When paying tribute to the late actor, Colman Domingo recalls an emotional moment from one particular scene's shooting that left his castmate being reduced to tears.
- Nov 17, 2020
AceShowbiz - Chadwick Boseman was reduced to tears while filming a scene for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", his co-star Colman Domingo has revealed.
The Netflix movie was the last Chadwick filmed before his tragic death from colon cancer in August. And paying tribute to his late castmate, Domingo recalled a tale from the shoot - when Chadwick's character Levee denounces God after being told a story about a Black pastor being confronted by a group of White men by Domingo's Cutler.
"He stops mid way of the speech, and whatever was happening there I think (co-stars) Michael (Potts), Glynn (Turman), and I, we all knew it," Colman said as he participated in a recent panel for the film. "It was one of those moments when you go, 'This is the good stuff, and we're all here, do not step away.' "
"Something was happening with Chad, and he turned away. I thought he was about to stop the scene, and I don't think I've ever done this before in my entire career, I just said, 'Tell me, tell me.' I was just yelling at him. 'Tell me! Tell me!' Like, do not give up this scene. And then he explodes with all the rage and fury and the questions of God's will."
At that point, they "all just embraced each other and sobbed," Colman added.
"All these grown men with tears in their eyes. Michael, Glynn, Chad, myself we were silent for at least a good minute and we were all trying to collect ourselves," he explained. "We didn't know what was in the room and what we were actually dealing with, what were the underpinnings of that scene. It was a whisper at first and then it was a roar."
Colman had no idea that Chadwick was actually battling colon cancer at the time, and now thinks of that moment on set as a true reflection of the actor's dedication to his art.
"That man had this fight in him to the very end, and now it makes sense why he's played so many kings in rapid succession, it's as if he knew he didn't have enough time on this Earth," Colman mused. "Or he wasn't given to us for that long. But he made such an impression that I think this film seals the deal."
