Tag: Billy Porter

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Out Music: Billy Porter & Matt Zarley Cover 90s Anthem “You Gotta Be”

Billy Porter

Billy Porter (Golden Globe nod – FX’s Pose, Tony Award winner Kinky Boots) has teamed up with two-time Out Music Award winner Matt Zarley to record their take on the empowering 1995 Des’ree hit, “You Gotta Be.”

All of the proceeds from the single will benefit the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Youth Center.

Close friends for more than 30 years, the two artists had been looking to collaborate on a music project and found the message that “love will save the day” particularly resonant in these challenging times.

Matt Zarley and Billy Porter

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser, you gotta be hard
You gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm
You gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Matt Zarley

“Billy and I are both passionate about all LGBT causes, particularly ones that involve our next generations,” said Zarley, who also produced the track as well as directed and edited the video.

“We wanted to help raise awareness for this invaluable organization and the work they do,” It’s incredibly important and is helping save the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our community.”

A postscript to the music video shares the sobering fact that there are roughly 1.7 million homeless youth on the streets of the United States, and a disproportionate 40% identify as LGBT. In Los Angeles alone, there are roughly 3,500 LGBT youth living on the streets.

And speaking of ‘community,’ that’s exactly what’s front and center in the music video for “You Gotta Be.”

Zarley and Porter are joined by dozens of friends grooving, twirling, lip-syncing for their lives in solo and same-sex couplings.

After ruling the red carpet during this past awards season, Porter is currently shooting Season 2 of the acclaimed FX series Poseset to return to the airwaves June 11.

Zarley’s latest project is an album titled The Estrogen Sessions,which pays tribute to some of pop music’s most prolific female artists (Dolly Parton, Celine Dion, Sara Bareilles, Whitney Houston) featuring the songs they made famous. “I Will Always Love You,” “That’s The Way It Is,” “Gravity,” and “I Look To You” are just a few of the tunes featured on the set.

Check out “You Gotta Be”with Billy Porter and Matt Zarley below.

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FX’s POSE Preps For Season 2: “Joy Is A Choice”

The acclaimed FX series Pose preps for its return on 6/11. Season 2 of Pose flashes forward in time to 1990. On the heels of the ballroom community establishing itself in pop culture and going mainstream, the House of Evangelista is forced to reevaluate their goals. Meanwhile, the AIDS crisis worsens and the reaction from a group of activists reaches a fever pitch. Pose features the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles. In this new promo, Billy Porter as 'Pray Tell' extolls the virtues and need for the ballroom scene in 1990: "Joy is a choice. Choosing life in the darkest of times is a choice. That's what the ballroom scene is about."
Billy Porter as ‘Pray Tell’

The acclaimed FX series Pose preps for its return on 6/11.

Season 2 of Pose flashes forward in time to 1990. On the heels of the ballroom community establishing itself in pop culture and going mainstream, the House of Evangelista is forced to reevaluate their goals.

Meanwhile, the AIDS crisis worsens and the reaction from a group of activists reaches a fever pitch. Pose features the largest cast of transgender actors in series regular roles.

In this new promo, Billy Porter as ‘Pray Tell’ extolls the virtues and need for the ballroom scene in 1990:

“Joy is a choice. Choosing life in the darkest of times is a choice. That’s what the ballroom scene is about.”

Watch below.

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Billy Porter Just Told Everyone At The Met Gala To Go Home & Try Again

Billy Porter arrives at the Met Gala 2019

Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, Pose) stopped traffic on the red carpet this evening with his over-the-top fabulosity.

Lady Gaga may have thought she made an entrance, but Porter said, “Hold my cocktail.”

The Twitterverse could not contain themselves.

Best captions so far: “Because walking is for straight people,” and “Billy Porter just told everyone to go home and try again.”

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Broadway Diva Patti LuPone Set To Join Cast Of FX’s ‘Pose”

Producer/director Ryan Murphy made news Saturday night at PaleyFest in Los Angeles when he announced a new diva would be joining the cast of FX’s Pose. While moderating a panel with cast members of the ground-breaking series, Murphy surprised the audience - and cast - that Broadway icon, Patti LuPone, will be joining the show for season two.
Tony & Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone

Producer/director Ryan Murphy made news Saturday night at PaleyFest in Los Angeles when he announced a new diva would be joining the cast of FX’s Pose.

While moderating a panel with cast members of the ground-breaking series, Murphy surprised the audience – and cast – that Broadway icon, Patti LuPone, will be joining the show for season two.

According to Deadline, Murphy told cast members MJ Rodriguez and Billy Porter they would be sharing plenty of scenes with the two-time Tony Award winner.

LuPone is currently appearing in the gender-bending revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Company in London, where she has been nominated for an Olivier Award for “Best Actress in a Supporting Role.”

Murphy also told the crowd that the series will time-jump from the late 1980s to the year 1990. The first episode of the new season will take place on the day Madonna’s mega-hit “Vogue” was released.

Expect to hear about Madge’s co-opting of the vogueing/ ball culture of New York City for her now-iconic music video. Plus, since LuPone has been an outspoken critic of Madonna in the past, we’ll be curious to see if any of that animosity surfaces in the diva’s scenes.

