Colman Domingo is set to make his feature directorial debut in a movie musical about legendary singer Nat King Cole.
The West Philly-native actor and Temple University alum, who co-wrote the script for the biopic, will also star as Cole, Variety reported.
Cole, who began his career in the late ’30s, is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, selling over 50 million records. He’s known for chart-topping hits like “Unforgettable, “Smile,” “Let There Be Love” and “The Christmas Song.” Cole earned a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys in 1990, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
One of the most notable moments of Cole’s life occurred on April 10, 1956. As Cole was performing before an all-white audience in Birmingham, Alabama, a group of white men attacked him. Authorities apprehended the men, and the singer returned to the stage. The remaining audience members gave him a 10-minute standing ovation, according to Variety.
Domingo previously co-wrote the play “Lights Out: Nat ‘King’ Cole,” which imagines what may have been going through Cole’s mind during his “The Nat King Cole Show” Christmas special in 1957. It has not yet been revealed when the upcoming film will premiere or which period of Cole’s life that Domingo’s movie will focus on.
“I’ve been working on it quietly for a few years,” Domingo told Variety, of the movie musical. “It’s something I’m looking forward to putting together with some great partners.”
The news of Domingo’s latest project comes during his successful awards season. Last week, he received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Bayard Rustin — a civil rights leader born in West Chester — in the Netflix film “Rustin.” This is the first Oscar nomination for Domingo, who previously won an Emmy for his role in “Euphoria.” Domingo also has been nominated for Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critics Choice and SAG awards for his work on “Rustin.”
Domingo also made headlines last week for his being cast as another famous pop culture figure. The actor will play the role of Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, in an upcoming biopic about the King of Pop.