Billy Porter

Last updated

Billy Porter
Billy Porter Gershwin Prize 2024 (cropped).jpg
Porter in 2024
Born
William Ellis Porter II [1]

(1969-09-21) September 21, 1969 (age 55)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • writer
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Adam Smith
​
​
(m. 2017;sep. 2023)​

William Ellis Porter II (born September 21, 1969) is an American actor and singer. [2] [3] Porter gained notice performing on Broadway before starting a solo career as a singer and actor. [4] Porter won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as Lola in Kinky Boots . He credits the part for "cracking open" his feminine side to confront toxic masculinity. [5] For the role, Porter also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.

Contents

In 2014, Porter won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for Kinky Boots. Porter starred in all three seasons of the television series Pose , for which he was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and won the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. [6] In 2020, he was included on Time 's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. [7] In 2022, he won another Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop .

He made his directorial debut in 2022 with the romantic comedy film Anything's Possible . Porter received the Isabelle Stevenson Award at the 77th Tony Awards for his humanitarian work with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Entertainment Community Fund.

Early life and education

Porter was born on September 21, 1969 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to William Ellis Porter and Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter Ford. [1] [8] [9] His sister is Mary Martha E. Ford. [10] [11] [12] He grew up in a "very religious" Pentecostal family [13] and has described being sexually abused by his stepfather between the ages of 7 and 12. [13]

He attended Reizenstein Middle School, before graduating from Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School in 1987. [14] During the summers of 1985 through 1987, Porter was a member of entertainment groups "Spirit" and "Flash," which performed daily at Kennywood, a Pittsburgh-area amusement park.[18]

Although he was eager to move to New York City, one of Porter's high school teachers encouraged him to apply to Carnegie Mellon University. [15] He credits his teachers as "angels in his life" for guiding him towards educational opportunities that prepared him for his career. Porter once reflected upon this decision:

"It's about access. It's about opportunity. It's about knowledge. I lived a 12-minute drive from Carnegie Mellon University for my entire life and had no idea that it was one of the best drama schools in the world. How did I not know that? This is what we mean when we say it's not equal—it's not a level playing field. Had [my teacher] not said something, I would have moved to New York City unprepared and tanked. It was because of teachers, the angels in my life who saw me before I could even see myself, and said, 'You're going over here. Just listen.' And I knew enough to actually shut up and listen." [15]

He graduated from the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama in 1991 [16] and later earned a certification from the graduate-level Professional Program in Screenwriting at UCLA. [17]

Career

Porter appeared on American talent show Star Search in 1992 and won $100,000, appearing on the same show as other future stars, such as a young Britney Spears. [18]

Porter played Teen Angel in the 1994 Broadway revival of Grease . Other shows he has been in include Topdog/Underdog at City Theatre (2004), [19] Jesus Christ Superstar and Dreamgirls at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (2004), [20] and the song cycles Myths and Hymns and Songs for a New World (Off-Broadway, 1995). [21]

Porter wrote and performed in his one-person autobiographical show, Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am) at Joe's Pub in New York City in February and March 2005. [21] [22] [23] He was nominated for "Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off Broadway Award" at the 17th GLAAD Media Awards. [24]

In September 2010, Porter appeared as Belize in Signature Theatre Company's 20th Anniversary production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America . [21] [25]

Porter originated the role of "Lola" in Kinky Boots on Broadway in 2013, with songs by Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein and directed/choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. Porter won both the 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for this role. [26] [27]

Porter has also appeared in many films. He played a major role as Shiniqua, a drag queen who befriends Angel (David Norona) and Lee (Keivyn McNeill Graves) in Seth Michael Donsky's Twisted (1997), an adaptation of Oliver Twist . [28] He has also appeared on The RuPaul Show .

He has had a musical career with three solo albums released, Billy Porter on DV8/A&M Records in 1997, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul in 2005 on Sh-K-Boom Records and Billy's Back on Broadway (Concord Music Group) in 2014. He featured in a number of songs in the tribute album It's Only Life: The Songs of John Bucchino in 2006, released on PS Classics. [29] He sings on Adam Guettel's 1999 album Myths and Hymns studio cast album on Nonesuch Records. [30] He also covered "Only One Road" that was included on the Human Rights Campaign compilation album Love Rocks .

