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Actor and singer Billy Porter is known for his larger-than-life performances. He gained fame for his portrayal of the flamboyant and charismatic Pray Tell in the FX drama Pose, which earned him an Emmy. He also recently starred in Amazon’s 2021 version of Cinderella, where he gave a fresh take on the fairy godmother as a tough-talking “godmuvva”. However, his latest role in director Bill Oliver’s relationship drama Our Son shows a different side of Porter. As Gabriel, a quiet stay-at-home dad going through a divorce with his husband Nicky (played by Luke Evans), Porter portrays a more understated and vulnerable character without the glitz and glam of his previous roles.
Exciting and challenging roles are something Porter has always been confident in playing, but are not often offered to him. Despite his dedicated fans, Porter admits that many still struggle to understand his talent. Reflecting on his experience at the premiere, he recalls someone asking him, “How do you portray your character so convincingly?” He points out the double standard, questioning whether this question would have been posed to esteemed actors like Viola Davis or Al Pacino. Porter believes that society struggles to accept the idea that someone can be both fabulous and serious at the same time, but he confidently declares that he is living proof of this.
Just so you know, this is typically how Porter speaks all of the time. During our 45-minute interview, he mentions Viola Davis, who has been nominated for an Oscar four times, three different times; he interrupts his thoughts on a ceasefire in the Middle East with the word “doll”. From his Zoom appearance in a Florida hotel room, he seems like a natural public speaker, delivering each answer as if he is performing for a large audience. His charm, which has made him famous on television and in Broadway, is fully evident.
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However, Our Son presented Porter with the opportunity to showcase his dramatic abilities on screen for the first time. He found it relatively simple to prepare for the role, as he could relate to the complexities of marriage. While he was reserved about discussing his personal life during our conversation, he did mention that his real-life marriage ended in a similar way to his character’s in the movie. He was married at the time of filming but is now divorced from his husband of six years, Adam Smith. It was not a friendly divorce, which sets it apart from the amicable split portrayed in the film between Gabriel and Nicky.
Porter had always longed to play a complex queer character like Gabriel, and in the 1990s, he struggled to make it as an actor. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s College of Fine Arts and moved to New York soon after. However, he quickly realized that there were limited complex roles available for Black actors. His big break came in 1994 when he landed the role of Teen Angel in the Broadway revival of Grease. Despite this opportunity, it was not the multifaceted role he had hoped for. Recalling the experience, he describes feeling like a “clown” while prancing around with 14 inches of orange rubber hair and embodying the energy of Little Richard on crack.
He quickly understood the importance of changing people’s mindset in order to find fulfilling work. This would require significant effort on his part. He used Viola Davis, someone he considers a friend but not necessarily a close one, as an example of a successful Black actor within the restrictive Hollywood industry.
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“She portrayed various roles of crack mothers, mothers of drug addicts, and stereotypical dark-skinned Black women, and she infused those characters with grace. He was inspired by her and thought, ‘That’s what I’m going to do.’ He made the decision to not be concerned about being typecast in the industry and instead chose to give dignity to queer roles. He aimed to do this to such an extent that when the industry was prepared to offer substantial, nuanced roles to a Black gay man, he would be the go-to choice.”
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At this juncture, Porter has a career spanning over 30 years in the entertainment industry and has witnessed major changes as the focus has shifted to streaming. During the Sag strike last year, he strongly disagreed with studio executives like Disney’s Bob Iger who claimed that the demands of striking workers were unreasonable. He also disclosed that the instability caused by the strike forced him to put his house up for sale out of fear that he couldn’t afford it anymore. While the strike has been resolved, Porter still believes that the Sag and AMPTP reached “favorable terms”, but he is upset that the consequences of the strike ultimately affect workers like him and not the higher-ups in the C-suite.
“Our negotiations are disappearing, our employment opportunities are disappearing, all are downsizing, yet the individuals in top management are still profiting,” he states. He remains resentful that there is no responsibility for the “individuals who mismanaged the business.” “Whose responsibility is it that the business is unable to maintain itself and is on the verge of collapse?” he inquires, his gaze determined behind his thick glasses. “Streaming has hindered the artist’s potential to earn a profit, our ability to be a part of capitalism. As artists, we are constantly self-employed and often considered working class.”
