Exclusive | TV & Film
‘Rustin’ is coming! On the day of the 60th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, Netflix released the debut teaser trailer for the long-awaited ‘Rustin’, the biopic centering the life of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.
In his first star role, Colman Domingo plays Bayard Rustin, a prominent yet forgotten civil rights activist and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rustin served an integral role in organizing the March on Washington alongside the likes of Ella Baker, A. Philip Randolph, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
However, as an openly gay Black man, Rustin faced prejudice and was often relegated to working behind the scenes out of fear, from his peers within the Black community that his presence would impede the progress of the civil rights movement.
At the beginning of the trailer, we get an immediate look into Rustin’s central part in orchestrating the March, seeing him plan out logistics, empowering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as fellow co-organizers, and vocalizing his vision for the landmark event.
“On August 28, Black, white, young, old, rich, working class, poor…will descend on Washington, DC.” - Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo)
Beyond his long overdue acknowledgment in the fight for social justice, the film explores the pressure Rustin experienced amongst his peers to fragment and subdue himself as a Black, gay person, ironically for the cause of racial liberation, due to his sexuality.
Further in the trailer, despite warnings for him to stand down because of his queer identity, Rustin righteously affirms his Black personhood in its entirety through a brief, but powerful statement, “On the day that I was born Black, I was also born homosexual” - Bayard Rustin (Colman Domingo)
Altogether, the trailer does an effective job of encapsulating the idea of both external and internal liberation for Black, queer people through the actions of the legendary Bayard Rustin.
Without a doubt, ‘Rustin’ will be that one-of-a-kind biopic that finally includes Black, gay liberation in the conversation of the civil rights movement - making this film a must-see!
‘Rustin’ is directed by DGA Award and five-time Tony Award winner George C. Wolfe, as well as produced by Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen and Higher Ground’s Tonia Davis and George C. Wolfe. The film features an all-star cast including Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, CCH Pounder, Da’Vine Joy, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, with Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald.
‘Rustin’ will be in select theaters November 3 and on Netflix November 17.
Be sure to check out the trailer!