At long last, we’re finally getting a good look at Colman Domingo in Rustin, and it was worth the wait.
The out actor is bringing the all-too-often forgotten story of Bayard Rustin, the highly influential, gay civil rights activist to the screen in the upcoming Netflix original, and we can’t wait.
For those unfamiliar with Rustin, he was the architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington and is hailed as one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, despite much of his legacy being overlooked because of his queer identity — and his unwillingness to hide it.
Despite living in a time when it was even harder for gay men to be out and proud, Rustin was. He never apologized for who he was, the things he stood for, or who he desired. Needless to say, this film is at the top of our must-watch list.
The film will shine a long overdue spotlight on a truly extraordinary man who stood shoulder to shoulder with some of history’s greatest civil rights leaders, including the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker. Like them, Rustin dared to imagine a different world and took the treacherous but necessary steps to make it reality. As a result, he helped inspire a movement and a march toward freedom.
Rustin is directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe. Starring alongside Emmy Award winner Domingo are Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, CCH Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald.
Rustin premieres in select theaters November 3 followed by a November 17 release on Netflix. Scroll through for the first-look images.
All photos courtesy of Netflix.
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
Courtesy of Netflix
