As the curtains closed on the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, Rustin star Colman Domingo looked on in celebration.
“You’re not only cheering for [the athletes], you’re cheering for yourself,” Domingo said of the Games. “It’s like you’re cheering for humanity and saying that we can do this together.”
Alongside several A-list attendees, the Sing Sing star commemorated Closing Night at OMEGA House Milano. OMEGA, the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games, designed OMEGA House Milano as an “intimate yet inviting” space, complete with a dedicated lounge for members to see live competitions and relax between events. Recounting his time in Milan, Domingo called the Games as “a great way to bring us all together.”
“As a spectator, you realize you’re connected to everyone. You’re rooting for your country but also rooting for everyone.” Colman Domingo
In an exclusive interview, Colman Domingo shares his favourite stories from the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. Below, you’ll find the actor’s take on Milan, timekeeping, and his personal highlight reel.
How are you enjoying the experience of the Olympic Games so far?
I’ve been enjoying the Olympics, very much so. I saw some Women’s Short Track Speed Skating yesterday. I didn’t realize how intense it was. Watching the Olympics on television is a very different experience to actually being there, because it feels hyper-emotional in the venues. This is a person’s chance. They’ve been training for years. So it’s beautiful, because as a spectator, you realize you’re connected to everyone. You’re rooting for your country but also rooting for everyone. For me, that’s the greatest part of the Olympics.
Do you know Milano well? What’s your favourite thing about this host city?
Milano has really grown on me, to be honest. I come here a lot for fashion weeks and events and sometimes for work. It’s grown on me because it’s a smaller town, but I’ve leaned into it and discovered that this is where the workers are, the textile workers and the artisans.
I walked around the design district today and looked at all the textiles and tile work. I feel like I’ve now figured out what my Milan is, and I think that’s what a person has to do. Milan won’t tell you what it is immediately. People think it’s just Duomo and things like that, but you have to discover it more.
What memories or impressions do you have of the Olympic Games?
We all think of images like Jesse Owens, or those groundbreaking moments. Those are the Olympics that you remember. But this is my very first time attending the Olympics. And so for me, it’s very memorable in every single way. It’s so interesting understanding how the host city feels and how the city reacts to it.
You’ve done a lot of live theatre. What would be your top advice for an athlete to calm their nerves before a big performance?
I have clear advice. My advice for calming the nerves before a big performance is to really take a moment for yourself. Listen to some music, go for a walk, breathe, and really ground yourself. Just really shut off all devices. Don’t be in contact with anyone, because I think anything could distract you or anything can throw you off or get into your head.
You have to get very zen about it. That’s why in the theatre you have a half hour call. Your half hour call is for you to really just disconnect from everyone and prepare for the show. In that half hour, you’re supposed to be connected to everything that’s show related and nothing for the outside.
“If we could mirror what’s happening in the Olympics back into the world, wow, I think this world could be a better place.”Colman Domingo
We know you as a wonderful storyteller. Why do you think the Olympic Winter Games is such a captivating story? Why does the world love it?
It’s something that brings the world together. Through sport, you’re watching people train and work hard towards a goal. But they have to work as a team as well. And you’re going up against teams that may have their own story.
But, in those moments, I think you’re not only cheering for them, you’re cheering for yourself. It’s like you’re cheering for humanity and saying that we can do this together. That’s why we all look forward to it. It’s a great way to bring us all together, and show that this is actually the best we could be.
We could be these people, if we really choose to be. If we could mirror what’s happening in the Olympics back into the world, wow, I think this world could be a better place.
Knowing OMEGA, what do you think makes this brand the best choice to be Official Timekeeper?
OMEGA can really say that they’re in service to the Olympics. It’s important that a company’s expertise is used in something like this. It’s really awesome. I feel part of a great tradition.
Being part of OMEGA, it very much feels like a family. As I’ve become part of a family, it feels like I know every single person there. I went to the OMEGA factory in Switzerland, and so I learned a lot about what the brand does. Everyone cares so much. Every watchmaker cares about the legacy and what they’re doing. I didn’t realize it until I became a brand ambassador, how much they care about what they do.
And finally, you’re known so much for your style. What do you personally look for in a watch?
I like a very slim watch. I have hopes and dreams that OMEGA will reproduce the Constellation Manhattan from 1982, because it’s so beautiful. I have a very small wrist and so I feel like it’s elegant and it’s classic and timeless. But also it’s a watch that makes you feel sporty at the same time, and it makes you feel like you’re prepared for anything. Above all, I like watches that can carry you throughout the day.
