“I think I love you, and you’re about to change my life.” These whispered words at 4 AM, spoken by TV and movie star Colman Domingo to a man he’d just met, would prove prophetic in ways even a hopeless romantic couldn’t imagine.
The moment – part of a love story so serendipitous it defies belief – has captivated the internet anew following the couple’s rare joint appearance at the 2025 Oscars.
In a video now going viral, the acclaimed actor shares how he met his husband Raúl through a Craigslist “missed connections” ad – a real-life rom-com that began with a glance outside a Walgreens, reminding us that sometimes extraordinary love stories begin in the most ordinary places.
Red Carpet Romance
At this year’s Academy Awards, Colman made a rare public appearance with his typically private husband Raúl Domingo, turning heads in a striking custom Maison Valentino ensemble.
The actor wore a red shantung silk double-breasted jacket with black lapel, paired with black wool trousers and a red silk guru collar shirt, accessorized with pieces from Maison Boucheron.
“I wanted to be the color of love tonight, so I wore red,” Colman explained of his bold fashion choice.
While Colman didn’t take home the Best Actor trophy for his role in Sing Sing, he certainly won the night in spirit.
During commercial breaks, the jubilant nominee was spotted with champagne glass in hand, inviting fellow attendees to dance and celebrate – a testament to his infectious joy and the love he clearly shares with Raúl.
A Chance Encounter That Changed Everything
As the couple’s Oscar appearance sparked renewed interest in their relationship, fans rediscovered Colman’s heartwarming interview on The Graham Norton Show from 2024, where he recounted their serendipitous meeting.
While visiting Berkeley, California in 2005, the New York-based actor – years before his acclaimed roles in Euphoria, Fear The Walking Dead, and The Madness – was simply running into a Walgreens to grab a facial mask when fate intervened.
“I’m walking in and I see someone walking out [with] beautiful hair down to here, lip piercing – beautiful, beautiful,” Domingo recalls, his face lighting up at the memory. “I see this guy and we look at each other, I’m like, ‘Oh my God!'”
The moment was electric but fleeting. The mystery man was engaged in what appeared to be a tense conversation with a woman.
“He keeps looking at me, and I wave, but he just keeps going,” Domingo explains. Left dumbfounded, he wandered into a nearby Blockbuster (remember those?), noting the time – 8:03 PM – and wondering if perhaps this stranger might return the following Sunday.
When Craigslist Plays Cupid
Three days later, while browsing Craigslist for a used computer, Domingo had a thought: “Maybe I’ll place one of those misconnections ads. I wonder if they work.”
What happened next seems almost too perfect to be true. As Domingo scrolled through the existing missed connections, he stumbled upon one titled “Saw you outside of Walgreens, Berkeley.” Incredibly, the man with the beautiful hair had posted an ad looking for him just two hours earlier.
“I jumped up! I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? That’s me!'” Domingo exclaims in the video. “He described me with my fauxhawk – it was 2005 – and I was like, ‘Get out of here!'”
A First Date for the Ages
The pair arranged to meet three days later. Despite Domingo’s initial intentions to “be a good boy and go home,” their connection was undeniable. “He said, ‘Can you stay over?’ I said, ‘Sure, but let’s just cuddle.'”
In one of the most tender moments of his story, Domingo reveals that at 4:00 AM, unable to sleep and thinking his date was asleep, he whispered, “I think I love you and you’re about to change my life.”
That instinct couldn’t have been more accurate. “We’ve been together for almost 20 years,” Domingo concludes triumphantly.
Watch him tell the full story:
Building a Life and Career Together
Since that fateful night, Colman and Raúl Domingo have built both a loving marriage and a creative partnership. Raúl, who is younger than 55-year-old Colman, proposed in November 2005, just months after they met.
The couple eventually married in 2014 in an intimate surprise ceremony with 25 guests.
Together, they co-founded Edith Productions, with Raúl serving as a producer and director alongside his husband.
The multi-talented Raúl has worked as an assistant costume designer and collaborated with Colman on several projects, including the animated short New Moon and the film Sing Sing.
Despite Colman’s increasing fame, Raúl has largely maintained a more private profile, though his support has been unwavering.
When Colman took a job in Alaska, Raúl followed, working as an assistant costume designer. This makes their appearance together at this year’s Oscars all the more special for fans of the couple.
The Magic of Believing
What makes this story particularly touching is Colman’s unwavering belief in magic and possibility. As he states in the viral clip, “I’m somebody who just believes that magic happens. I really do believe that. And so I feel like, ‘Oh, if I want this thing, it’ll happen.'”
In a world of dating apps and curated social media profiles, there’s something profoundly moving about a connection that began with nothing more than a momentary glance and the courage to reach out into the void.
The Domingos’ romance reminds us that sometimes the most extraordinary love stories begin in the most ordinary places – even the entrance of a Walgreens on a Sunday night.
(Featured image: Deposit Photos / Jean Nelson)