Billy Porter Makes Directorial Debut in Coming-of-Age Film, 'What If?'

Billy Porter During London Fashion Week February 2020 - Day 3

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The Emmy, Grammy, and Tony — takes a breath — award winner that is Billy Porter will make his feature directorial debut in What If?

Variety reported that the coming-of-age drama will follow a high school senior who is vocal on social media about his crush on Kelsa, a trans girl at his school. After receiving encouragement from the internet to pursue a relationship, the two embark on a romance that neither of them saw coming.

The Pittsburgh native shared the news to Instagram captioning the post, “I’m thrilled to be part of this new space in Hollywood for telling all types of stories from all types of people. I am grateful to be in a position to usher some of these stories into the mainstream and I am humbled. This announcement couldn’t have come at a better time when we are honoring and raising awareness for our Transgender family across the globe.”

Porter has been an outspoken activist for the LGBTQ community since he came out in 1985. In an interview with USA Today, the Pose actor shared that he came out in the middle of the AIDS crisis.

“We went straight to the front lines to fight for our lives,” he said. “I’ve lived what this is. I know this story by heart … The only way we can stay in a democracy is if people rise up and speak truth to power when it’s necessary.”

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