Billy Porter

Personal context

Summary

Billy Porter is an actor, singer, and stage performer known for Broadway’s Kinky Boots and television’s Pose, where he played ballroom emcee Pray Tell. His work and public persona often engage with black and queer identity, gender expression, and the history of ballroom culture and HIV/AIDS. Porter has described art as political, spoken about the importance of representation, and advocated for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness, including through his work as an Elton John AIDS Foundation ambassador. He has also publicly criticized Donald Trump and supported Kamala Harris.