William Ellis Porter II (born September 21, 1969) is an American actor and singer. Porter gained notice performing on Broadway before starting a solo career as a singer and actor. For his role as Lola in Kinky Boots, Porter won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. He credits the part for "cracking open" his feminine side to confront toxic masculinity. Porter also won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the musical's accompanying album.
Porter starred in all three seasons of the television series Pose, for which he was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and won the 2019 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys. In 2020, he was included on Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2022, he won another Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop.
He made his directorial debut in 2022 with the romantic comedy film Anything's Possible. Porter received the Isabelle Stevenson Award at the 77th Tony Awards for his humanitarian work with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Entertainment Community Fund.
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Known For
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Magno Stift
2026
I Was Born This Way
Self
2025
My Happy Place
Self · (6 episodes)
2025
Disco’s Revenge
2024
Eric André Live Near Broadway
Self
2024
Queen of New York
2023
Truth Be Told
2023
80 for Brady
Gugu
2023
The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
Taylor
2000
Camp
Mark
Christmas Karma
2025
Live from the Other Side with Tyler Henry
Self · (1 episode)
2024
Our Son
Gabriel
2023
Let the Canary Sing
Self
2023
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self - Guest
2023
Little Richard: I Am Everything
Self
2023
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!
Self
2022
Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?
Self · (1 episode)
2022
The Jennifer Hudson Show
(1 episode)
2022
Sherri
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2022
Homeward Bound: A Grammy Salute to the Songs of Paul Simon
Self
2022
PRIDE: To Be Seen - A Soul of a Nation Presentation
Pray Tell (archive footage)
2022
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
Randall (voice) · (2 episodes)
2022
RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World
Self - Special Guest · (1 episode)
2022
That's My Jam
Self · (1 episode)
2021
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Self - Panellist · (1 episode)
2021
Cinderella
Fabulous Godmother
2021
Smoke, Lilies and Jade
2021
The Circuit
Self - Singer/Actor · (1 episode)
2021
Middlemost Post
Recycle King (voice) · (1 episode)
2021
Gossip Girl
Singer · (1 episode)
2021
That Damn Michael Che
(1 episode)
2021
Where Love Lives: A Story of Dancefloor Culture & Expression
(Himself)
2021
25 Years of Rent: Measured in Love
2021
Equal
Narrator · (4 episodes)
2020
The Drew Barrymore Show
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Pose-a-Thon for Pride
2020
Dear...
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone
Self
2020
Stars in the House
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Visible: Out on Television
Self · (5 episodes)
2020
Like a Boss
Barrett
2020
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2019
The Twilight Zone
(1 episode)
2019
Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2019
Desus & Mero
Self - Illustrious Guest · (1 episode)
2019
POSE
Pray Tell · (26 episodes)
2018
Every Act of Life
Self
2018
Broadway: The Next Generation
Self
2017
Big Mouth
Ocean (voice) · (1 episode)
2017
Big Mouth
(1 episode)
2017
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Celebrity Family Feud
Self · (1 episode)
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2015
The Humbling
Prince
2014
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Speaker · (2 episodes)
2014
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
(1 episode)
2014
American Horror Story
Behold Chablis · (3 episodes)
2011
Heart of Broadway: The Ensemble Behind Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Himself
2011
The Shoe
2011
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
2010
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Self · (1 episode)
2007
Indie Sex
Self · (2 episodes)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (3 episodes)
2007
All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise
Himself
2006
Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema
Self
2006
Dancing with the Stars
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2005
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (1 episode)
2004
Noel
Randy
2004
Intern
Sebastian Niederfarb
2000
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Jackie Walker · (1 episode)
1999
Colorz of Rage
Street Performer
1999
Anastasia
Ensemble and Character Vocals (voice)
1997
The View
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1997
The View
Self · (3 episodes)
1997
Twisted
Shiniqua, Angel's friend
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1996
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
Little Richard · (2 episodes)
1991
Law & Order
Greg Ellison · (1 episode)
1990
The Simpsons
Desmond (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1988
MTV Video Music Awards
Self · (2 episodes)
1984
Raquel: Total beauty and fitness
1984
Saturday Night Live
Self - Cameo (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1975
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self - Co-Host (New Orleans) · (4 episodes)
1972
The Grammys
Self · (1 episode)
1959
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1944