“RAY DONOVAN” Discovers Severe Talent In DOMINIQUE COLUMBUS!

It’s time to face some facts; Showtime easily won summer. In fact, they might very well have won the entire year as they put on one of the greatest fights in history with Mayweather Vs. McGregor. But, the brilliant network didn’t stop there with awesome summer programming- as usual, the riveting “Ray Donovan” continued to captivate the attention of audiences everywhere, and again, truth be told, any series that mixes great storytelling, great acting, and boxing is an instant winner! That’s why their new addition to the cast, Dominique Columbus, has proven to be such a diamond in the rough; he is a gifted talent that manages to perfectly blend into all three of these categories.

A skilled athlete that was brought up in boxing, Columbus makes sure to take the sport seriously on the show. As an artist, the new “Ray Donovan” star is extremely passionate about what he does and revels in the fact that the Showtime series puts such painstaking effort into authenticity in the show, and the dedicated actor is more than glad to do the research required to hone his craft- and it shows. For a star that literally just got his big break this year, viewers might expect the fresh-faced talent to still be rough around the edges, but that couldn’t be further than the case. Acting alongside some of the greatest talents in the business such as Liev Schreiber, Paula Malcomson, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall, Jon Voight, Eddie Marsan, and Katherine Moennig, Columbus never falls short as he always manages to rise to the occasion- not only holding his own, but shining bright among the others, and proving that he is worthy of sharing the screen and that he is a true professional clearly headed for success.

Which is easily why the young actor’s career is taking off at literally rocket speed. Fresh from “Ray Donovan,” the in-demand star already has landed a role in one of this year’s most anticipated films; “LAbyrinth,” where he is working alongside even more heavy-hitters such as Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Toby Huss, and Amin Joseph! Directed by Brad Furman, the film tells the story of the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G, and details the investigation of the crimes committed. Again, Columbus is clearly brought into powerful storytelling and acting next to some of the greatest talents in Hollywood, and it is becoming easier to see by the second that he will soon be one of Tinsel Town’s most sought after actors.

When an actor shows this kind of professionalism and drive so early in their career, nothing can beat it- and the industry stands at attention. Not only is Columbus highly talented, but he has also proven that he cares more about his craft and about working hard than the frivolousness that the business can sometimes entail- and that is simply invaluable and will lead to great longevity for the skilled performer. That and he can pack a punch? Again, let’s face facts- with the Mayweather Vs. Mcgregor fight being the highest rated hit on television this year, and “Glow” dominating critical reception we can easily look forward to more boxing, wrestling, and MMA movies and bio-pics, and Columbus seems to be a quick shoe-in for those roles- and we’re not complaining one bit.

With “Ray Donovan” coming to a conclusion and getting juicier by the second, we knew we needed to sit down with the swiftly rising star and talk about his hit Showtime series, what we can expect from the finale, what else he has coming up, and ask anything we can about “LAbyrinth”! Read below to see what Columbus had to say!  

WINGMAN: Tell us about how it feels to join such an esteemed and amazing series like “Ray Donovan.” Were you already a fan of the show before you came aboard?

DOMINIQUE COLUMBUS: Joining  “Ray Donovan”  was a life changing experience for me. I watched my life turn a complete 180 in a matter of two years. Being cast in the show was an opportunity of a lifetime. That being said, having this opportunity not only motivated me to reach a higher version of myself, it forced me to go past my limits and rise to the occasion. I sped up my learning curve, it gave me experience that people would pay to have. Lastly, it encouraged me to continue to believe in my vision. Anything is possible, and anything can be accomplished with belief and dedication. Booking “Ray Donovan” proved that to me. 

WINGMAN: Let’s talk about the boxing- you guys take that seriously over at “Ray Donovan”! Did you study any professional boxers to get your moves down? What did you do to research the fighting particularly? Were you a boxer?

COLUMBUS: The boxing is taken very seriously on the show, but so is everything else. My favorite thing about “Ray Donovan” is the authenticity-  every actor on the show makes their character as real as possible, which is why the fans are so hooked. For my character, boxing came organically to me. Boxing was my main sport growing up,  and my biggest inspirations were Pernell Whitaker, Sugar Ray Leonard,  and Floyd Mayweather. I had boxed for thirteen years as an amateur, and most of my friends thought that I was going to go pro after high school.  However, I had other plans in mind, I always saw myself doing movies and being on TV. Fast forward to now and it’s such a blessing to be able to do two of my favorite things at the same time, acting and boxing, so this role was destined for me.

WINGMAN: You are coming into a cast of some truly heavy-hitters here; Liev Schreiber, Paula Malcomson, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall, Jon Voight, Eddie Marsan, Katherine Moennig- this is a very talented cast you are accompanied by. Talk about them.

COLUMBUS: Being around the cast of “Ray Donovan” I became a sponge, every time I’m around them I soak up new information. Even though the cast is brilliant as actors, as individuals they are even more brilliant as people, and as individuals. We all joke around and have fun on set, but when it’s time to switch gears and focus, that’s when you see greatness. All of us in our own way are striving for greatness, no one wants to be mediocre, nor will they accept it. That was my favorite part about this set, because I grew up with the mindset of striving for greatness, and understanding that greatness is a mentality not a label. Lastly, we are all a family, we all look out for each other and we all believe in each other. 

WINGMAN: Speaking of talented casts, you will also be joining Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, Toby Huss, and one of our favorite guys, Amin Joseph, in the upcoming “LAbyrinth”! what can you tell fans about that?

COLUMBUS: I’m very excited for the film I did with Johnny Depp called “LAbyrinth” to come out! There hasn’t been an official release date yet, but hopefully sometime this November. This film was fun to do, especially when I worked with Johnny. For one of my main scenes, he and I worked together for eight hours, and during the process of filming had a lot of power talks. Ultimately, most of our conversations would always come back to “Lead By Example,” he taught me how important it is to respect people on set, and how important it is to recognize the importance of other people who help you. He opened my eyes to how an individual on that level should carry himself, labels don’t mean anything, the only important thing is giving love. That was a moment I will never forget, that lesson is now forever embedded in me.  

WINGMAN: You are part of two major projects in both film and TV, and you are already working with some of the biggest actors in Hollywood. What other roles would you love to take on, and who else would you love to work with?

COLUMBUS: Right now I’m excited to see what’s next in my career. Now that I have these two projects under my belt, I am staying committed and keeping up the momentum. The type of roles I see myself doing next are more action films. Although, my favorite type of roles to take on are the ones where the character is raunchy, mysterious and has a driving force to chase after something that’s bigger than him. A person I look up to who does a good job in taking on these types of roles is Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s one of my favorite actors and is also someone I’m excited to work with someday. 

WINGMAN: And, of course, what scoop can you give fans for the rest of the season for “Ray Donovan”? What can we look forward to here?

COLUMBUS: Those who want a scoop for the rest of this season of “Ray Donovan,” well you have to keep watching the show!  [Gives a playful wink.] If I say anything now, it will spoil the next couple of episodes. All I can say is keep watching the growth of Terry and Damon. We are headed to new levels together on the show.

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  Seems like we are also headed to new levels of Dominique Columbus’ rapidly growing career- and we here at Wingman can’t wait to see where it goes next!

“Ray Donovan” continues on Sunday nights at 9/8c on Showtime.