Spoilers for Netflix’s The Madness lie ahead, so read on at your own risk.
Colman Domingo has put in some stellar performances, but one could argue that very few of his productions asked as much of him as 2024 TV schedule entry The Madness did. The conspiracy theory-centric miniseries sees the star play media pundit Muncie Daniels, who finds himself on the run after being framed for murder. Daniels not only has to clear his name but also defend himself from attackers from time to time. A prime instance of that is a wild swamp sequence, which Domingo humorously discussed with CinemaBlend.
During the show’s first episode, Muncie comes across the aforementioned murder while spending some time in the Poconos. As a result of his proximity to the gruesome event, he’s pursued by a pair of attackers. Both masked men eventually chase Daniels to a marshy area, where he’s forced to hide within the swamp to evade them. The journalist doesn’t merely hide, though, as he ends up struggling with one of the goons and ultimately killing him with a pen in his position. It’s a wild scene and one that requires a lot of choreography.
I was curious about the logistics of crafting this scene so, when I spoke to Colman Domingo ahead of The Madness’ premiere, I just had to ask him about it. After I inquired about his recollection of filming the swampy scene, the humble star was honest about what was necessary to pull it off. While he conveyed some humor while sharing his account, he also gave props to one particular person that he couldn’t have completed the scene without:
[Laughs] It called on a lot of athleticism and rigor and stamina. We shot that after the writers’ strike, because we had to take a pause. Because we were three weeks from being finished [with] our work in Toronto, and so we had to do some pickups in Atlanta. So we went down there with the incredible crew within Atlanta [and] found a swamp area. I think they filled it and made it for me, actually. So the water was not completely cold, it was warmer. I have an incredible stunt team. So I had, you know, — I usually have a stand-in, a stunt guy. My stunt guy was fantastic. … We just tag teamed with it.
Those who’ve seen some of the best action movies to ever hit the big screen likely know that it takes a village to craft a fight sequence of just about any kind. It’s quite wonderful (but not all that surprising) to hear the Euphoria cast member shouting out his collaborators for all their doing. One especially can’t understate the importance of having an excellent stunt double. Despite that, though, the Fear the Walking Dead alum also did his share of the physical work as well:
But, also, I have to admit, I did a lot of my own stunts in that way. … Certain things I'm willing to do, because I'm very physical. So we had a great time with that, and because it was also all this detail. But my director, Clement Virgo, is so exceptional, and he's gentle, and they really take you through every beat, and you always know that you're safe. But, also, you had to bring — you had to fight for your life.
Netflix subscription holders who’ve seen the show will likely tell you that Muncie did indeed fight for his life. And that’s a daunting thought when you consider that on the surface, this is a relatively mild-mannered man and not a Jack Reacher or Alex Cross type. Colman Domingo further emphasized to me how his character is a mostly normal guy but does possess a keen skill set:
I mean, this guy is in the middle of — he's surprised by everything. And this is someone who would never be in this circumstance, but he did have jiu jitsu training, so that was useful. So that's why it's a little bit of that at the top, that you know that he's someone who is athletic, but he didn't know that he would need that to save his own life.
Thus far, audiences seem to be enthralled with Colman Domingo’s new series, given that this recent entry on Netflix’s 2024 release schedule is the No. 1 trending show in the U.S., as of this writing. Stephen Belber’s limited series draws from classic thrillers and, during our interview, Domingo discussed films that “stuck” with him while he filmed. Yet this production has its own style and works in great part due to the lead actor’s commitment to the work – whether stunt-related or not.
The Madness can be streamed now along with the best shows on Netflix.