Porter wrote the play While I Yet Live, which premiered Off-Broadway at Primary Stages in September 2014 in previews, officially on October 12. In addition to Porter, the cast included Lillias White and S. Epatha Merkerson. [21] [31]

Porter released Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers in April 2017. [32] The album, which features new, soulful takes on classic Richard Rodgers songs, includes solos and duets from the following artists (in addition to Porter himself): Tony and Grammy Award winners Cynthia Erivo ( The Color Purple ), Renée Elise Goldsberry ( Hamilton ) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), Tony Award-winner Patina Miller ( Pippin ), Grammy Award winners Pentatonix, India Arie and Ledisi, Tony Award nominees Brandon Victor Dixon ( Shuffle Along ), Joshua Henry ( Violet ), and Christopher Jackson (Hamilton), alongside YouTube and Kinky Boots star Todrick Hall and multiple Grammy Award nominee Deborah Cox. [33]

Porter reprised the role of Lola in Kinky Boots in September 2017 on Broadway, where he did a 15-week run. [34]

Porter performs during the National Christmas Tree Lighting on December 2, 2021, in Washington, D.C. F20211202ES-0223 (51897976011).jpg
Porter performs during the National Christmas Tree Lighting on December 2, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

In 2018, Porter starred in the FX show Pose in the role of Pray Tell. In 2019, Pose earned its renewal for a third season after airing just one episode from the second season. In August 2018, Porter confirmed via Instagram that he was joining the cast of American Horror Story for its eighth season, subtitled Apocalypse . [35] [36] Porter duetted with Pose co-star Dyllón Burnside and sang from his album in a benefit concert emceed by Burnside on July 23, 2018, to celebrate the season 1 finale and to raise money for GLSEN. [37] [38] [39] In June 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, sparking the start of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, Queerty named him one of the Pride50 "trailblazing individuals who actively ensure society remains moving towards equality, acceptance, and dignity for all queer people". [40] Also in June 2019, he presented the Excellence in Theatre Education Award at the 73rd Tonys at Radio City Music Hall. However, he earned media coverage for his haute couture red and pink gown, upcycled from Kinky Boots' stage curtains, in a uterine shape, [41] and his impromptu performance of "Everything's Coming up Roses" from Gypsy , for host James Corden's "Broadway karaoke". [42] In September 2019, Porter was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Pose, becoming the first openly gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. [43]

Also, in 2019, Porter had a cameo appearance in Taylor Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" music video that featured twenty LGBTQ icons. [44]

Porter performed "For What It's Worth" with Stephen Stills during the 2020 Democratic National Convention. [45]

His memoir, Unprotected, was released in 2021. [46] In 2022, Porter was included in the book 50 Key Figures in Queer US Theatre, with a chapter written by theatre scholar Eric M. Glover. [47]

In April 2023, he was set to play James Baldwin in an upcoming biopic. [48]

Fashion

Porter at New York Pride 2019 New York Pride 50 - 2019-1171 (48166781336).jpg
Porter at New York Pride 2019

Porter attributes his love of fashion from an early age to growing up in the black church which he describes as "a fashion show". [49] His style has gone through many phases over the years, including vintage, Abercrombie and Fitch and geek chic. [50] He has said that he intentionally set out to use fashion in a political way, to be a "walking piece of political art". [51] Porter's stylist Sam Ratelle estimated that as of January 2020 they had worked on 150 red carpet looks together [52] many designed by Porter himself. [53] As of 2021, Porter's stylist is Ty Hunter, who has previously worked with Beyoncé. [50]

He later became known for wearing a Gucci outfit to the Met Gala.

At the 2019 Golden Globes, Porter gained attention for wearing an embroidered suit and pink cape designed by Randi Rahm. [54] He said the fact that people were surprised that he wore a cape inspired him to ask Christian Siriano if he could create him a ball gown because it was something he had always wanted to wear. He felt it seemed like a way to challenge people's ideas of masculinity. [55] He continued to make fashion waves that year when he wore a fitted tuxedo jacket and a velvet gown by Christian Siriano with 6" Rick Owens boots to the 91st Academy Awards. [56]

In February 2019, Porter was an Official Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Ambassador for New York Fashion Week: Mens. [57] Porter attended the 2019 Met Gala and embraced the Camp: Notes on Fashion theme by being carried on a litter by six shirtless men while sporting a "Sun God" ensemble. The Blonds designed Porter's outfit, and it included a bejeweled catsuit outfitted with 10 ft (3.0 m) wings, a 24-karat gold headpiece, as well as custom gold-leaf Giuseppe Zanotti shoes and fine jewels by Andreoli, John Hardy, and Oscar Heyman. [58]

