Love at first sight may seem like it’s only in movies and fairytales, but one star is living proof that Cupid is out there working his gay magic.
Emmy award-winning actor Colman Domingo briefly locked eyes with the love of his life nearly twenty years ago on a northern California street. In a whirlwind of chance, and with help from a fateful Craigslist “Missed Connections” post, they were able to find each other for good. That’s the extraordinary true story of how Domingo met his now-husband, Raúl, and they have been together ever since.
Hollywood’s newest leading man, the incomparable Colman Domingo, has been a fantastic addition to pop culture. Overflowing with next-level charisma and talent, he’s always impressing us on and off the screen. He’s topped so many best-dressed lists that each outfit finds a way to upstage the last- outshining everyone else’s look on the carpet. Looking gorgeously dapper alongside Colman is his partner, Raúl Domingo. Serving looks equally suave and smooth; this power couple is turning heads for all the right reasons.
Domingo is fresh off the well-earned success of the movie Sing Sing, where he leads an impassioned ensemble working to maintain their humanity while incarcerated. The role, for which the 55-year-old was nominated for Best Actor at the 97th Oscars, tackles building genuine connections in a place one may not expect. That lesson can be extended to Colman’s real life, as the actor found the love of his life somewhere unusual – outside of a Walgreens.
The couple shared the kismet story of how their romance first bloomed back in the early aughts. The actor was in Northern California shopping for a face mask at the store. It was then that he noticed a “beautiful” man with an earring across the street, and though he didn’t have the chance to say hello, that guy moved into his mind rent-free.
“We passed each other. We never spoke,” Colman said during a guest appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Domingo didn’t know he had spotted his future love, he just hoped to see him again. Unsure of how to find this mystery man, fully enamored and a bit helpless, he went to Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” page. This was a site to post about hotties you noticed, and then they’d see your message to reach out to you. This could be considered a pre-Myspace, millennial meet-cute, if you will.
Domingo continued, “A few days later, I’m on Craigslist… I kept thinking about this person I crossed paths with and never spoke to… I go to the second page of “Missed Connections,” and it said, ‘Saw you outside of Walgreens, Berkeley.’”
To his happy surprise, Raúl posted about noticing Domingo that fateful night! The actor answered the “Missed Connection” and they made plans to meet up. After three days of non-stop time together, Domingo shared, “I said ‘I think I love you, and you’re about to change my life.’” The two have been inseparable and seem incredibly happy in their outings together.
There’s a lesson to be learned here. Colman Domingo took to Craigslist, the Sniffies of its time, and began a romance not even he expected to find. This proves just getting out and keeping an open mind may just bring you more love than you’re ready for. And won’t that just be perfect!
Gay love is harder to find than a popper-sized needle in a hetero-majority haystack. We embrace things like cruising culture because it’s easy and quick, but maybe the simplest path to pleasure is just keeping an eye out for a “beautiful” guy at the store. He may just end up being your soulmate.
Let this be a story of hope, inspiration, and encouragement to always shoot your shot! There’s never a reason not to follow the spark you feel when first laying eyes on someone. Just approach him with respect and confidence, as you may not be as lucky as Domingo was in finding them online later. As our girl Kelly Clarkson sings, “Take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and breakaway.” Could be the advice you need to find that special someone.
A lot of us cower from tradition, opting to search the apps for a soulmate. In a way, Colman Domingo felt that same yearning and did exactly that. The internet may be a pretty powerful resource for finding love when used in tandem with real-world experiences. If any two people are an example of that, it’s Mr. and Mr. Domingo.
