I received no fewer than three inclement-weather warnings on my phone when I spoke to Colman Domingo earlier this week: Severe winds, flash floods, heavy thunderstorms—all supposedly headed toward New York City, and when the Oscar nominee hopped on our video call from Beacon, New York, the view from his window upstate looked just as gray and gloomy as mine did in the city. A heavy contrast to Domingo’s own disposition, which is nothing less than bright and sunny.

“I feel like a lot of times, I get caught up in very prestige dramas or series,” Domingo said during our call. “Most people who know me know that I’m very playful, and that I’m always willing to reinvent and try something different.”

Domingo is, in fact, shooting a prestige dramedy as we speak. He’s upstate for season two of Netflix’s The Four Seasons; he’ll be directing the first episode and starring in the rest. Next month, he’ll be making press rounds for The Running Man alongside Glen Powell, and, later, shooting a variety of other films on his roster, including an upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, two other directorial features that take place in 1957, and a heavily shrouded Steven Spielberg project.

And that’s after he’s already spent the year shooting season three of Euphoria, co-hosting the Met Gala, and getting in drag for a Sabrina Carpenter music video, plus Paris Fashion Week and a new tenure as Valentino Beauty’s first ever global fragrance ambassador in between. Suffice to say: Colman Domingo is a busy man.

Even still, Domingo declined an incoming call from his agent during our chat to focus on our conversation during which we discussed, among other things, the Maya Angelou quote that serves as the ethos to Domingo’s style, the final season of Euphoria, and the 200 fragrances (!) in his collection.

GQ: Tell me a little bit about this ambassadorship with Valentino Beauty for its fragrances.

Colman Domingo: Oh, I think it’s pretty fantastic. I am very happy that first my relationship with Valentino was already as a brand ambassador for their menswear, which has been a really beautiful and fruitful partnership. I feel like if there’s a brand that I really believe in, it’s Valentino.

When it comes to their scents, being the first global brand ambassador for fragrances is pretty awesome. I feel really proud of it because I know that people are looking to me, whether it’s for style, whether it’s to what makes them feel good. And for me, [my scent collection is] pretty extensive. I think I own about 200.

Oh, my gosh.

Yeah. I have a really good nose, I think. When you walk into a room, you attack people’s senses, and you want to make them feel a certain way. And I’m very conscious of that, from the way I dress, what I say, and then the sensory space. It’s the slightest thing, when you reach in to hug someone—because I’m a hugger—people will remember your scent. I love, especially, one in particular that smells like marshmallow. I think it’s [Valentino’s] Born in Roma. And really, who knew the scent of marshmallow was good? It makes you feel home, in some way.

There are. I realize that it changes here and there, but I really love ouds and things that are a bit grassy, things that sometimes are a little woodsy as well. I usually buy a scent for a role, as part of my character. And I think: What does a character want to leave behind in a room, his essence in some way, shape, or form? I’m very conscious of that. That’s why I have all these different scents.

[Laughing] You know what? Okay, I keep hearing that. And it’s funny because I never think of myself as that.

Really?

No, I think of myself as just trying to tell a story in the way I feeI. I think it’s all wrapped up in one thing. I think it’s not just the style, it’s about how I feel, and I think that’s what people are seeing. I feel good in these spaces, and I’m okay with claiming my space. And I think that you sort of have to—what did Maya Angelou say? She said, “Your crown is already prepared and ready for you. All you have to do is put it on.” I put mine on a while ago, so I think I’m walking with my crown on.