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Netflix has been preparing for the release of Rustin, which stars American actor Colman Domingo in the role of the civil and gay rights activist Bayard Rustin. As the movie looks at a release date of November 17, 2023, fans have been overjoyed with the representation of sensitive topics on the big screen.
So far, the viewers have been given a glimpse of the first look of the movie but the trailer that dropped on Monday, August 28, 2023, allows us a closer look into the world of a revolutionary leader in a significantly conservative 20th century.
Rustin has been directed by the award-winning playwright and director of films and theatre productions, George C. Wolfe.
Ensemble cast, and 2 other takeaways from George C Wolfe's Rustin trailer
1) Colman Domingo's compelling portrayal of the titular character
It's fair to say that Bayard Rustin is one of the most underrecognized characters in history. Being one of the primary architects of the 1963 March on Washington which is popular for Martin Luther King Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech, the protagonist is about to draw all the attention that the real-life hero failed to garner owing to the societal stigma.
The American actor, writer, director and the winner of a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Ali in Euphoria, Colman Domingo is unafraid on-screen as he plays an openly gay titular character.
He displays the will of steel and the unapologetic nature of the African American leader as Domingo mouthes the lines:
"On the day that I was born Black, I was also born a homosexual."
Domingo will be honoured with the TIFF Tribute Performer Award this year for his contribution to the film industry and his upcoming TIFF release, Sing Sing.
2) The turbulent era of civil rights
Bayard Rustin's personal struggles amidst his nonviolent activism is something that the upcoming film seems to address as evident from the trailer.
Despite names, defamation, and obstacles faced by multiple politically influenced bigshots in his life, the celebrated lead of the movie remained unwavering in his approach.
In an interview with Netflix, Wolfe mentions:
"He is a role model for what it means to be an American, what it means to daily, moment-to-moment, commit to democracy, commit to freedom, commit to possibility, commit to discovery, commit to passing on that which you know to other people. Democracy is a muscle, and if you don't exercise it regularly, it ceases to function.”
Rustin's identity serves as a hostile reminder of his life as he is not only sidelined for his orientation but also called irrelevant and unmentionable.
3) An ensemble cast supporting the lead
The stellar supporting cast portrays the on-screen representation of characters that were crucial to the civil rights movement in America.
The official trailer showcases Domingo encouraging Aml Ameen's Martin Luther King Jr., saying:
"Do this, Dr. King. Own your power."
The rest of the cast will see Chris Rock take on the NAACP leader Roy Wilkins, Glynn Turman as the March on Washington co-organizer A. Philip Randolph, Aml Ameen as Martin Luther King Jr., CCH Pounder as Dr. Anna Hedgeman, and Audra McDonald as the civil and human rights icon Ella Baker.
Rustin will be released in select theatres on November 3, 2023, after its world premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2023.
