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Colman Domingo’s husband captured hearts everywhere with their instantly viral meet-cute story. The SNL host recently revealed how a Walgreens chance encounter in 2005 sparked the most heartwarming Craigslist missed connection ever. Prepare to believe in magic again.
🔥 Quick Facts
- First Meeting: Walgreens parking lot in Berkeley, California in 2005 with just eye contact.
- Discovery Method: Raúl posted a Craigslist missed connection just two hours before Colman found it.
- Marriage: The couple wed nine years later in 2014 with only 25 guests at their home.
- Time Together: Nearly 20 years of happiness and devotion since their magical first encounter.
The Fateful Walgreens Moment That Started Everything
In 2005, Colman Domingo walked into a Walgreens in Berkeley to buy a face mask. That simple errand would change everything. A beautiful man with shoulder-length hair and a lip piercing was walking out. Their eyes locked repeatedly. The attraction was undeniable, yet neither spoke.
Domingo was dumbfounded. He checked his watch at 8:03 p.m. and told himself something bold. He would return to that exact spot at the exact same time next week, hoping fate would intervene. Self-described hopeless romantic or not, Domingo never got the chance.
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Three days later, everything shifted. Colman was searching Craigslist for a used computer. He scrolled through missed connections posts, fantasizing about placing his own. Then he saw it on page two, a post that made his heart stop. ‘Saw you outside of Walgreens Berkeley’ it read.
The Craigslist Miracle That Defies All Odds
Raúl had posted the missed connection ad just two hours before Colman discovered it. The timing was impossibly perfect. Raúl described Colman in stunning detail, including his signature fauxhawk hairstyle. Domingo literally jumped up from his chair, utterly shocked.
“Are you kidding me? That’s me,” Colman remembered thinking. The universe had orchestrated something extraordinary. Two strangers who locked eyes for mere seconds had been thinking of each other. Both had felt something magnetic enough to search for each other online.
They decided to meet up three days later. Colman was trying to be respectful about the encounter initially. His plan was simple: meet up and then head home. Raúl had other ideas entirely.
From First Date to Forever Love Story
Their first official date happened at a San Francisco bar. They talked all night, asking each other Barbara Walters-style questions to really understand who they were. The conversation flowed naturally, deeply, as if they’d known each other for years.
| Major Milestone | Year |
| Walgreens Encounter | 2005 |
| Craigslist Discovery | 2005 (3 days later) |
| Proposal in New York | 2005 (Fall) |
| Marriage Ceremony | 2014 |
Raúl invited Colman to stay over after their first date. Colman agreed but suggested they just cuddle. As he thought Raúl was sleeping, something magical happened. At 4 a.m., unable to sleep, Colman whispered words that would define their relationship.
“I think I love you and you’re about to change my life.”
— Colman Domingo, to his husband Raúl, during their first night together
The Ultimate Sacrifice That Proved Real Love
When Colman booked an acting gig in Juneau, Alaska that summer, a critical test arrived. Long-distance would be torture. Instead, Raúl made an extraordinary choice. He took a job as an assistant costume designer on the same production just to stay close to Colman.
That fall, they relocated together to New York. In November, just months after their Walgreens encounter, Raúl proposed. Nine years later, the couple married in California with a house-party vibe. They greeted their 25 closest friends personally, saying “Welcome to our wedding.” Colman wore a Hawaiian shirt. They danced until 4 a.m.
This wasn’t your typical Hollywood romance. This was real, genuine, and built on serendipity. Raúl continues supporting Colman’s career with white roses at every performance, even attending his theatrical runs night after night.
Why This Love Story Breaks the Internet Before SNL
The story went viral recently when Colman appeared at the 2025 Oscars alongside Raúl on the red carpet. Fans on social media couldn’t believe such a storybook romance actually existed. Videos of Colman telling the story on The Graham Norton Show resurfaced, captivating millions.
As Colman hosts Saturday Night Live on April 11, 2026, this magical love story reminds everyone that sometimes life writes better scripts than Hollywood ever could. True love doesn’t need special effects or dramatic plot twists. Sometimes it just needs a Walgreens, a Craigslist ad, and two people brave enough to believe in serendipity.
In an age of swiping and algorithms, Colman Domingo and Raúl found something priceless: genuine connection, unwavering devotion, and nearly 20 years of happiness that started with nothing but a glance.
Sources
- NBC Insider – Coverage of Colman Domingo’s SNL hosting debut and his husband meet-cute story from The Graham Norton Show interview.
- People Magazine – Detailed account of Raúl Domingo’s background, their first date, proposal timing, and marriage ceremony details.
- Them Magazine – Documentation of the Craigslist missed connection discovery moment and the 2025 Oscars red carpet appearance.