According to Porter, the delay in renegotiating terms between streamers and Sag-Aftra has led to a decrease in the number of working actors in the middle class. He laments the fact that actors from shows like Friends are making millions while he receives six-cent checks, which he feels is unacceptable.
Despite this, Porter considers himself lucky enough to have other sources of income. He explains, “I have many talents – I recently released a new pop album with Republic records and can easily return to performing on Broadway.” However, he wants to make it clear that he still relies on acting as his main source of work. He addresses the common misconception that actors are all wealthy, stating, “Many people assume we are millionaires. However, for my role in Cinderella, I only earned enough to cover my mortgage for four months.” He expresses frustration at the fact that even with his achievements of winning an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony, he is still one award away from the prestigious EGOT and is at risk of losing his home with just one unsuccessful project.
Porter is, indeed, an impressive multi-hyphenate: in addition to acting and singing, he also made his directorial debut in 2022 with the Amazon Prime teen film Anything’s Possible, about a transgender high-school student. In his early-30s, a period of his career when “the work dried up”, he took a screenwriting course at the University of California in Los Angeles; now, he’s putting those skills to work, co-writing a biopic based on the life of the revolutionary writer and activist James Baldwin, in which he will also star. His motivation is simple: “If not me, who? I’ve been sitting around waiting for people to tell the Langston Hughes story, the James Baldwin story – anyone Black and queer, as far as I’m concerned. I’m done waiting – I’ll do it myself. The audacity, right?” he says. “Who’s going to tell it better than the Black gay man who embodies that in today’s age? It’s such an important story to tell, and I feel so blessed to be in this time where it will get told.”
According to Porter, Baldwin’s story was not previously popular because it did not gain attention. However, executives now recognize the potential for profit in stories that appeal to marginalized groups. Porter believes that executives are motivated by financial gain, regardless of the specific minority group being represented. He further notes that this idea may be difficult to convey verbally, but ultimately, it comes down to the color “green” – symbolizing money – rather than racial or religious identity.
He has been motivated by the success of his former co-star, Greta Gerwig, in achieving box office success with the female-driven film, Barbie. He hopes to follow in her footsteps and bring success to Black queer stories. He recognizes that Gerwig has garnered attention and support from studios due to her previous accomplishments with The Humbling, and acknowledges the importance of understanding the business side of show business.
Porter characterizes his film about Baldwin as “vast” and mentions that it will feature one of Baldwin’s works as a means of delving into his entire life. As we know, Baldwin was a vocal proponent for the Palestinian cause, while Porter has been a steadfast advocate for Israel in previous instances. He opposed the cultural boycott of a film festival in Tel Aviv last year and was among 700 notable figures who signed a public letter urging Hollywood to stand with Israel in its response to the attack by Hamas on October 7th.
When I questioned Porter on how he intends to handle Baldwin’s connection with the Palestinian rights movement in the script, given his own pro-Israel stance, he promptly clarifies his viewpoint. “My main support is for a two-state solution. Additionally, this is not a cause that I am willing to firmly stand by and defend. It is not my personal battle. I am not of the Jewish or Palestinian background,” he states. “The situation over there is tragic and the actions taken by America have been misguided. Please do not make me a symbol for that. I do not want to be involved in a conversation that I am not knowledgeable about.”
The speaker states that they stand by both their Jewish and Palestinian friends, and acknowledges the long-standing conflict in the region. They express uncertainty about the situation and make a nervous laugh, but are firm in their belief that the ongoing bombings should end. They stumble over the term for the group responsible for the conflict, referring to them as “extremists” instead of Palestinians.
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The speaker expresses gratitude and confusion regarding a violent event caused by extremists, followed by a strong criticism of the excessive retaliation. They question the constant state of war and express sadness, followed by a desire for understanding and a solution to achieve peace. The speaker concludes with a passionate declaration of support for peace.
Porter quickly calms down, stating that there is no need to navigate the situation as he is not James Baldwin himself. He must stay true to the character, even though he does not have the same understanding of the past as Baldwin did. The focus of the conversation is on Baldwin’s civil rights activism in America, rather than his thoughts on the Israel-Palestine conflict during his time.
Our time is up, and Porter thanks me for asking the question, noting that his Instagram comments have been filled with people writing “Free Palestine”. “I’ve been getting a lot of bullshit online about it – I’m like, ‘I don’t know, y’all!’ The man’s been dead since 1987, please!” he says. As ever, it’s a big exit.
Source: theguardian.com
