fbpx

Colman Domingo to Make Directorial Debut with ‘Scandalous’ Starring David Jonsson and Sydney Sweeney

Colman Domingo to Make Directorial Debut with 'Scandalous' Starring David Jonsson and Sydney Sweeney

Colman Domingo is set to make his directorial debut with Scandalous, starring David Jonsson and Sydney Sweeney.

Fast-tracked by Miramax, Scandalous will explore the secret love affair between legendary singer and actor Sammy Davis Jr. and Hollywood icon Kim Novak in 1957. Sydney Sweeney has been cast to portray Novak, while David Jonsson will take on the role of Davis Jr.

The project originally began under the guidance of Jon Glickman at Panoramic, before his tenure as Miramax CEO. Novak and Davis Jr. were both major stars when their relationship began, having met as guests on The Steve Allen Show. However, their interracial romance faced severe backlash in a racially charged 1950s America. Novak, under contract with Columbia Pictures at the time, faced immense pressure from studio head Harry Cohn to end the relationship. The affair gained public attention when a Chicago gossip columnist exposed it in early 1958, revealing the couple’s plans to marry, despite their denials. Shortly after the scandal broke, Davis Jr. married Black chorus girl Loray White.

Production is slated to begin after Domingo and Sweeney complete filming the third season of HBO’s Euphoria, in which they both star. The film’s setting, which centers around classic Hollywood, will fittingly be shot in Los Angeles.

Sweeney, who previously made waves with her involvement in Anyone But You, is once again stepping behind the scenes as a producer. She will co-produce Scandalous alongside Tani Cohen and Bobby Roth, with Jon Levin serving as executive producer. The script was penned by Matthew Fantaci.

Domingo, who has gained widespread acclaim for his roles in Rustin and Sing Sing, is balancing several high-profile projects. In addition to Scandalous, he is working on a biopic about Nat King Cole, which he will also star in and direct. He is currently filming Netflix’s The Four Seasons with Tina Fey and the limited series The Madness. Domingo will also portray Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic. His play Lights Out: Nat King Cole, co-written with director Patricia McGregor, is set to premiere at the New York Theater Workshop in the spring, following its debut at the Geffen Theater in 2019.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *