William Ellis Porter II (born September 21, 1969) is an American actor, singer, writer and director. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, and he achieved fame performing on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

before starting a solo career as a singer and actor. Porter won the 2013

Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical is awarded to the actor who was voted as the best actor in a musical play, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did n ...

for his role as Lola in '' Kinky Boots''. He credits the part for "cracking open" his feminine side to confront

toxic masculinity Toxic masculinity is a set of certain male behaviors associated with harm to society and men themselves. Traditional stereotypes of men as socially dominant, along with related traits such as misogyny and homophobia, can be considered "toxic" d ...

. For the role, Porter also won the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, wi ...

and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. In 2014 Porter won the

Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award is generally given to the album producer, principal vocalist(s), and the composer and lyricist if they have written a new score which comprises 51% or more play ...

for ''Kinky Boots''. Porter starred in all three seasons of the television series ''

Pose Human positions refer to the different physical configurations that the human body can take. There are several synonyms that refer to human positioning, often used interchangeably, but having specific nuances of meaning. *''Position'' is a gen ...

'', for which he was nominated for three

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

s and won the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the

first First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. In 2020, he was included on ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

''s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2022, he won another Tony Award, for Best Musical as a producer for the musical ''

A Strange Loop ''A Strange Loop'' is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson, and winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. First produced off-Broadway in 2019, then staged in Washington, D.C. in 2021, ''A Strange Loop'' premiered on Bro ...

''. He made his directorial debut in 2022 with the romantic comedy film ''Anything's Possible''.

Early life

Porter was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, Pennsylvania, to William Ellis Porter and Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter Ford. His sister is Mary Martha E. Ford. He grew up in a "very religious"

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

family and has described being

sexually abused Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...

by his stepfather between the ages of 7 and 12. He attended Reizenstein Middle School and

Allderdice High School Taylor Allderdice High School is a public high school in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It opened in 1927 and is part of the Pittsburgh Public Schools district. It was named for industrialist and Squir ...

, before graduating from the

Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts 6–12 (CAPA) is a magnet school located in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. CAPA is one of four 6th to 12th grade schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. It was formed from a me ...

in 1987. He graduated from the

College of Fine Arts The School of Fine Arts or College of Fine Arts is the official name or part of the name of several schools of fine arts, often as an academic part of a larger university. These include: The Americas North America *Alabama School of Fin ...

at Carnegie Mellon University with a

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

in Drama and earned a certification from the graduate-level Professional Program in Screenwriting at

UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

. During the summers of 1985 through 1987, Porter was a member of entertainment groups "Spirit" and "Flash," which performed daily at

Kennywood Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, just southeast of Pittsburgh. The park opened on May 30, 1899, as a trolley park attraction at the end of the Mellon family's Monongahela Street Railway. It was purchased in 1 ...

, a Pittsburgh-area amusement park.

Career

Porter appeared on American

Talent Show A talent show is an event in which participants perform the arts of singing, dancing, lip-syncing, acting, martial arts, playing an instrument, poetry, comedy or other activities to showcase skills. Many talent shows are performances rather ...

Star Search ''Star Search'' was an American television show that was produced by T.P.E./ Rysher Entertainment from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Al Masini. A relaunch was produced by 2929 Productions from 2003 to 2004. On both versio ...

'' in 1992 and won $100,000. He appeared on the same show as other future stars, such as a young

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

. Porter played Teen Angel in the 1994 Broadway revival of '' Grease''. Other shows he has been in include ''

Topdog/Underdog ''Topdog/Underdog'' is a play by American playwright Suzan-Lori Parks which premiered in 2001 off-Broadway in New York City. The next year it opened on Broadway, at the Ambassador Theatre, where it played for several months. In 2002, Parks rece ...

'' at City Theatre (2004), ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' and ''

Dreamgirls ''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others,G ...

'' at

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Pittsburgh CLO) is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Despite its name, the organization presents musical theatre classics rather t ...

(2004), and the song cycles ''

Myths and Hymns ''Myths and Hymns'' (originally known as ''Saturn Returns'') is a song cycle by composer Adam Guettel, based on Greek myth and lyrics found in an antique hymnal. ''Myths and Hymns'' was first performed Off-Broadway, under the title ''Saturn Retu ...

'' and ''

Songs for a New World ''Songs for a New World'' is a work of musical theatre Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger ...

'' (Off-Broadway, 1995).. Retrieved August 7, 2015. Porter wrote and performed in his one-person autobiographical show, ''Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am)'' at

Joe's Pub Joe's Pub, one of the six performance spaces within The Public Theater, is a music venue and restaurant that hosts live performances across genres and arts, ranging from cabaret to modern dance to world music. It is located at 425 Lafayette St ...

in New York City in February and March 2005. He was nominated for "Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off Broadway Award" at the 17th GLAAD Media Awards. In September 2010, Porter appeared as Belize in

Signature Theatre Company Signature Theatre Company is an American theatre based in Manhattan, New York. It was founded in 1991 by James Houghton and is now led by Artistic Director Paige Evans. Signature is known for their season-long focus on one artist's work. It has be ...

's 20th Anniversary production of

Tony Kushner Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Lauded for his work on stage he's most known for his seminal work ''Angels in America'' which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award. At the turn ...

's ''

Angels in America ''Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes'' is a two-part play by American playwright Tony Kushner. The work won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Play, and the Drama Desk Award f ...

''. Porter originated the role of "Lola" in '' Kinky Boots'' on Broadway in 2013, with songs by

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

, book by

Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'' and '' Hairspray'' and movie roles in '' Mrs. Doubtfire'', ''Independence Day'', an ...

and directed/choreographed by

Jerry Mitchell Jerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer. Early life and education Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. Although he did not ...

. Porter won both the 2013

and

for this role. Porter has also appeared in many films. He played a major role as Shiniqua, a

drag queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...

who befriends Angel (

David Norona David Noroña, usually simplified as David Norona, (born December 14, 1972) is a Cuban American actor and director who has appeared in films including ''Though None Go with Me'', TV series including ''The Mentalist'' and '' Jack Ryan'', and various ...

) and Lee (Keivyn McNeill Graves) in

Seth Michael Donsky Seth Michael Donsky is an American filmmaker, producer/screenwriter and former journalist. Biography As of 2023 Mr. Donsky's feature screenplay ''Stardusk'', about the life of transgender Andy Warhol Superstar Candy Darling is in pre-productio ...

's '' Twisted'' (1997), an adaptation of '' Oliver Twist''. He has also appeared on ''

The RuPaul Show ''The RuPaul Show'' is an American talk/variety show that premiered on VH1 in 1996. Hosted by the drag performer RuPaul, the show had many famous musical guests and was notable as being one of the first national television programs in the United ...

''. He has had a musical career with three solo albums released, ''Billy Porter'' on DV8/

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

in 1997, ''At the Corner of Broadway + Soul'' in 2005 on

Sh-K-Boom Records Sh-K-Boom Records is an independent record label and producer of recorded and live entertainment, which was founded in 2000 by Kurt Deutsch with the mission of bridging the gap between pop music and theater. In 2004 Sh-K-Boom created their secon ...

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. He sings on Adam Guettel's 1999 album ''Myths and Hymns'' studio cast album on Nonesuch Records. He also covered " Only One Road" that was included on the

Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...

compilation album ''

Love Rocks {{Album ratings , rev1 = Allmusic , rev1Score = {{Rating, 2.5, 5 class=album, id=r728150, pure_url=yes 2005 ''Love Rocks'' is a two-disc compilation album released February 8, 2005, by the Human Rights Campaign in collaboration with Ce ...

''. Porter wrote the play ''While I Yet Live'', which premiered Off-Broadway at

Primary Stages Primary Stages was founded in 1984 by Casey Childs as an Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater company. In 2004, Primary Stages moved from its 99-seat home of 17 years at 354 West 45th Street to the 199-seat theater at 59E59 Theaters. In 2014, the ...

in September 2014 in previews, officially on October 12. In addition to Porter, the cast included

Lillias White Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway musical ''Romance in Hard Times''. In ...

and

S. Epatha Merkerson Sharon Epatha Merkerson (born November 28, 1952) is a film, stage, and television actor. Known by her stage name S. Epatha Merkerson, she has received numerous high-profile accolades for her work, including an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, ...

. Porter released ''Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers'' in April 2017. 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 Cynthia Erivo (; born 8 January 1987) is an English actress, singer, and songwriter. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Grammy Award and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Awa ...

(''

The Color Purple ''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker which won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.

''),

Renée Elise Goldsberry Renée Elise Goldsberry (born January 2, 1971) is an American actress and singer known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical ''Hamilton'', for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musica ...

(''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

'') and

Leslie Odom Jr. Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor and singer. He made his acting debut on Broadway in 1998 and first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical ''Hamilton'', which earned him a Tony Award f ...

(''Hamilton''), Tony Award-winner

Patina Miller Patina Renea Miller is an American actress and singer. Miller's breakout role was as originating the role of disco diva wannabe Deloris Van Cartier in the 2009 West End and 2011 Broadway productions of '' Sister Act'' for which she earned a Laur ...

(''

Pippin Pippin or Pepin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Pippin (comics), ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986 * Pippin (musical), ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life ...

''), Grammy Award winners Pentatonix,

India Arie India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...

and

Ledisi Ledisi Anibade Young (; born March 28, 1972), better known simply as Ledisi, is an American R&B and jazz recording artist, songwriter, music producer, author and actress. Her name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. Ledisi AllMus ...

, Tony Award nominees

Brandon Victor Dixon Brandon Victor Dixon (born September 23, 1981) is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical ''The Color Purple'' and Eub ...

(''

Shuffle Along ''Shuffle Along'' is a musical composed by Eubie Blake, with lyrics by Noble Sissle, and a book written by the comedy duo Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles. One of the most notable all-Black hit Broadway shows, it was a landmark in African-Americ ...

''),

Joshua Henry Joshua Anthony Charlton Henry (born September 2, 1984) is a Canadian-American actor and singer of stage and screen. He is best known for portraying Haywood Patterson in Kander and Ebb's 2010 musical '' The Scottsboro Boys'', for which he rec ...

(''

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...

''), and Christopher Jackson (''Hamilton''), alongside YouTube and '' Kinky Boots'' star

Todrick Hall Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition ''American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a huge following on YouTu ...

and multiple Grammy Award nominee

Deborah Cox Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before ...

. Porter reprised the role of Lola in ''Kinky Boots'' in September 2017 on Broadway, where he did a 15-week run. F20211202ES-0223 (51897976011)

In 2018, Porter starred in the FX show ''

'' 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 Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

that he was joining the cast of ''

American Horror Story ''American Horror Story'' is an American anthology horror television series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk for the cable network FX. The first installment in the '' American Story'' media franchise, each season is conceived as a ...

'' for its eighth season, subtitled '' Apocalypse''. Porter duetted with ''Pose'' co-star

Dyllón Burnside Dyllón Burnside is an American actor and singer. He is known for his role as Ricky Evangelista, a dancer, in the FX television series '' Pose''. Career Burnside got his first start at age 12 when he performed as the lead singer of hip-hop ...

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 GLSEN (pronounced ''glisten''; formerly the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is an American education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expres ...

. In June 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, sparking the start of the modern

LGBTQ rights movement Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movements are social movements that advocate for LGBT people in society. Some focus on equal rights, such as the ongoing movement for same-sex marriage, while others focus on liberation, as in the ...

Queerty ''Queerty'' is an online magazine and newspaper covering gay-oriented lifestyle and news, founded in 2005 by David Hauslaib. As of June 2015, the site had more than five million monthly unique visitors. History ''Queerty'' was founded by David ...

named him one of the Pride50 "trailblazing individuals who actively ensure society remains moving towards

equality Equality may refer to: Society * Political equality, in which all members of a society are of equal standing ** Consociationalism, in which an ethnically, religiously, or linguistically divided state functions by cooperation of each group's elit ...

, acceptance, and dignity for all

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

people". Also in June 2019 he presented the Excellence in Theatre Education Award at the 73rd Tonys at

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Nicknamed "The Showplac ...

. However, he earned media coverage for his haute couture red and pink gown,

upcycle Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value ...

d from ''Kinky Boots''' stage curtains, in a

uterine The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic and fetal development of one or more embryos until birth. The ...

shape, and his impromptu performance of "

Everything's Coming up Roses "Everything's Coming Up Roses" is a song with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, written initially for the 1959 Broadway musical '' Gypsy.'' Introduced in the show's inaugural production by Ethel Merman, "Everything's Coming Up R ...

" from ''

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

,'' for host James Corden's "Broadway karaoke". In September 2019, he was nominated for a

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. Also, in 2019, Porter had a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

's "

You Need to Calm Down "You Need to Calm Down" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released on June 14, 2019, as the second single from her seventh studio album, ''Lover'' (2019). The fourteenth track on the album, Swift wrote and prod ...

" music video that featured twenty LGBTQ icons. Porter performed "

For What It's Worth "For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)" (often referred to as simply "For What It's Worth") is a song written by Stephen Stills. Performed by Buffalo Springfield, it was recorded on December 5, 1966, released as a single on Atco Reco ...

" with Stephen Stills during the 2020 Democratic National Convention. His memoir, ''Unprotected'', was released in 2021.

Fashion

Porter attributes his love of fashion from an early age to growing up in the black church which he describes as "a fashion show". His style has gone through many phases over the years, including vintage,

Abercrombie and Fitch Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is an American lifestyle retailer that focuses on casual wear. Its headquarters are in New Albany, Ohio. The company operates three other offshoot brands: Abercrombie Kids, Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks. As of Februa ...

and

geek chic The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generall ...

