Colman Domingo went to high school with Will Smith, but the two were hardly part of the same crowd. “He was the cool kid,” Domingo recalled, describing himself as a nerd who never became friends with his famous classmate.
The Euphoria actor, 56, revisited their school days during the November 3 episode of Friends Keep Secrets, hosted by Benny Blanco, Lil Dicky and Kristin Batalucco. Much of his attention back then went toward schoolwork and avoiding bullies.
Both attended Overbrook High School in West Philadelphia, with Smith one grade ahead. They shared gym and science classes, Domingo said in the conversation covered by Just Jared.
Domingo had a place on the school newspaper. In a separate interview with Philadelphia magazine, he recalled wanting to become a photojournalist, drawn to photographs that documented how people lived in war-torn places.
Domingo Heard About Smith’s Shows but Never Went to the Wynne Ballroom
Smith was already performing around Philadelphia as the Fresh Prince alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff. Domingo remembered their shows at the Wynne Ballroom as a gathering place for the popular students, though he heard about the performances instead of attending them himself.
He had an invitation through a close friend whom Smith was dating. In a January 2025 interview with The New Yorker, Domingo recalled her asking him to come along when Smith and Jeff played. He stayed home, explaining that he didn’t have money for those outings either.
Smith Needed a Reminder When Domingo Waited on Him at El Torito
Their next encounter came at El Torito, a Mexican restaurant in Philadelphia where Domingo worked as a waiter. By then, Smith had established himself in Los Angeles and was back in his hometown with friends. Domingo approached the table to take their order and offered the burrito special.
Smith seemed to recognize his face without quite placing him. Once Domingo supplied the school connection, Smith greeted him warmly and the two hugged, according to the account also reported by PEOPLE.
That remains the last time Domingo remembers seeing him in person. He told the hosts he finds it strange that their careers haven’t brought them together again, particularly because they work with some of the same people. He expects a future encounter to be warm, with their Philadelphia upbringing giving them plenty to discuss.
Domingo Read Self-Help Books Before an Acting Class Changed His Plans
Domingo had previously described Smith as friendly during his June 9 appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang. His own teenage social calendar was less eventful. He recalled arriving late to prom because his date’s dress wasn’t ready, leaving him without even a dance that night.
At 18, he worked at a Barnes & Noble in Philadelphia, looking after the self-help and travel sections. He read the books in quiet corners, looking for ways to feel less awkward, and began experimenting with how he dressed, spoke and carried himself. He told Poehler that he didn’t really come out of his shell until his second year of college.
At Temple University, where he studied journalism, his mother encouraged him to take an acting elective for fun. As he explained to Philadelphia magazine, she thought it might help draw out a personality she knew was there. He discovered that performing offered another way to tell people’s stories.
His teacher, Chris Wolfe, then pulled him aside and asked whether he had considered acting professionally. Domingo hadn’t. He eventually left Temple without graduating and moved to San Francisco to pursue theater.