Colman Domingo Claps Back at Haters Criticizing Him for Being in Drag in Sabrina Carpenter's New 'Tears' Video

Hollywood titan Colman Domingo invoked the spirit of RuPaul in order to clap back at some social media users who were less than impressed with his appearance in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears” music video.

via: EW

The Oscar-nominated actor is too busy celebrating after making his music video debut in the video for Sabrina Carpenter's new single "Tears." But as usual, some social media users can't help but hone in on negativity. The scintillating video, taking inspiration from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, sees Domingo decked out in drag, playing a character clearly inspired by the musical's transgender alien scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

One Twitter user complained of Domingo's role, "Hollywood ain’t s---. Colman Domingo is a solid actor... Had to put him in drag in Sabrina Carpenter’s video huh? Bulls---."

Though Domingo wasn't tagged in the post, he did pen a response: "It’s a character. Like all the characters I play. Calm down brother," he wrote. "Enjoy the video and the fun that it possesses. Dance it out! It ain’t that deep."

He then offered some wisdom from drag legend RuPaul, adding, "'We are born naked and everything else is drag.' Suits, t-shirts, dresses. All drag."

The music video sees Carpenter come under the tutelage of Domingo’s fashionable and magnetic character. Picking up where her "Manchild" music video left off earlier this summer, the video sees Carpenter stumble from the wreckage of a car crash only to be greeted by Domingo, who invites her in for a sultry makeover and disco-infused dance break with his fellow queens. All the while, she sings about her dream of dating a man who treats her with some basic human decency.

Domingo's appearance in the music video took some fans by surprise. When it premiered Friday night, one X user shared a clip with the caption, "Colman Domingo dancing in drag with Sabrina Carpenter was not on my bingo card for 2025 but here we are!"

Domingo responded, resharing the post with the laugh-crying emoji and writing, "Didn’t see that coming did ya? Thank you Sabs for inviting me to truly play."

The only clue of Domingo's appearance in the video came approximately one minute before it debuted. "About to break the internet. Tears. Protect all the Dolls," he wrote in the 11:59 p.m. post, the latter phrase being an expression of support for trans women.

Carpenter is also celebrating the collaboration between the two stars. When she first shared the Bardia Zeinali-directed video on Instagram, she made sure to honor "the truly incomparable, magnetic, and fantastic Colman Domingo," adding, "wish we were still dancing in the street at 4 am."

She later wrote "you are a DREAM" while quoting Domingo's post.

The "Tears" video coincided with the release of Carpenter's seventh studio album, Man's Best Friend, which is available now.