When Rustin, a film about Bayard Rustin, debuted on Netflix last weekend, most subscribers were probably confused by the title and wondered, who the hell is he? However, according to a BBC report, this work was created specifically for this reason. The main character, Colman Domingo, is considered by many to be an Academy Award nominee for Best Actor.
Bayard Rustin played a crucial role in American history, but not many people know his name. He was one of the key figures in the civil rights movement, organizing the March on Washington in 1963.
That’s when Martin Luther King said it i have a dream (I Have a Dream) called on the United States to end racism and create legal and economic equality. While the speech and King’s name have made history, Rustin’s has not. This is mostly it
The reason was that Rustin was openly gay – which was not acceptable at the time, so he was beaten and arrested.
Barack and Michelle Obama also co-produced the new film about his life. Starring Colman Domingo, who plays him BBC report He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Acting in January.
erased from history
In the film, Domingo plays a sympathetic, purposeful and charismatic character. The actor told the British newspaper that it is important for people to know Rustin’s story. “Now that he can be seen in 238 countries around the world, it is extraordinary, because he has been erased from the background in history books because of his gender identity.
However, he was one of the main figures in the March on Washington, and he had a huge impact not only on our culture, but on the entire world. Erasing it from history was part of the biggest mistake, but now we have the opportunity to place it at the heart of its history.
Critics agreed that Domingo’s performance was outstanding. This is what they wrote about him: “This is a clear, convincing and apparently light image that we may not even notice: he almost carries the film on his back.”
The film is directed by George C. Wolfe, and stars Chris Rock, CCH Pounder, D’Avin Joy Randolph, and Jeffrey Wright.
It helped the Obama family a lot
While researching for the role, Domingo first studied Rustin’s essays and then watched documentaries featuring the activist’s speeches. “That’s when I discovered his accent,” he said. His tone, his way. I looked at pictures of him standing, sitting and moving his hands. “It was important for me not to imitate, but to find his essence.”
Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, is behind the film. It was Obama who awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 2013.
“This was a person who was brave enough to be himself, despite the fact that he was certain to be ostracized, fired from his job, and cast aside,” the former president previously said of Rustin. This is what happened most of the time.”
Domingo explained that the Obamas “took a personal interest in the spirit of the production,” in part because it was one of the first feature films produced by their company, adding:
They were responsible for getting the green light for this film and making sure we got everything. I know they read scripts and sketches and gave notes to the director and understood what we were making and how we were making it.
Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy, Paul Giamatti and Bradley Cooper are also in the running for the Oscar for Best Actor, but many expect Domingo to win.