. He has said that he intentionally set out to use fashion in a political way, to be a "walking piece of political art". Porter's stylist Sam Ratelle estimated that as of January 2020 they had worked on 150 red carpet looks together many designed by Porter himself. , Porter's stylist is Ty Hunter who has previously worked with

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

. At the 2019 Golden Globes, Porter gained attention for wearing an embroidered suit and pink cape designed by

Randi Rahm Randi Rahm is an American fashion designer based in New York City and raised in Long Island. She is a classically trained concert pianist and musician. She is well known for her couture gowns, bridal wear and evening wear collections and her wide ...

. 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. 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 Richard Saturnino Owens (born November 18, 1962) is an American fashion designer from Porterville, California. In addition to his main line, Owens has a furniture line and a number of diffusion lines. Early life and education Richard Saturnino ...

boots to the

91st Academy Awards The 91st Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2018 and took place on February 24, 2019, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, ...

. In February 2019, Porter was an Official

Council of Fashion Designers of America The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA), founded in 1962 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, and headquartered in Manhattan, is a not-for-profit trade association comprising a membership of over 450 American fashion and accessory d ...

(CFDA) Ambassador for

New York Fashion Week New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general publ ...

: Mens. 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 wings, a 24-karat gold headpiece, as well as custom gold-leaf

Giuseppe Zanotti Giuseppe Zanotti is an Italian luxury footwear and fashion designer known for his sculptural, jeweled heels, luxury sneakers, handbags, jewelry, and leather ready-to-wear. His wholly owned company, Vicini S.p.A., manufactures his eponymous label, ...

shoes and fine jewels by Andreoli, John Hardy, and Oscar Heyman. 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. He wore a sparkling turquoise bodysuit with matching bolero and a motorised hat to the Grammy awards.

Concerts

Porter has performed at various venues in New York City, including

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

, which was broadcast on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

in 2015 and

in New York City. In 2019 Porter headlined at London Pride. Porter performed "For What It's Worth" with Stephen Stills at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Personal life

Porter is

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

, having come out at the age of 16, "in the middle of the

AIDS crisis The AIDS epidemic, caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), found its way to the United States between the 1970s and 1980s, but was first noticed after doctors discovered clusters of Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia in homosexual ...

". He married his husband, Adam Smith, on January 14, 2017, after meeting him in 2009. He was very keen to get married "while

Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

was still president and before January 20th, 2017" so the two got engaged on December 29, 2016, and married 2 weeks later. Porter shared his views on

race in the US The United States has a racially and ethnically diverse population. At the federal level, race and ethnicity have been categorized separately. The most recent United States Census officially recognized five racial categories (White, Black ...

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 supremacy or white supremacism is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White su ...

. White people choke-holding power and sucking the life out of humanity." In May 2021, Porter told ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' that he had been diagnosed with

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

in June 2007; he was also diagnosed with

type-2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urinatio ...

in February 2007 and filed for

bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...

in March 2007. In the same interview, he talked about renting a house on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

due to a pre-existing health condition and about having intermittently attended psychotherapy since the age of 25.

Discography

Albums

*1997: ''Billy Porter'' (DV8/

) *2005: ''At the Corner of Broadway + Soul'' (

) *2014: ''Billy's Back on Broadway'' ( Concord Music Group)Hetrick, Adam
" 'Kinky Boots' Star Billy Porter Releases "Billy's Back on Broadway" April 15"
''Playbill'', April 15, 2014 *2017: ''Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers'' (

Masterworks Broadway Masterworks Broadway is a record label created by the consolidation of Sony Music Entertainment's Broadway theatre music divisions, Columbia Broadway Masterworks and RCA Victor Records' Broadway series. Masterworks Broadway's recent releases incl ...

)

Singles

*1997: "Show Me"/"What Iz Time" *2005: "Awaiting You"/"Time" (Live) (Sh-K-Boom Records) *2017: "Edelweiss" *2019: "

Love Yourself "Love Yourself" is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album ''Purpose'' (2015). The song was released as a promotional single on November 9, 2015, and as the album's third official single on December 7, 2015. ...

" *2020: "For What It's Worth" *2020: The Shapeshifters feat. Billy Porter "Finally Ready" *2021: "Children"

Other songs

*" Only One Road" on ''

'' compilation album *"Love Is on the Way" on ''

The First Wives Club ''The First Wives Club'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retribution ...

'' album *"Destiny" with Jordan Hill on

Jim Brickman James Merrill Brickman (born November 20, 1961) is an American pop songwriter, pianist and radio host. Brickman has earned two Grammy nominations for his albums ''Peace'' (2003) for Best Instrumental, and ''Faith'' (2009) for Best New Age Album. ...

