Billy Porter
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.
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Photos
Movies (45)
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
2026 · Magno Stift
Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It
2026 · Self
Christmas Karma
2025 · The Ghost of Christmas Present
Freeman Vines
2025 · Executive Producer
I Was Born This Way
2025 · Self, Executive Producer
(pride/prom)
2024 · Executive Producer
Disco's Revenge
2024 · Self
Eric André Live Near Broadway
2024 · Self
Queen of New York
2023
Nuestro Hijo
2023 · Gabriel
Truth Be Told
2023
Let the Canary Sing
2023 · Self
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
2023 · Self - Guest
Little Richard: I Am Everything
2023 · Self
La Última Yarda
2023 · Gugu
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!
2022 · Self
Tree of Life: Ataque a la Sinagoga de Pittsburgh
2022 · Executive Producer
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
2022 · Self
Todo es Posible
2022 · Director
PRIDE: To Be Seen - A Soul of a Nation Presentation
2022 · Pray Tell (archive footage)
Cenicienta
2021 · Fabulous Godmother
Smoke, Lilies and Jade
2021
Sanctuary
2021 · Writer
Where Love Lives: A Story of Dancefloor Culture & Expression
2021 · (Himself)
25 Years of Rent: Measured in Love
2021
Pose-a-Thon for Pride
2020 · Self
Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone
2020 · Self
Socias en Guerra
2020 · Barrett
Every Act of Life
2018 · Self
The Humbling
2014 · Prince
The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America
2012 · Dizzy Gillespie (voice)
Heart of Broadway: The Ensemble Behind Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
2011 · Himself
The Shoe
2011
Indie Sex: Teens
2008
Todos A Bordo: El Crucero Familiar De Rosie
2006 · Himself
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
2006 · Self, Original Music Composer
Noel
2004 · Randy
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
2000 · Taylor
Intern
2000 · Sebastian Niederfarb
Colorz of Rage
1999 · Street Performer
Twisted
1996 · Shiniqua, Angel's friend
Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness
1984
Camp
· Mark, Director
Broadway: The Next Generation
· Self
To Be Real
· Director, Executive Producer
TV shows (63)
My Happy Place
2025 · Self
En vivo desde el más allá, con Tyler Henry
2024 · Self
Accused
2023 · Director
Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?
2022 · Self
The Jennifer Hudson Show
2022
Sherri
2022 · Self - Guest
La familia Proud: Mayor y mejor
2022 · Randall (voice)
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
2022 · Self - Special Guest
That's My Jam
2021 · Self - Guest
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
2021 · Self - Panellist
The Circuit
2021 · Self - Singer/Actor
Middlemost: Aventura postal
2021 · Recycle King (voice)
Gossip Girl
2021 · Singer
That D. Michael Che
2021
Equal
2020 · Narrator
The Drew Barrymore Show
2020 · Self
Dear...
2020 · Self
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2020 · Self - Contestant
Stars in the House
2020 · Self
Visible: Out on Television
2020 · Self
The Tamron Hall Show
2019 · Self - Guest
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019 · Self
La Dimensión Desconocida
2019
Glow Up
2019 · Self - Guest Judge
Desus & Mero
2019 · Self - Illustrious Guest
Pose
2018 · Pray Tell
Big Mouth
2017 · Ocean (voice)
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 · Self, Self - Guest
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
2015 · Self
Celebrity Family Feud
2015 · Self
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015 · Self - Guest
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014 · Self
Trailblazer Honors
2014 · Self - Speaker
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014 · Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014 · Self, Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014 · Self, Self - Guest
American Horror Story
2011 · Behold Chablis
Who Do You Think You Are?
2010 · Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009 · Self - Guest
Las Kardashian (Keeping Up with the Kardashians)
2007 · Self
Indie Sex
2007 · Self
El show de Graham Norton
2007 · Self
Germany's Next Topmodel
2006 · Self - Guest Judge
Dancing with the Stars
2005 · Self - Guest Judge
Project Runway
2004 · Self - Guest Judge
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003 · Self - Guest
La Ley y el Orden: Unidad de Víctimas Especiales
1999 · Jackie Walker
The View
1997 · Self - Guest, Self
The Daily Show
1996 · Self
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996 · Self - Guest
MTV Movie & TV Awards
1992 · Self - Presenter
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
1991 · Little Richard
Law & Order
1990 · Greg Ellison
Los Simpson
1989 · Desmond (voice)
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988 · Self - Guest
MTV Video Music Awards
1984 · Self
Olivier Awards
1981 · Self - Host
Newsnight
1980 · Self
Saturday Night Live
1975 · Self - Cameo (uncredited)
People's Choice Awards
1975 · Self - Presenter
The Grammys
1959 · Self
The Oscars
1953 · Self
Golden Globe Awards
1944 · Self - Presenter