Fans are rediscovering Colman Domingo’s love story with his husband Raúl after their appearance at last night’s 97th Academy Awards.
Although he didn’t win the Best Actor award for his role in Sing Sing, the 55-year-old actor stole the show with his custom red Valentino suit, his Speedmaster Moonwatch, and his on-stage dancing during a commercial break.
However, fans on social media couldn’t stop talking about the sweet moments between Colman and Raúl on the red carpet which led some to revisit how their love story began.
On a 2024 episode of the Graham Norton Show, Colman shared the story of their relationship which began in 2005 through a serendipitous Craigslist “missed connections” ad.
He recalled spotting Raúl outside a Walgreens in Berkeley but didn’t approach him—only to discover an ad Raúl posted about the missed encounter.
“I jumped up. I was like, Are you kidding me? That's me. He described me with my faux hawk. It was 2005 and I was like, ‘Get out of here,’” Colman said on the British talk show.
“So we met up three days later. We had our first date. I was trying to be a good boy and go home,” he continued. “[Raúl] said, ‘Can you stay over?’ I said, ‘Sure, but let's just cuddle.’ We cuddled. I thought he was asleep at 4 o'clock in the morning. I couldn't sleep and I said, ‘I think I love you and you're about to change my life.’ And we've been together for almost 19 years.”
As photos of their Oscars night look took over social media, fans celebrated the couple’s impeccable style and the magic of their love story.
While speaking to Vogue about his decision to wear red at the Oscars red carpet, Colman said, “It felt like everything’s coming up roses. It felt like love. The thing that I feel like I’m speaking about more than anything—more than process, more than moments of achievements—I’m talking about [how] to be resilient and to bring love energy into a room. What better color than that classic Valentino red?”
Check out our coverage of the Oscars, including who pulled up to the red carpet, what the stars wore on the carpet and the full list of winners here.