The talk-back took place after a screening of episode six from season one of the series, “Love is the Message,” which was written and directed by acclaimed transgender activist Janet Mock. The episode, the first in television history to be directed by a transgender woman, was also Mock’s directorial debut.

And speaking of directing, Murphy announced during the panel that Mock, Porter and producer Our Lady J would all be helming episodes in the upcoming season.

Season two of Pose begins shooting next week and will premiere in June.

(cropped image via Flickr/Etro053 – CC license)

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Quotables: Billy Porter, Robin Roberts, Ivanka Trump, Cynthia Nixon

Billy Porter on the red carpet at this year’s Academy Awards

Billy Porter on his red carpet-stopping tuxedo dress: “Now I’m in a space where, being on Pose, I’m invited to red carpets and I have something to say through clothes. My goal is to be a walking piece of political art every time I show up. To challenge expectations. What is masculinity? What does that mean?”

GMA’s Robin Roberts interviews Empire star Jussie Smollett

GMA journalist Robin Roberts on her interview with Jussie Smollett: “I’m a black gay woman, he’s a black gay man. He’s saying that there’s a hate crime, so if I’m too hard, then my LGBT community is going to say, ‘You don’t believe a brother,’ if I’m too light on him, it’s like, ‘Oh, because you are in the community, you’re giving him a pass.’ It was a no-win situation for me.”

Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Trump joked recently about how hard it is to be her: “The press seems to think it’s ironic that I, born of great privilege, think people want to work for what they are given. As if being Donald Trump’s daughter isn’t the hardest job in the world.”

Cynthia Nixon

Sex in the City star Cynthia Nixon on Vice President Mike Pence: “The fact that Pence does vile, hateful things while well-coiffed and calm doesn’t make him decent; it makes him insidious and dangerous. Respecting each other’s rights and humanity is what makes us civilized — not keeping a civil tone while doing the opposite.”

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Billy Porter Brings Next Level Red Carpet Fashion, Wins The Oscars Before They Even Begin

Billy Porter at the 2019 Academy Awards

Before the Academy Awards even started, Pose star Billy Porter has won the red carpet.

Porter stopped traffic on the red carpet wearing a tear-away velvet tux-gown by Christian Sirano.

When Vogue is talking about you, you know you’ve arrived. Porter was trending on Twitter for well over an hour thanks to his fashion sense.

Porter has rocked the red carpet throughout this awards season.

At the Golden Globes, Porter donned a tailored suit and pink cape. He showed up at the American Film Institute Luncheon sporting a goldenrod gown paired with a matching blazer and head scarf.

“One of the things I’ve realized is that I’ve always had a gender-fluid sensibility with clothes, and it was so squashed by homophobia,” he shared with the New York Times earlier this year.

“Show business likes to masquerade as being inclusive and diverse,” said Porter, criticizing some fashion house’s traditionalism. “When we ask the houses for male and female clothes, we get the response, ‘We don’t think you should be wearing that.’”

Porter was also named Men’s Ambassador for New York Fashion Week in February.

“I find the younger talent to be much more open to experimentation and gender fluidity,” said the Tony Award winner to WWD. “I’m interested in connecting with designers who I can collaborate with.”

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Billy Porter Delivers The LGBTQ State Of The Union Address

In advance of President Trump’s annual State of the Union address tonight, actor/activist Billy Porter delivered Logo’s “LGBTQ State of our Union” regarding issues facing the LGBTQ community - triumphs, setbacks and looking ahead to 2019 as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Billy Porter delivers Logo’s State of the Union address for the LGBTQ community

In advance of President Trump’s annual State of the Union address tonight, actor/activist Billy Porter delivered Logo’s “LGBTQ State of our Union” address regarding issues facing the LGBTQ community – triumphs, setbacks and looking ahead to 2019 as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Porter begins with a statement of fortitude: “While our rights are under threat and the sanctity of identities is in peril, let me be clear: the state of our union is strong.”

Addressing some of the challenges the LGBTQ people face today, Porter points out:

• 29 transgender people (mostly trans women of color) ‘lost their light’ to violence in 2018

• Anti-LGBTQ violence is on the rise as 40% of LGBTQ survivors of hate violence sustained an injury in 2017 compared to the 31% in 2016.

• 42% reported seeking medical attention in 2017 compared to the 23% in 2016.

• 27% reported weapons were used their assaults compared to 13% in 2016.

While that does sound bleak, the Golden Globe nominee calls for a more positive approach to addressing these ills.

“How do we fight this hate? With love,” says the Pose star. “Continue to demonstrate out love for each other. Love is strength – strength we must have to fight for our integrity and for our very lives. We will fight hate with solidarity by standing for our siblings around the world.”

Porter calls on the LGBTQ community to declare, “We are here through the banning of transgender service members. We are here through the violence enacted by hate speech. We are here. And if the victories of the last year prove anything, we ain’t going no damn where.”

The 49-year-old also noted the results of the midterms elections delivering the most diverse Congress in history.

