In addition to selling his property, the former 'Pose' star reveals that his works in a new movie and television show are not 'happening' because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
- Aug 9, 2023
AceShowbiz - Billy Porter was forced to sell his house. The actor, who won the Primetime Emmy Award for his role on "Pose", revealed that he had to make the big decision to put his property on sale due to Hollywood strikes that are currently ongoing.
The 53-year-old star opened up about the matter in an interview published on Friday, August 4. Speaking to the Evening Standard, he stated, "I have to sell my house. Yeah! Because we're on strike." He went on to say, "And I don't know when we're gonna go back [to work]. The life of an artist, until you make f**k-you money - which I haven't made yet - is still cheque-to-cheque."
"I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening," Billy further explained. "So to the person who said 'We're going to starve them out until they have to sell their apartments,' you've already starved me out."
The "Cinderella" actor was likely to be making a reference to an unnamed Hollywood executive who said, in an article published by Deadline, "The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses."
During the chat, Billy also talked about his struggles in building his career. "When I got into the business in the late Eighties, I was told that my queerness would be my liability," he recalled. "Not just in the music industry, but across the board. And it was a liability. They kicked me out of mainstream R&B."
"Made a name for myself, period," he continued. "Not just Broadway. I won an Emmy. I'm a fashion icon. Now they need me. Winners write their history, because I'm not supposed to be here looking like this." He then added, "I'm so grateful that I lived long enough as a gay man of a certain age. I lived through the Aids crisis, honey! I lost a whole generation of folks. [But I] know that I'm part of the generation who kicked the door down."
Elsewhere in the interview, Billy expressed his true feelings after calling it quits with his husband of six years, Adam Smith. "The whole world knows I'm getting a divorce! Y'all want to talk about my divorce and Ricky Martin's at the same time? It's bittersweet," he admitted.
"But relationships are hard. I will always love him. We made it as far as we could. But we learn, we grow and we live. And I'm looking forward to the next... adventure," the "Like a Boss" actor exclaimed. "She's back on the market! Looking for an English huzzzband! And you have to spell it just like that! Huzzzband!"
