Colman Domingo, one of the stars of the box office smash Candyman, recently spoke about how director Nia DaCosta stayed away from Black trauma in the making of the film.
In an interview with The Grio, Domingo talked about how he had grown tired of movies with Black casts focusing on Black trauma.
“I thought it [trauma] was a narrative that kept perpetuating the things that I was seeing on the news channels and on cell phones, you name it,” said Domingo. “I need love and joy as well.
Back in July, Domingo promised that audiences would not see Black bodies being brutalized and praised DaCosta for her masterful direction and oversight of that promise.
The original Candyman movie was released and took place in the Cabrini Green projects of Chicago. Due to the setting and perhaps the era, the movie showcased various themes that are often associated with Black poverty such as inherent criminality. For example, the white female protagonist at the time was almost always jumpy at the sight of one of the Black male residents of the area.
In producer Jordan Peele’s new iteration, Cabrini Green has been demolished and new gentrified high rises stand in its place. The consciousness of the characters meets modern-day standards. In other words, this version is more socially enlightened.
Domingo also praised Da Costa for her use of puppetry. The movie is not directed to display exaggerated amounts of gore as horror films commonly are.
“So it’s not just emotional. Like, you know… you have to look away. It’s like, ‘no, you have to look towards it now, because it’s even more epic and mythic,'” he said.
DaCosta is the first Black woman to direct a Marvel movie. The Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, will be released in Nov. 2022.
Domingo is a brilliant actor and has come together with other Black talents in front of and behind the camera.
Candyman is currently number one at the box office.
