Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably come across one of the many films in Colman Domingo’s portfolio by now. Having starred in The Running Man, Sing Sing, Wicked: For Good, Euphoria and Rustin – to name a few – the 56-year-old actor, writer and director has been on a remarkable run in recent years, cementing his place on the big screen.
Domingo’s wide range of performances, spanning raw historical dramas to energetic modern blockbusters, demands serious mental resilience – with a strong base of physical fitness to match. Here’s how, at 56, Domingo balances his mental and physical health while continuing to thrive in Hollywood.
Colman Domingo on Mental Health
Domingo, a Philadelphia-born multihyphenate, continues to go from strength to strength in Hollywood and is keenly aware of the emotional toll that certain roles can take. Some performances require strict boundaries between the work on set and life away from it.
In an interview with The Talks, Domingo described preparing for a particularly challenging role – playing an abuser in The Color Purple.
‘Knowing the task at hand was to play an abuser and to live in these dark spaces, I had to set myself up for wellness. I rented an apartment with a lot of light and fresh flowers, I made sure I had good meals, I got a massage once a week,’ he said. ‘I know what I need to keep some wellness, but also stay in the world of the film. I needed to come home and actually let go so I can go in and do that work again, go to those dark spaces all over again.’
‘You can’t do that. I don’t think that’s healthy. I think it’s important to find a way to lock in and be there fully committed,’ he continued, ‘but also to have this place of self-care so that you can go back in the next day and go even deeper.’
Colman Domingo on Fitness and Health
In the 2025 film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, Domingo stars alongside Glen Powell – another impressively ripped actor who shot to stardom following Top Gun: Maverick. As the film unfolds, it’s clear Domingo brings the same energy and intensity as Powell, despite being nearly 20 years his senior.
To maintain the stamina required for take after take and long reshoots, Domingo anchors his routine around a variety of exercise styles.
‘I really do work out anytime, anywhere,’ he said in an interview with Valet Magazine. ‘The goal is to get my body moving, whether it’s running, lifting, stretching or some Pilates.’ In a social post with Ladbible Ireland, Domingo also revealed his go-to workout song: Kenny Loggins’ This Is It, which helps him hit his workout ‘at a 10 [out of ten]’.
‘Remaining moored is like a spiritual practice you have to work on,’ Domingo said in a separate interview with Esquire. ‘I know what I need to feel whole... I need consistency and to live a pragmatic, sane life so that when I fly away to all these crazy places, I’m free to do my work.’
Variety, it seems, is key. Research published in BMJ Medicine has found that exercising in a number of ways across the week is linked to increased longevity.
Colman Domingo on Walking
That said, it’s not only intense workouts that keep Domingo grounded. His demanding schedule often requires travel between shoots and film sets around the world, something that can easily disrupt a regular fitness routine.
Domingo, however, uses walking as a way to stay active while exploring new places.
‘Any city I go to, I always take a walk when I get there and I'm always looking for magic wherever I walk,’ he said during an Apple Time To Walk meditation session. ‘I think there's got to be something that you're going to discover.’
‘I honestly feel like I've had deeper conversations in the way I've gotten to know people by a walk,’ he continues in the episode. ‘I feel like something about being outside with somebody, there’s no noise; I feel like I've grown into some deeper, meaningful friendships with people on walks.’
‘That's what the walk is for,’ he adds. ‘To take a moment to reflect, to restore, to breathe.’
Ed Cooper is the former Deputy Digital Editor at Men’s Health UK, writing and editing about anything you want to know about — from tech to fitness, mental health to style, food and so much more. Ed has run the MH gauntlet, including transformations, marathons and er website re-designs. He’s awful at pub sports, though. Follow him: @EA_Cooper