's ''Greatest Hits'' album *"

Where Is Love? "Where is Love?" is a song from the Tony Award-winning British musical '' Oliver!'' and the 1968 film of the same name, based on the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. The musical was written by Lionel Bart and was first staged in ...

" with

Liz Callaway Liz Callaway (born April 13, 1961) is an American actress, singer and recording artist, who is best known for having provided the singing voices of many female characters in animated films, such as Anya/Anastasia in '' Anastasia'', Odette in ''T ...

Appears in

*Featured on a number of songs on tribute album ''It's Only Life: The Songs of John Bucchino'' *Sings “O Holy Night” on

Rosie O'Donnell Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American comedian, television producer, actress, author, and television personality. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series '' Star Search'' ...

’s Christmas album, ''A Rosie Christmas (1999)'' *Adam Guettel's album ''

'' in 1999 *He is featured with Alan Cumming,

David Raleigh David Raleigh is a New York City based singer, songwriter and piano player. History Born in Rochester, New York, David Raleigh moved to Seattle at the age of four. After receiving a scholarship to attend Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, ...

and Ari Gold in a cover of "

That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...

", of 'The Friends Project' in support of the Ali Forney Center, a NYC shelter for homeless LGBT youth. The song was arranged and produced by

Nathan Leigh Jones Nathan Leigh Jones (born 6 April 1981) is an Australian musician, public speaker and voice over artist. He has an honours degree in psychology and researches the effects of music and words on emotion. He also teaches in the area of communication ...

and directed by Michael Akers.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

Sources: ''Playbill Vault'';"Billy Porter Broadway"
''Playbill''. Retrieved June 24, 2016 Off-Broadway Database *''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madame Butterfly'', and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed roma ...

'', Ensemble/John (u/s), Broadway (1991) *'' Grease'', Teen Angel, Broadway (1994) *''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'', Solanio, Off-Broadway (1995) *''

'', performer, Off-Broadway (1995) *'' Smokey Joe's Cafe'', performer, Broadway (1995–97) *''

'', John (replacement), Broadway (1998–99) *''

'', Jesus of Nazareth, Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center, Nyack, NY (1998) *''

'', James Thunder Early, New York Actors Fund concert (September 2001) *''

Radiant Baby ''Radiant Baby'' is a musical about Keith Haring, who was an artist and social activist in New York City. The music was composed by Debra Barsha, with lyrics by Ira Gasman, Stuart Ross, and Debra Barsha. It was based on ''Keith Haring: The Auth ...

'', Various, Off-Broadway (2003) *''

'', City Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA (2004) *'' Little Shop of Horrors'', Audrey ll (replacement), Broadway (2004) *''Chef's Theater: A Musical Feast'', Performer, Off-Broadway (2004) *''Ghetto Superstar'', Performer, Off-Broadway (2005) – also playwright *''Birdie Blue'', Bam/Little Pimp/Sook/Minerva, Off-Broadway (2005) *''

Putting It Together ''Putting it Together'' is a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim. Drawing its title from a song in '' Sunday in the Park with George'', it was devised by Sondheim and Julia McKenzie. The revue has received several productions ...

'', performer, New York (2009) *''

'', Belize, Off-Broadway (2010) *'' Kinky Boots'', Lola, Broadway (2013–2015) *'' Kinky Boots'', Lola (replacement), Tour (2014) *''HAM: A Musical Memoir'', Off-Broadway (2015) – director *'' Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed'', Aubrey Lyles, Broadway (2016) *''

White Rabbit Red Rabbit Nassim Soleimanpour (born 10 December 1981 (19 Azar 1360 SH), is an Iranian playwright. He is best known for his 2010 play ''White Rabbit Red Rabbit''. Early life and education Soleimanpour was born in Tehran, Iran."Billy Porter, Justin Bartha and Stana Katic Set for September at WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT"
Broadway World, August 9, 2016 *'' Kinky Boots'', Lola (replacement), Broadway (2017)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * *
Billy Porter on LastFM
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Billy 1969 births Living people African-American male actors African-American Christians American male musical theatre actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors American gay actors American gay musicians LGBT people from Pennsylvania LGBT African Americans LGBT Christians Male actors from Pittsburgh Musicians from Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni Taylor Allderdice High School alumni 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American singers Drama Desk Award winners Grammy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Tony Award winners Pennsylvania Democrats People with HIV/AIDS 20th-century American male singers 21st-century American male singers 20th-century LGBT people 21st-century LGBT people African-American male singers LGBT film directors African-American film directors