Billy Porter

Billy Porter (born William Ellis Porter II) is an award-winning actor, singer and fashion icon known for his groundbreaking role on FX’s Pose and his red carpet style. Porter was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama and later studied screenwriting at UCLA. Raised in a religious household, he credits his early church experiences for sparking his love of music and performance.

Porter got his start on Broadway, making his debut in Miss Saigon in 1991. He gained early recognition for roles in Grease and Smokey Joe’s Cafe before breaking out in 2013 as Lola in Kinky Boots, a performance that earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the role.

Porter rose to mainstream fame playing Pray Tell in Pose from 2018 to 2021, which earned him the 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. His win made him the first openly gay Black man to win in a lead acting category.

His other credits include American Horror Story, Cinderella (2021) and 80 for Brady (2023). As a musician, he has released the albums Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers (2017) and Black Mona Lisa (2023). In July 2025, he joined the Broadway revival of Cabaret, but pulled out of the show in September following a sepsis diagnosis.

Porter tied the knot with Adam Smith in January 2017. The couple announced their separation in July 2023 and finalized their divorce in 2024.