In 2020, Porter wore a floor-length pink poncho style gown with a wide-brimmed black hat, a look he characterized as " Handmaid's Tale realness", to the AFI Awards and to the Golden Globes he wore an all-white ensemble that included a tuxedo jacket with a feathered train. [59] He wore a sparkling turquoise bodysuit with matching bolero [59] and a motorised hat to the Grammy awards. [60]

Concerts

Porter has performed at various venues in New York City, including Lincoln Center, which was broadcast on PBS in 2015 [61] and Joe's Pub in New York City. [62] In 2019 Porter headlined at London Pride. [51]

Porter performed "For What It's Worth" with Stephen Stills at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Personal life

Porter is gay, having come out at the age of 16 "in the middle of the AIDS crisis". [13] He married Adam Smith on January 14, 2017, after meeting him in 2009. [63] He was very keen to get married "while Obama was still president and before January 20th, 2017", so the two got engaged on December 29, 2016, and married two weeks later. [63] In July 2023, it was announced that Porter and Smith had separated. [64]

Porter shared his views on race in the US in a 2020 interview with Vanity Fair , saying: "The reason why our country is in the mess we're in is simply because of whiteness. White supremacy. White people choke-holding power and sucking the life out of humanity." [65]

Porter opposed the cultural boycott of Israel. [66] In October 2023, he signed an open letter supporting Israel during the Israel–Hamas war. [67]

In May 2021, Porter told The Hollywood Reporter that he had been diagnosed with HIV in June 2007; [13] he was also diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in February 2007 and filed for bankruptcy in March 2007. [13] In the same interview, he talked about renting a house on Long Island during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a pre-existing health condition [13] and about having intermittently attended psychotherapy since the age of 25. [13]

Discography

Albums

Singles

Other songs

Appears in

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996 Twisted Siniqua [73]
1996 The First Wives Club Singer
1997 Anastasia Ensemble and character voices
2000 The Intern Sebastian Niederfarb [74]
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy Taylor [75]
2004 Noel Randy [76]
2014 The Humbling Prince [77]
2020 Like a Boss Barrett
2021 Cinderella Fabulous Godmother [78]
2022 Anything's Possible —Directorial debut [79]
2023 80 for Brady Gugu [80]
Our Son Gabriel

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 Another World Billy RushUnknown episodes
1999 Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story Little Richard Television movie
2004 Law & Order Greg EllisonEpisode: "Cry Wolf"
2007–12 So You Think You Can Dance Performer4 episodes
2012 The Big C EricEpisode: "Thin Ice"
2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jackie WalkerEpisode: "Dissonant Voices"
Land of Lola: Backstage at Kinky BootsHost8 episodes
2014Christmas at Rockefeller PlazaPerformerTelevision special
2015Billy Porter: Broad & Soul
2016 The Get Down DJ MalibuEpisode: "Where There Is Ruin, There Is Hope for a Treasure"
2018–21 Pose Pray Tell24 episodes
Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actor, Drama Series (2019)
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2019)
Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (2019–2020)
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (2019–2020)
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2020)
Nominated—Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2021)
2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse Behold Chablis5 episodes
2019 Saturday Night Live HimselfEpisode: "David Harbour/Camila Cabello"
2019–2023 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve Himself New Orleans correspondent (2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23), Times Square correspondent (2020–21)
2020 The Simpsons DesmondVoice, episode: "Highway to Well"
The Twilight Zone KeithEpisode: "The Who of You"
Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television
Saturday Night Seder HimselfTelevision special
2021 That Damn Michael Che Atomic Twan / Security Guard2 episodes
Middlemost Post Recycle KingVoice, episode: "BURT! The Musical" [81]
Gossip Girl HimselfEpisode: "Hope Sinks"
2021–22 Fairfax Hiroki HassanVoice, 6 episodes
2022–23 The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Randall Leibowitz-JenkinsVoice, 5 episodes
2023 Black + Iconic HostEpisode: "Style Gods"
Dancing with the Stars Guest JudgeSeason 32

