Pose and American Horror Story: Apocalypse actor Billy Porter is one of the headlining stars on Out Magazine’s OUT100 list. The actor talked to the magazine about his television breakout roles as well as his past that has helped shape his characters.
“It had to be Pose,” he said. And I had to be ready for it. I had to live through what I lived through.”
Porter talked about some of his life experiences, including growing up in a Pentecostal church and coming out at 16 years old, which resulted in his family condemning him. He also faced intense bullying and childhood sexual abuse. The actor also talked about his career, which he felt was affected by Hollywood’s limitations concerning LGBT actors. He said he was “pigeonholed” into stereotypical roles.
“Don’t get me wrong: What I was given was an opportunity to stop the show, but when it came to my humanity, nobody wanted to discuss that.”
The Broadway productions he felt defined the next half of his acting career were the Broadway revival of Angels in America, in which he played Belize, and as sage-like drag queen Lola in the original Broadway cast of Kinky Boots, in which he played Lola, a drag queen that inspired a shoe factory owner to make high-heeled boots that can be worn by women and men.
“Somebody needed me to stand on that stage as a Black, out, gay actor, who took every hit that comes with that kind of life, to stand triumphant and be rewarded for making the right decision.”
“So, the journey to what you’re responding to in Pose is all of that. That whole life.”
Porter is one of the many Black actors and presenters on this year’s OUT100 list, including Queer Eye‘s Karamo Brown, comedian Wanda Sykes, and Pose co-stars Indya Moore, Mj Rodriguez and Dominque Jackson, RuPaul’s Drag Race and Broadway star Peppermint, comedian Jaboukie Young-White and media personality/activist Ashlee Marie Preston. Other Hollywood notables include Pose writer, producer, author and activist Janet Mock, producer Alana Mayo and Dear White People creator/director/producer Justin Simien.
The list also includes other stars in the creative sector, including singer/songwriter MNEK, writer Antwaun Sargent, model/activist/musician Yves Mathieu and designer/creative director Jerome LaMaar. High profile political and socially conscious figures include activists Blair Imani, DeRay, community organizer Amber Hikes and Rainbow Railroad executive director Kimahli Powell.
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