He mentions the successes of openly gay politicians – Jared Polis’ election to governor in Colorado; and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay Democratic presidential candidate, joining “a strong crop of Democrats ready, willing and able to throw down with 45.”

“And you better believe we’re coming for that White House and we’re gonna paint it rainbow,” adds Porter.

When it comes to pop culture there’s more good news.

 “On TV, on film and in music we are ‘showing up and showing out,” boasts the Tony Award winner. “We are in front of, and behind the cameras; we are increasingly the authors of our own stories.”

Recognizing 2019 as the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and New York City hosting this year’s World Pride event, Porter says, “We will continue to come together to acknowledge and embrace our intersectional community, and to push for equality and justice – for ALL.”

He closes the address by saying, “Make no mistake – our best days are ahead of us. Onward and upward. God bless our LGBT community and God bless the United States of America.”

Definitely worth the watching.

Out actor and LGBTQ activist Billy Porter
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News Round-Up: January 7, 2019

• The hunky Alex Landi, who plays out Dr. Nico Kim on Grey's Anatomy, tells Attitude Magazine that he just wants to do his best when portraying roles regardless of his sexuality or his character’s.
Alex Landi (promo photo: Grey’s Anatomy/ABC)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Buff Alex Landi, who plays out Dr. Nico Kim on Grey’s Anatomy, tells Attitude Magazine that he just wants to do his best when portraying roles regardless of his sexuality or his character’s.

• Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has signed a new directive banning LGBT-based discrimination in state services or by state contractors. The new executive order does not include a loophole exemption for religious organizations that receive state funds.

• Virulently anti-gay Texas Pastor Donnie Romero resigned last week after it was revealed he has a deep history of gambling, hiring prostitutes and smoking marijuana. At the time, Romero actually cheered the Pulse Nightclub shooting wishing the gunman had ‘finished the job.’ Ye who protesteth the loudest, do it the mosteth.

• Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has changed her position on healthcare for transgender people in prison saying she now supports access to all “medically necessary services, including transition-related surgeries.”

• Donald Trump may think Special Counsel Robert Mueller might wrap up his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election soon, but Mueller just extended his grand jury in Washington, D.C., for another six months.

• Tony Award winner (Kinky Boots) and Golden Globe nominee (Pose) Billy Porter dropped a new music video for “Love the Pain Away,” a song he wrote in 1999.

Billy shares he recently came across the song again and realized it still applies to what’s happening today in the U.S.

Note how Billy extends the video to give all of his band and chance to shine. #Class

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Billy Porter: Tips For Living Your Best Life

Billy Porter

On his way to LaLa Land and the 2019 Golden Globe Awards where he is nominated for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series” for his star turn in the FX series, Pose, Billy Porter dropped by Buzzfeeds’ Cocoa Butter to share his ‘Seven Tips To Live By.’

Having survived highs and lows in the business of show for over 30 years, Mr. Porter knows of what he speaks.

1. “Choose yourself, save yourself, bet on yourself!”

How is someone going to believe in you if you don’t? Enough said.


 2. “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have!”

Billy adds with a smile, “So if you’re wondering why I’m always turning it with the clothing and the looks, darling, that is why – I have goals.”


 3. “Don’t wait for anyone to give you permission to practice your art!”

Porter told me once that Tony Award-winning stage director George C. Wolfe shared this little bon mot with him in the early 2000s when he was an Artist in Residence at the Public Theatre in NYC. “You need to be practicing it always, every day, every moment you get. People usually ain’t listening, but sometimes they do. You’ve got to be ready…when it’s time.”


 4. “Be on time!”

Porter explains exactly what that means to him: “Fifteen minutes early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable. The doors will be locked!”


 5. “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.”

With a glint in his eye, the 49-year-old leans into the camera and continues, “Y’all know what I’m talking about; we got a lot of people we could be talking about.”


 6. “Be of service.”

A wider purpose adds dimension to your work. “When your intention is service, everything else will work itself out,” says Porter.


 7. “Mean what you say and say what you mean – and deliver. Be impeccable with your word.”

Make sure you watch the 2019 Golden Globe Awards tonight on NBC (8pm EST – 5pm PST).

You know I’ll be cheering for Billy!

(h/t Cocoa Butter)

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Billy Porter Claps Back At Kevin Hart & Homophobic Language

Billy Porter (photo: Lizzy Sullivan)

Tony Award winner and Golden Globe nominee for the acclaimed FX series Pose, Billy Porter, slammed comedian Kevin Hart over past homophobic language in a new interview with Consequence of Sound.

Hart recently had to step down from hosting the upcoming Oscars after past tweets using homophobic slurs came to light.

Porter wasn’t having it.

“People think that words don’t matter. I’m going to get into this Kevin Hart thing for just a second. Because it’s not about you having a joke. That’s not what it’s about…

“I say to Kevin Hart, and I say to D.L. Hughley, I say to those people who think that they don’t need to apologize for shit and dig their heels in their toxic masculinity: But you want your rights! You want people to stop shooting your children in the back? But yet still, you turn around and oppress other people the same way you’re being oppressed.

“Fuck that. Fuck you. We’re done.”