Theater

Sources: Playbill Vault ; [82] Off-Broadway Database [83]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2013Broadway.com Audience Choice AwardsFavorite Leading Actor in a Broadway Musical Kinky Boots Won [88]
Favorite Funny PerformanceNominated [89]
Best Onstage Pair with Stark Sands Nominated
Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Award Nominated [90]
Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical Won [91]
Fred and Adele Astaire Awards Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Musical Show Nominated [90]
Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical Won [91]
Tony Awards Best Leading Actor in a Musical Won [92]
2014 Grammy Awards Best Musical Theater Album Won [91]
2017 GLAAD Media Awards Vito Russo Award Won [93]
2019 Critics' Choice Awards Best Television Drama Series Actor Pose Nominated [94]
Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – Actor Won [95]
TV Musical Performance of the Year "Home" (with Mj Rodriguez and Our Lady J)Won
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series PoseWon [96]
Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama PoseNominated [97]
Television Critics Association Individual Achievement in Drama Nominated [98]
2020 Critics' Choice Awards Best Television Drama Series Actor Nominated [99]
Dorian Awards TV Performance of the Year – Actor Won [100]
Wilde Wit of the YearNominated
Wilde Artist of the DecadeNominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama PoseNominated [97]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesNominated [101]
Queerties Badass of the YearWon [102]
Black Reel Television Awards Outstanding Actor, Drama Series PoseNominated [103]
2021 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS award (with Anthony Fauci, Sandra Thurman and amFAR)Won [104] [105]
2022 Golden Globe Awards Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama PoseNominated
Tony Award Best Musical A Strange Loop (producer)Won [106]
2023 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television) The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Nominated [107]
2024 Tony Awards Isabelle Stevenson Award Recognition of his work with Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Entertainment Community Fund.Honored [108]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Stated on Who Do You Think You Are? , July 10, 2022
  2. ↑ "Billy Porter". IMDb. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Billy Porter". Flair Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Family Celebrates Billy Porter's Tony Award Win". Pittsburgh CBS Local. June 10, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Like A Boss star Billy Porter on the influence of strong women in his life". Good Morning America . January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Billy Porter makes peace with himself: 'I set myself free, honey. No more secrets'". NPR.org. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Billy Porter: The 100 Most Influential People of 2020". Time. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Billy Porter". Ubuntu Biography Project. September 21, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Tony Awards Acceptance Speeches From Billy Porter, Patina Miller, Cyndi Lauper, Andrea Martin, Judith Light and More". Playbill . May 23, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Celebrating Billy Porter". New Pittsburgh Courier . October 24, 2013. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  11. ↑ Petrarca, Emilia (May 1, 2019). "The Realness of Billy Porter". The Cut. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Pose Star Billy Porter Reveals Past Sexual Abuse in Searing Op-Ed". Out . October 31, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rose, Lacey (May 19, 2021). "Billy Porter Breaks a 14-Year Silence: "This Is What HIV-Positive Looks Like Now"". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Billy Porter's one-man show traces his life, onstage and off". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review . April 10, 2005. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  15. 1 2 Culwell-Block, Logan (July 22, 2020). "'Teachers Saved My Life': Billy Porter on the Intersection of Arts Education and Black Lives Matter". Playbill.
  16. ↑ "Billy Porter's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  17. ↑ "UCLA Professional Programs". University of California, Los Angeles. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Watch 'Pose' star Billy Porter win $100k on 'Star Search' and leave host Ed McMahon hanging". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  19. ↑ Rawson, Christopher (March 5, 2004). "Rooting for the Underdog: Homewood native Billy Porter finds his focus in a career with many facets". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  20. ↑ Jones, Kenneth (August 4, 2004). "Norm Lewis and Billy Porter Woo Dreamgirls, Including Frenchie Davis, in Pittsburgh Aug. 10–22". Playbill .
  21. 1 2 3 4 Billy Porter at the Internet Off-Broadway Database . Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  22. ↑ Sandman, Jenny (March 15, 2005). "Review. Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am)". curtainup.com.
  23. ↑ Murray, Matthew (March 6, 2005). "Off-Broadway Review. Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am)". talkinbroadway.com.
