Tony and Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo will direct and star in a new Nat King Cole biopic, Variety reports. The project marks Domingo’s feature directing debut, and he also co-wrote the movie musical.
“I’ve been working on it quietly for a few years,” Domingo told Variety. “It’s something I’m looking forward to putting together with some great partners.”
Domingo and Patricia McGregor previously collaborated on a stage version of Cole’s story. The musical, titled Lights Out: Nat “King” Cole, premiered at People's Light in Pennsylvania in 2017 before playing California’s Geffen Playhouse in 2019. The show focused on the final Christmas broadcast of Cole’s variety show.
It was also recently announced that Domingo will play Michael Jackson’s father in the upcoming biopic Michael. Domingo is currently Oscar-nominated for his title role in the Netflix film Rustin, and appeared as Mister in the movie musical adaptation of The Color Purple. He received a Tony nomination for his performance in The Scottsboro Boys in 2010.
