Colman Domingo On The Emotional Impact Of ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’

December 16th, 2020

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” will be released in select theatres and on Netflix Dec. 18.

Netflix

August Wilson’s play “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” is based on a real-life musician known as “The Mother of the Blues.” The story is set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927 during the course of a single day.

Now there is a film version of the play adapted for the screen by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Actor Colman Domingo plays Cutler in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” and he joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes via Zoom to discuss the film.

Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett, later known as “Ma Rainey,” was born in the late 19th century. She was a jazz icon known for her brassy and bold voice.

“She was a pioneer. She’s in a male-dominated industry. She’s an openly gay African-American woman in 1927,” Domingo said. “Good lord, she’s fighting so many systems.”

She contributed greatly to the popularity of jazz music, recording around 92 songs for Paramount Records.

Domingo portrays Cutler, the lead in Ma’s band who plays the trombone and guitar.

When asked how he approached Wilson’s text, Domingo said, “I think there was a sense of purpose we knew we were responding to in the incredible text that August Wilson gives us, which is [so complex] when it comes to African American life in the 20th century.”

He continued, “I found quite a bit of Nat ‘King’ Cole in him [Cutler]. Something about having that grace and knowing his place in society and knowing that he’s not trying to ruffle in feathers; knowing how he has to present himself to white America but also knowing that he’s essentially one of the men in the band.”

In the film, actor Viola Davis portrays Ma Rainey.

“Her natural ferocity comes out in sort of a quiet manner. She’s sort of a lioness, very quiet and stealth,” Colman said about Davis’ performance.

This is Davis’ second performance in an August Wilson adaptation. She won an Academy Award for her role in the 2016 film Fences.

Joining Davis and Domingo in the star-studded cast was the late Chadwick Boseman. The 43-year-old actor passed away in August, marking “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” his final performance.

“His work ethic was dry-wit. I also want to remember him with all that life that he had and how alive he was,” Domingo said when asked about working with Boseman. “That was my last memory of him. I didn’t see him when he was ill. Well, he was ill, but the person that I saw was very much alive and with good humor and great spirit. We shared a real brotherhood.”