  24. ↑ Gans, Andrew (January 24, 2006). "GLAAD Media Awards Nominees Include I Am My Own Wife, Color Purple and Ghetto Superstar". Playbill .
  25. ↑ "Announcing the Cast of Angels in America". Signature Theatre Company. June 22, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  26. ↑ Purcell, Carey (June 10, 2013). "Kinky Boots, Vanya and Sonia, Pippin and Virginia Woolf? Are Big Winners at 67th Annual Tony Awards". Playbill .
  27. ↑ Hetrick, Adam; Gans, Andrew (May 20, 2013). "Billy Porter, Andrea Martin, Pippin, Matilda, Vanya and Sonia Win Drama Desk Awards". Playbill .
  28. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (December 12, 1997). "A Twisted Tale of Souls Rising Above Corruption". Los Angeles Times .
  29. 1 2 Jones, Kenneth (January 19, 2006). "John Bucchino's Revue It's Only Life Will Be Preserved on CD". Playbill .
  30. ↑ "Myths and Hymns Studio Cast". CastAlbums.org. Retrieved August 7, 2015.
  31. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (September 24, 2014). "Billy Porter's While I Yet Live, with Lillias White and S. Epatha Merkerson, Premieres Off-Broadway". Playbill .
  32. ↑ Quinn, Dave (April 13, 2017). "Billy Porter and Pentatonix's 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning'". People. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  33. 1 2 "Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Everybody Say Yeah! Original Kinky Boots Stars Billy Porter & Stark Sands Will Return to Hit Musical". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
  35. ↑ King, Eric (August 2, 2018). "Tony Winner Billy Porter Will Appear in Season Eight of American Horror Story". Broadway.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  36. ↑ Shoemaker, Allison (August 3, 2018). "Pose's Billy Porter joins the cast of American Horror Story: Apocalypse". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  37. ↑ Feldman, Adam (July 17, 2018). "Dyllón Burnside: Up Close and Personal". Time Out New York . Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  38. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (July 14, 2018). "FX's Pose Stars, Dyllón Burnside, Mj Rodriguez, and Ryan Jamaal Swain, Will Perform NYC Concert". Playbill . Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  39. ↑ "To Be Real: The Cast Of Pose Gives Back — Already! — At NYC GLSEN Benefit". Boy Culture. July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  40. ↑ Galassi, Josh (May 23, 2019). "Red Carpet and 'Pose' star Billy Porter is telling the queer stories we've been waiting for". queerty.com. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  41. ↑ "Billy Porter Wore a Uterus Motif to the Tonys to Make a Statement". Time. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  42. ↑ "Billy Porter Took the Tonys Stage During a Commercial Break and Sang Gypsy". Vulture. June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
  43. ↑ Leaver, Joel (January 12, 2022). "Billy Porter recalls feeling a lack of 'joy' whilst having a career high". Daily Mirror . Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  44. ↑ Rhodes, Malcolm (June 17, 2019). "Taylor Swift's new Pride music video is jam-packed with over 20 cameos from LGBTQ icons". queerty.com. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  45. ↑ "Democrats Announce Highlights from Opening Night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention: Uniting America". 2020 Democratic National Convention. August 17, 2020. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Billy Porter makes peace with himself: 'I set myself free, honey. No more secrets'". NPR.org. October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  47. ↑ Glover, Eric M. (2022). "Billy Porter". In Noriega and Schildcrout (ed.). 50 Key Figures in Queer US Theatre. Routledge. pp. 197–200. ISBN   978-1032067964.
  48. ↑ Horton, Adrian (April 12, 2023). "Billy Porter to play James Baldwin in new biopic". The Guardian.
  49. ↑ Benjamin, Jessica (February 2, 2021). "Billy Porter on London Pride and being a fashion icon". Evening Standard.
  50. 1 2 "Billy Porter Is Finally Free". InStyle. March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  51. 1 2 "London Pride 2019: Billy Porter on being a 'piece of political art'". BBC News. July 6, 2019. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  52. ↑ Bryant, Kenzie (January 26, 2020). "Grammys 2020 Red Carpet: How Billy Porter's Motorized Hat Came to Be". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  53. ↑ Burgum, Becky (September 21, 2020). "Billy Porter's Most Memorable Outfits - From Met Gala To Oscars". ELLE. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  54. ↑ Gonzales, Erica (January 7, 2019). "Billy Porter's Golden Globes Look Just Changed My Life". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  55. ↑ Allaire, Christian (February 24, 2019). "Billy Porter on Why He Wore a Gown, Not a Tuxedo, to the Oscars". Vogue. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  56. ↑ "Why Billy Porter Wore a Gown to the 2019 Oscars". Time. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  57. ↑ "CFDA". cfda.com. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  58. ↑ "Billy Porter Just Made the Most Fabulous Entrance in Met Gala History". Vogue. May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  59. 1 2 "Billy Porter's best fashion moments from 2020: 'New Year's Rockin' Eve,' the Oscars, Grammys and more". ABC7 Los Angeles. December 29, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  60. ↑ Samaha, Barry (August 26, 2020). "Billy Porter Fashion". Harper's Bazaar . Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  61. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Live From Lincoln Center's 40th anniversary season on PBS will continue April 3 with a concert from Tony winner Billy Porter" Playbill, April 2, 2015
