. It’s quite a story.

Domingo recalled being in Berkeley, California in 2005. One Sunday night he went to Walgreens to buy himself a facial mask to wear that night.

He said that as he walked in, he saw someone else walk out: a “beautiful, beautiful” guy with long hair and a lip piercing. They exchanged looks.

Domingo says he was on a call at the time but he turned around to go back outside. He noticed the other man was with a young woman and she seemed angry about something. He and the man continued to exchange looks, but he then walked away with the woman. Domingo says he waved and the man kept looking back, but he continued walking away.

Domingo says he was left “dumbfounded” by the incident. He ended up looking at his watch and taking note of the time. He thought, “Maybe I’ll come back next Sunday and he’ll be here. I’m that kind of hopeless romantic.”

Craigslist

Three days later, Domingo was trying to buy a used computer. He was scanning Craigslist and was struck by another idea. He could place a “Missed Connections” advert.

Domingo scanned that section and got to page two. That’s when he saw an advert saying, “Saw you at Walgreens, Berkeley.”

“He placed an ad for me two hours before!” says Domingo, still blown away at the coincidence.

“Come on, bro,” says Brown, visibly astonished by the tale.

“So we met up three days later,” continued Domingo. “We had our first date. I was trying to be a good boy and go home. He said, ‘Can you stay over?’ I said ‘Sure but let’s just cuddle.’ We cuddled.

“I thought he was asleep. Four o’clock in the morning, I thought he was asleep and I said, ‘I think I love you and you’re about to change my life’. And we’ve been together almost 19 years.”

Watch the amazing tale below.

Colman and Raul Domingo married in 2014.

Sterling K. Brown is also nominated for an Oscar. He’s in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in American Fiction. However, he told Graham Norton he won’t win.

“There’s no losing yet. It will happen in its own due time,” he said. When Norton and Domingo both said he could win, Brown said he was betting on Robert Downey Jr. winning for Oppenheimer and is “totally fine” with that outcome.

“I’mma tell you: Robert Downey Jr.’s gonna win, and he’s incredibly deserving. He’s an incredible actor. Like, you should give him love,” he said. “The fact that I get a chance to be nominated along with him and Mr. [Robert] De Niro and Ryan Gosling and [Mark] Ruffalo… I’m just happy to be in the room.”

Although he didn’t rate his own chances, Brown did say “Colman will probably win,” for his Best Actor nod for Rustin.

Here’s wishing then both the very best for Oscars night.

Related:

Dustin Lance Black heaps sweet praise upon Oscar nominee Colman Domingo

Beautiful words from ‘Rustin’ co-screenwriter for Colman Domingo

WATCH: Colman Domingo wows as gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in highly anticipated biopic

The gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin finally gets a long-overdue biopic of his own starring Colman Domingo.

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