When I was growing up, Henry Kissinger was considered evil. We booed when we saw him on TV. He was a proud warmonger who bombed the heck out of Cambodia and killed lots of people during the Vietnam War.

He was Richard Nixon’s puppetmaster or flunky take your choice.

Post Watergate and Vietnam, Kissinger thrived in Reagan era New York. He lived the highlife, dining at top places like Le Cirque and the 21 Club. (In the 80s, Le Cirque was exclusive they welcomed everyone from Diana Ross to Roy Cohn. Dictators were certainly welcome if they were available.)

I met Kissinger a couple of times, via the great editor Harold Evans. I had to restrain myself, once, at the Four Seasons, another exclusive haunt, from saying anything beyond Hello. After everything he’d done, it was hard to believe he actually existed.

Kissinger was depicted in many movies and appeared in several documentaries, of course. But his one acting credit was on TV’s “Dynasty,” the 80s nighttime soap opera that celebrated greed and wealth and the trampling of the common man. He appeared as himself in a 1983 episode about a charity ball. Gerald Ford, who inherited Kissinger from Nixon, also appeared with his wife, First Lady Betty Ford.

“Rustin” now streaming on Netflix, is garnering rave reviews, especially for its sublime star, Colman Domingo who plays openly gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. At the recent junket in DC, where journalists went to the Library of Congress to see its recent ‘Bayard Rustin Papers’ exhibition.

The next day journalists saw the Lockkeeper’s House, built in 1837, on the National Mall where Rustin was the architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington. Directed beautifully by George C. Wolfe, the film co-stars Glynn Turman, Chris Rick, Audra McDonald, Jeffrey Wright and CCH Pounder. Coleman Domingo is simply glorious in this film. He and the film are worthy of the all the awards it will most certainly garner.

Colman Domingo may actually be the first Black actor to get two Oscar nominations in one season. Not only does he headline as Bayard Rustin, he’s a likely Best Supporting Actor in “The Color Purple” as Mister.

I spoke to both star Colman Domingo and legendary director George C. Wolfe in Washington, DC.

What drew you to the role of Bayard Rusin? What made you want to play him?

CD-The first thing is the fact that he was hidden in the shadows of history. He made such a profound impact on history. He was one of the greatest organizers that ever walked this planet. He not only believed for not only civil rights and rights for LGBTQIA+, he dedicated his life to it, yet history had a way of pushing him aside because he was openly gay. That drew me in. The people who are marginalized in the world, who deserve their rightful place in history, who are complex and interesting and intelligent and warm and witty and have love. The more we tell these stories, the more understanding we have of who we are in the world.

How do you think he survived?

CD-I think I would like to say that he would say, that it came from the way he was raised, his grandmother, his Quaker upbringing. There are certain things that helped build him into the man that he was where he felt that he had a true sense of self. Because at his center he knew who he was. He knew he was smarter than anyone in the room. He knew he had love, joy, wit, charm along with his sexuality. He also knew that his homosexuality was something he should not be ashamed of. When he came out to his grandmother, she was fine. That’s what gave him his standing in the world. That’s how he could survive. I think that’s how any of us survive. How do you survive? That’s a great question. And that’s what is great about this film. You see someone is knocked down constantly, but they get back up. That’s the human spirit that’s actually at our best, that’s who we are.

Do you think he knew he was ahead of his time?

CD-He knew he had to be who he was, which was groundbreaking at that time. He knew he was a critical and a bigger thinker than a lot of people. He didn’t think in small ways. Think about putting together a march, a peaceful protest over 200 thousand people, it’s kind of insane, and to get it done in 7 weeks. But he believed in the impossible. He believed in what he could not see. I think there’s something about that is very spiritual. He believed he could create something out of nothing. He created himself out of nothing.

George C. Wolfe chimed in at this point. He has a stunning 19 Tony nominations, plus 5 wins.

GCW- This human being who changed history and who history forgot. He was passionate activist about all kinds of causes. It wasn’t exclusively black civil rights. He protested against the Japanese internment. He went to prison because he was a conscientious objector to WW2 and while he was in prison demanded prison reform. Because of the ferocity of this convictions, he didn’t have time to think of the future. He was so committed to the moment and the cause of the moment. He found himself responding to his sense of responsibility as a human and as an American to make this country better.

George, your background is in theater. How did that influence you?

