Billy Porter

Billy Porter

Acting
Born 1969-09-21Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

William Ellis Porter II (born September 21, 1969) is an American actor and singer. Porter gained notice performing on Broadway before starting a solo career as a singer and actor. For his role as Lola in Kinky Boots, Porter won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He credits the part for "cracking open" his feminine side to confront toxic masculinity. Porter also won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the musical's accompanying album. 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. In 2020, he was included on Time'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. 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Billy Porter, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Movies (38)

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

2026Movie
Cinderella
6.3

Cinderella

2021Movie6.3
80 for Brady
6.2

80 for Brady

2023Movie6.2
Like a Boss
6.2

Like a Boss

2020Movie6.2
Noel
5.8

Noel

2004Movie5.8
Christmas Karma
5.3

Christmas Karma

2025Movie5.3
Our Son
6.3

Our Son

2023Movie6.3
The Humbling
5.1

The Humbling

2014Movie5.1
Little Richard: I Am Everything
6.6

Little Richard: I Am Everything

2023Movie6.6
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
6.3

The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy

2000Movie6.3
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
8.3

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love

2023Movie8.3
Indie Sex: Teens
4.2

Indie Sex: Teens

2008Movie4.2
I Was Born This Way
1.0

I Was Born This Way

2025Movie1.0
Let the Canary Sing
6.5

Let the Canary Sing

2023Movie6.5
Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone
10.0

Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone

2020Movie10.0
Where Love Lives: A Story of Dancefloor Culture & Expression
4.0

Where Love Lives: A Story of Dancefloor Culture & Expression

2021Movie4.0
Every Act of Life
6.4

Every Act of Life

2018Movie6.4
Intern
3.7

Intern

2000Movie3.7
Broadway: The Next Generation

Broadway: The Next Generation

Movie
Disco's Revenge
6.8

Disco's Revenge

2024Movie6.8
PRIDE: To Be Seen - A Soul of a Nation Presentation
7.5

PRIDE: To Be Seen - A Soul of a Nation Presentation

2022Movie7.5
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
5.4

Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema

2006Movie5.4
Pose-a-Thon for Pride
1.0

Pose-a-Thon for Pride

2020Movie1.0
Twisted
3.6

Twisted

1996Movie3.6
Colorz of Rage
6.0

Colorz of Rage

1999Movie6.0
Queen of New York
9.0

Queen of New York

2023Movie9.0
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon

Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon

2022Movie
Camp

Camp

Movie
25 Years of Rent: Measured in Love
10.0

25 Years of Rent: Measured in Love

2021Movie10.0
Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It
10.0

Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It

2026Movie10.0
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!
5.9

Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!

2022Movie5.9
Truth Be Told

Truth Be Told

2023Movie
Smoke, Lilies and Jade
3.3

Smoke, Lilies and Jade

2021Movie3.3
Eric André Live Near Broadway
6.1

Eric André Live Near Broadway

2024Movie6.1
The Shoe

The Shoe

2011Movie
Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness
7.0

Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness

1984Movie7.0
Heart of Broadway: The Ensemble Behind Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Heart of Broadway: The Ensemble Behind Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

2011Movie
All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise
4.4

All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise

2006Movie4.4

TV Shows (61)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
4.9

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009Series4.9
The Simpsons
8.0

The Simpsons

1989Series8.0
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
5.8

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014Series5.8
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999Series8.0
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
6.1

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

2015Series6.1
Law & Order
7.3

Law & Order

1990Series7.3
The Kelly Clarkson Show
6.3

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019Series6.3
The Daily Show
6.4

The Daily Show

1996Series6.4
Late Night with Seth Meyers
5.1

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014Series5.1
Saturday Night Live
6.9

Saturday Night Live

1975Series6.9
The Graham Norton Show
7.2

The Graham Norton Show

2007Series7.2
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
5.3

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003Series5.3
The Jennifer Hudson Show
5.6

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022Series5.6
American Horror Story
8.1

American Horror Story

2011Series8.1
The Late Late Show with James Corden
5.1

The Late Late Show with James Corden

2015Series5.1
The View
4.3

The View

1997Series4.3
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
7.8

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

2014Series7.8
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
5.6

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988Series5.6
Dancing with the Stars
6.1

Dancing with the Stars

2005Series6.1
Project Runway
6.3

Project Runway

2004Series6.3
Newsnight
6.0

Newsnight

1980Series6.0
Golden Globe Awards
7.0

Golden Globe Awards

1944Series7.0
Desus & Mero
5.1

Desus & Mero

2019Series5.1
The Drew Barrymore Show
5.8

The Drew Barrymore Show

2020Series5.8
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
6.2

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter

2015Series6.2
Sherri
2.6

Sherri

2022Series2.6
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
7.3

Keeping Up with the Kardashians

2007Series7.3
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
4.2

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

2014Series4.2
Big Mouth
7.6

Big Mouth

2017Series7.6
Tamron Hall
4.5

Tamron Hall

2019Series4.5
MTV Movie & TV Awards
8.1

MTV Movie & TV Awards

1992Series8.1
MTV Video Music Awards
7.9

MTV Video Music Awards

1984Series7.9
Germany's Next Topmodel
4.3

Germany's Next Topmodel

2006Series4.3
Stars in the House

Stars in the House

2020Series
The Oscars
7.0

The Oscars

1953Series7.0
Celebrity Family Feud
7.7

Celebrity Family Feud

2015Series7.7
People's Choice Awards
9.2

People's Choice Awards

1975Series9.2
POSE
8.3

POSE

2018Series8.3
The Twilight Zone
6.7

The Twilight Zone

2019Series6.7
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
5.3

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder

2022Series5.3
Gossip Girl
7.3

Gossip Girl

2021Series7.3
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
6.3

RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World

2022Series6.3
Dear...
5.0

Dear...

2020Series5.0
Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?
3.7

Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?

2022Series3.7
Who Do You Think You Are?
6.9

Who Do You Think You Are?

2010Series6.9
Trailblazer Honors
7.5

Trailblazer Honors

2014Series7.5
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
4.1

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

1996Series4.1
Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star
6.8

Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star

2019Series6.8
Live from the Other Side with Tyler Henry
7.0

Live from the Other Side with Tyler Henry

2024Series7.0
Middlemost Post
7.8

Middlemost Post

2021Series7.8
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
7.9

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

2021Series7.9
Olivier Awards
1.0

Olivier Awards

1981Series1.0
Visible: Out on Television
6.7

Visible: Out on Television

2020Series6.7
That's My Jam
5.8

That's My Jam

2021Series5.8
Indie Sex
5.4

Indie Sex

2007Series5.4
That Damn Michael Che
6.3

That Damn Michael Che

2021Series6.3
My Happy Place
1.5

My Happy Place

2025Series1.5
Equal
1.3

Equal

2020Series1.3
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
7.0

Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story

1991Series7.0
The Circuit
5.5

The Circuit

2021Series5.5
The Grammys
8.6

The Grammys

1959Series8.6