  62. ↑ "Billy Porter Returns to Joe's Pub December 7 and 8" broadwayworld.com, November 12, 2008
  63. 1 2 Fierberg, Ruthie (January 17, 2017). "Billy Porter is a Married Man!". Playbill . Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  64. ↑ Jordan, Julie; VanHoose, Benjamin (July 6, 2023). "Billy Porter and Husband Adam Smith Break Up After 6 Years of Marriage". People . Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  65. ↑ Hennemuth, Britt (August 2020). "Billy Porter - Actor". Vanity Fair .
  66. ↑ "Over 200 celebrities sign letter denouncing cultural boycott of Israel". The Times of Israel. October 27, 2021.
  67. ↑ "Ziggy Marley signs letter supporting Israel; also posts 'free Gaza from Hamas'". The Jamaica Gleaner. October 23, 2023.
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  70. ↑ "Finally Ready by The Shapeshifters feat. Billy Porter". June 26, 2020 – via glitterboxibiza.com.
  71. ↑ Suskin, Steven (March 21, 1999). "On The Record: 'Little Me', 'Charlie Brown', and especially Adam Guettel". Playbill.
  72. ↑ "David Raleigh THE FRIENDS PROJECT – "That's What Friends Are For" Official Video (HD)". November 11, 2010. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2013– via YouTube.
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  75. ↑ The Broken Hearts Club AllMovie. Retrieved August 7, 2015
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  77. ↑ "The Humbling". Rotten Tomatoes. January 23, 2015. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  78. ↑ Acevedo, Nicole (April 10, 2019). "Camila Cabello will bring 'Cinderella' to life in Sony's new film". NBC News. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  79. ↑ Malkin, Marc (June 1, 2022). "First Look: Billy Porter Makes Directorial Debut With Trans Coming-of-Age Dramedy 'Anything's Possible' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  80. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (June 23, 2022). "Billy Porter, Guy Fieri Join Tom Brady Comedy 80 for Brady (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  81. ↑ Dar, Taimur (July 13, 2021). "Billy Porter to guest star in Nickelodeon's MIDDLEMOST POST cartoon". The Beat. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  82. ↑ "Billy Porter". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 12, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
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  84. ↑ Klein, Alvin. "Theater. 'Jesus Christ Superstar' In Revisionist Staging" The New York Times, December 20, 1998
  85. ↑ Lefkowitz, David. "Dreamy Night for Dreamgirls' Actors' Fund Benefit, Which Reaps $1.1 Million" Playbill, September 28, 2001
  86. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "Pittsburgh 'Topdog' Has Ray Anthony Thomas and Native Son Billy Porter, March 4 – April 4" Playbill, February 23, 2004
  87. ↑ "Billy Porter, Justin Bartha and Stana Katic Set for September at WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT" Broadway World, August 9, 2016
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  89. ↑ "Vote Now! Kinky Boots and Matilda Top the 2013 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Nominations". Broadway.com. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
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  94. ↑ "Critics' Choice Awards 2019: The Complete List of Nominations". E!. December 10, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  95. ↑ "Dorian Awards: 'The Favourite' Named Film of the Year". The Hollywood Reporter. January 8, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
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  97. 1 2 "Golden Globes rewards war drama, Tarantino; Billy Porter settles for red-carpet win". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
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  103. ↑ "Watchmen & Insecure Pace the Black Reel Awards for TV Nominations". Black Reel Awards. June 18, 2020. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  104. ↑ Yuma, Jennifer (August 31, 2021). "Billy Porter to Be Honored at Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS Gala". Variety . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  105. ↑ Huver, Scott; Abigail Adams (September 18, 2021). "Billy Porter Says Life Has Been 'Freeing' Since Sharing His HIV Diagnosis: 'I Am No More Silenced'". People . Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  106. ↑ Jacobs, Julia (June 12, 2022). "Tony Awards 2022 Live Updates: 'A Strange Loop' Wins Best Musical". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  107. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (January 12, 2023). "NAACP Image Awards 2023: 'Wakanda Forever,' 'The Woman King' Among Top Film Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 22, 2023.
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