GCW- These were incredibly smart and eloquent people, they used the language differently. It was important cultivate this sense that the language and that it be sophisticated, real, raw funny, incisive and intense all at the exact same time. That was important to me because it felt culturally true and correct. It’s also fun for the actors to play so they feel that sense of exhilaration in the dialogue. As a result, we will be caught up in that exhilaration.

What was the main thing you took away?

GCW-I continue to be in awe of the specificity of his organizational skill set. That kind of organizational brain I found dazzling.

“Saturday Night Live” is upping the ante for December.

They just announced two new shows for next month. Hosts will be Adam Driver and then “SNL” album Kate McKinnon (love this).

Musical guests are Olivia Rodrigo and then Billie Eilish (I assume with Finneas).

This Saturday brings Emma Stone and Noah Kahan.

What’s bringing in these people? Oscars, Grammys, awards attention!

You can’t beat these shows. They are designed to bring in ratings. Also, they should be incredibly entertaining.

Last two shows of 2023!!! pic.twitter.com/Dauy6EZQNW

— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) November 29, 2023

Fantasia Barrino. She won “American Idol” season 3. She was 19 years old, it was 2004, and she knew nothing about showbiz.

Tonight I saw her in the musical movie adaptation of “The Color Purple,” coming from Warner Bros. on Christmas Day. You may recall Jennifer Hudson, who finished in 7th place in Fantasia’s season, went on to win an Oscar.

Fantasia went on to a rocky recording career. Hers was not yet a success story. She told an ecstatic audience last night at the Robin Williams SAG Theater in Manhattan that by the time she took the role of Celie in 2007 as a replacement in the  original Broadway production of “The Color Purple,” her life was in “shambles.”

She also survived an overdose (after appearing on Broadway) and overcame a bad marriage and constant family strife.

How things have changed! Prodded by Broadway producer Scott Sanders, Fantasia agreed to play Celie again in this new movie version. When he first asked her, she said she responded with “no way.”

But then Scott and director Blitz Balawule explained that this version would show Celie’s journey via her imagination. “We weren’t able to do that on Broadway. That’s when I said Yes.”

The result is that Fantasia could very well be a nominee for Best Actress this year. Her formidable competition would include Emma Stone, Carey Mulligan, Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, and so on. But Fantasia, I feel, will surprise everyone. “The Color Purple” is joyous and moving, a satisfying emotional ride that departs from Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film in very positive ways.

“The Color Purple” could break the logjam in Oscar prognosticators’ calculations between “Oppenheimer” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” For one thing, it’s just two hours long. For another, it causes a lump in the throat for the final 15 minutes. Stranger things have happened!

Along with Fantasia and director Bazwule the whole main cast was in attendance last night including Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, and Corey Hawkins. You’ll be hearing from and about them a lot in the coming month. I haven’t seen a cast connect with an audience this way since “CODA.” And you know how that turned out.

PS And everyone sang Happy Birthday to Colman Domingo– twice (once the standard song, then the Stevie Wonder one). It’s Domingo’s year with the lead in “Rustin” and supporting here. Two Oscar noms? Indeed!

Biggest takeaway: Taraji sings! She’s amazing. Wait til you hear her. The movie is loaded with incredible voices.

So where was Martin Scorsese last night? I asked around.

One friend said, “Taking a nap, I hope!”

No kidding. Scorsese filled in for his striking actors doing all the promotional stuff for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” He did every appearance and interview. Scorsese is 81 but that didn’t stop him. He was unflagging.

Last weekend he was supposed to appear at the Marrakesh Film Festival. He cancelled at the last minute, which got tongues wagging.

Last night, he got out of the Gotham Awards even though there was a tribute to him and the film, His bff Robert De Niro and actress Lily Gladstone filled in for him.

So what’s up? It turns out Scorsese is “exhausted” because he’s been in Italy filming a scene for two for artist-director Julian Schnabel in his new film, “In the Hands of Dante.” The film stars Jason Momoa, Gerard Butler, Al Pacino, Oscar Isaac, and Gal Gadot among others. It’s based on a book by Nick Tosches.

Scorsese was already serving as Executive Producer for Schnabel, who’s made great films like “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “At Eternity’s Gate.” But the movie involves the mob underworld, and who better to play such a part for the famed artist than the man who made “Goodfellas” and “The Irishman”?

It’s a good time for Scorsese to take a break before the real Oscar campaigning begins. “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a masterpiece, and he should soon be reaping the rewards. And next year, we’ll get to see him on screen. (Although as you may know he makes a cameo in “Killers.”)