The 'Pose' star, is currently working on his feature filmmaking debut 'What If?', has been tapped to direct and executive produce 'To Be Real' for Amazon Studios.
- August 23, 2021
AceShowbiz - "Pose" star Billy Porter is stepping behind the camera to direct queer teen comedy "To Be Real".
The actor and singer is currently working on his feature filmmaking debut "What If?", and his next film, for Amazon Studios, will be about three friends from the LGBTQ community, who escape their hometown for an "insane, often divisive, but ultimately fierce" Pride Weekend in New York City, according to Variety.
Gabrielle Union will produce through her I'll Have Another company. Porter and Ryan Shiraki - who has written the original script - will executive produce. Castings details have not yet been released.
It's a busy time for Billy, who will compete for a primetime Emmy Award next month (September 2021), after scoring his third nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series for his "Pose" character, Pray Tell. He won an Emmy for the role in 2019.
In another news, Billy will reunite with Ledisi in a revival of "The Life". The 51-year-old actor will direct and adapt the 1997 Broadway musical for the upcoming season of "Encores!" at New York's City Center from March 16 to 20, while the 49-year-old actress will tackle the role of Sonja.
When talking about working with Ledisi, Billy previously said, "When I was in drama school at Carnegie Melon and I couldn't understand the acting thing because I was a singer first and then a dancer second, my teacher said 'Billy, whatever it is that you're channeling when you sing that Jesus music you're singing is what I'm talking about in this class."
"If you could find a way to connect to talking in the way you sing, you’ll be fine. You’ll be amazing. That is Ledisi," he went on to elaborate. "I am so excited to get in a room with her and have Broadway audiences receive that."
