Biography
American actor and singer Billy Porter gained popularity after starring in roles on the Ryan Murphy-produced television shows "American Horror Story: Apocalypse" (FX, 2018) and "Pose" (FX, 2018- ). Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Porter always wanted to entertain people for a living. He got his first taste of performing in front of a live audience when he was a teenager. Porter and a group of friends, who collectively called themselves "Flash," would perform live entertainment for folks at Kennywood Park, just outside of Pittsburgh. The experience left Porter exhilarated. Wanting nothing more than to make his living as an actor, he went on to study drama at Carnegie Mellon University, where he would later go on to earn his BFA. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon in the early 90s, Porter set his sights on Broadway. In 1994 he appeared in a Broadway revival of "Grease!" and followed it up with several more Broadway appearances in the ensuing decades. His more notable Broadway roles included: "Smokey Joe's Café" (1995-97), "Miss Saigon" (1998-99), and "Little Shop of Horrors" (2004). Throughout his stage career, Porter also appeared in films and on television. He made his feature film debut in 1997's "Twisted," and also appeared in "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" (2000) and "Noel" (2004). With nearly two decades of professional acting work behind him, Porter became a recognizable face to mainstream television audiences in 2018 when he simultaneously appeared on two popular shows: "American Horror Story: Apocalypse" and "Pose." Both shows were co-created and produced by Ryan Murphy. After coming off what was arguably the biggest year of his career, Porter followed it up with a part in the comedy "Limited Partners" (2019). Directed by Miguel Arteta, the film also starred Rose Byrne, Salma Hayek and Tiffany Hadish. Porter also became a viral sensation at the 2019 Oscars, where he served as one of the red-carpet interviewers wearing a tuxedo that had a full floor-length skirt.
