Colman Domingo tells PEOPLE his first Emmy Award is “a huge boon for not only African American men that look like me, but also people who live in queer spaces”
Colman Domingo is enjoying his victory lap.
The Euphoria star tells PEOPLE his first Emmy win for outstanding guest actor in a drama series feels “private and lovely” as he discusses his collaboration with Ketel One Vodka, the spirits partner of the 74th Emmy Awards.
He reveals that the first thing he did with his Emmy was take it to Euphoria creator Sam Levinson’s house the next day, “because so much of it flows from Sam, to give me this space of creativity and creating a role like this for me.”
“I just wanted to express my gratitude, make sure it was in his hand,” explains Domingo, 52. “And we just loved on each other and hung out with his wife and one of his sons.”
Domingo has earned critical acclaim for his performance as Ali Muhammed on the HBO teen drama, based on the Israeli miniseries of the same name. His character is a recovering drug addict who becomes the Narcotics Anonymous sponsor for Rue Bennett, the show’s troubled teen protagonist portrayed by Zendaya.
After Domingo paid a visit to Levinson, he returned to work and gave a friend notes on her new film. because “I just wanted to know that the work continues — that this is a moment, but the whole point of it is so we can get back to the work that we love.”
The Zola actor, who is openly gay, explains that “nothing has been easy and given” to him in his career, but challenges “helped me figure out how to create for myself and create space for myself.”
“I know that my win is a huge boon for not only African American men that look like me, but also people who live in queer spaces as well,” Domingo muses. “And showing that there’s no limits to what we can play, what we can do.”
Domingo also notes the importance of creating “a platform that’s truly my own,” as he is also as a writer, director and producer, priding himself on the fact that “no one has boxed me in because I haven’t boxed myself in.”
“There’s no difference between me and a lot of my colleagues who haven’t gotten the shine. But it hopefully tells them to keep doing the work. Keep showing up. Keep creating for yourselves and building strong relationships. And it’s available to you as well,” he says. “So, I know that many people have reached out and said I’m an inspiration in that way and it helps them to keep going.”
“I think I’m most proud that I’ve survived in this industry for 32 years,” Domingo affirms.
More Emmys will be handed out on TV’s biggest night: Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Euphoria can be streamed in full on HBO Max.
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