From the screen to the stage, there's no goal Billy Porter can't achieve.
Just shy of achieving EGOT status (only missing an Oscar), the star is now focusing on the director's chair with his directorial debut in television on the newest episode of FOX's Accused.
The episode focuses on a fierce drag queen and a whirlwind affair that leads to devastating consequences.
"It's about the humanization and reminding people that we're all human first. The pain comes in the dehumanizing. I find as a Black queer man, who has gone through the shame and set myself free, [I'm] now a voice and living on my own terms," Porter tells Out.
At 53 years old, Porter has blazed new trails in the world of entertainment with multiple notable LGBTQ+ roles including Lola in Kinky Boots, Pray Tell in Pose, and most recently Gugu in 80 for Brady.
"I am the change that I was looking for. There was a void when I was young of this kind of representation. There was nothing. To be able to be at the helm of changing conversations, having conversations, leading conversations in the world... is really special."
As the actor moves behind the scenes in new projects, he's hoping to bring another level of authenticity to queer content seen in mainstream media.
"I'm so grateful that I've lived long enough to see the day where I can sit in this space and in the fullness of my authenticity. It's my superpower. For a long time, I was told that my queerness would be my liability... and it was for decades, until it wasn't. It's really magical."
By bringing his voice to a slew of films, shows, and musicals, Porter is hoping younger generations can feel inspired by the levels of representation available today.
"To publicly set myself free was always with the hope that others could be set free as a result. For the first 25 years of my career, I was trying to be masculine enough or perceived masculine enough to eat. I never imagined that my queerness would be my superpower. I could just be me... my true authentic gay ass self. I never thought I could do it like this. That is a gift. I'm trying to run the world honey!"
Catch the new episode of Accused tonight on FOX. To see the full interview with Billy Porter, check out the video below.
Billy Porter Celebrates His Authenticity & Journey as a Queer Entertainer youtu.be