Billy Porter, Film Director

 I met Billy Porter at a job fair for Screen Actors Guild members and other union professionals back in 2008. To be honest, I was surprised to see him next to me picking up pamphlets at one booth. I'd seen him on Broadway. He was sensational. I saw him as a supporting character in the 2000 gay buddy romance comedy/drama THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB. He was charismatic in every scene he had.

But I reminded myself that being in show business, being a performer in the arts, is not a regular Monday through Friday job, the kind of 9 to 5 employment that my relatives had, I was there because the national morning radio on which I was a regular, WAKE UP WITH WHOOPI, hosted by the Award-winning internationally famous Whoopi Goldberg, had been cancelled. Things worked out well for her. The exposure on the New York City-based broadcast led to her getting an offer to join the crew on ABC's THE VIEW.  The rest of us on the staff, however, had to hustle up new employment.

Billy and I struck up a conversation. He was very down-to-earth and sweet. There was no star attitude from him. We were just two New York City veteran performers in need of work. Billy recognized me from my years as a regular on local TV morning news shows, work I did before being hired by Whoopi.  Billy and I would run into each other again a couple of times in the city. We'd stop and chat some more. Months later, he gave me tickets to a short-run autobiographical play he'd written and directed in the theater district.

Billy Porter went on to score a huge success with a lead role as "Lola/Simon" in the 2013 Broadway musical version of the British comedy/drama KINKY BOOTS. He won a Tony Award. He scored another huge success on TV in the cast of POSE. He won an Emmy.

He has now made him directorial debut in the film world. ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE is described as "a celebration of the trans experience and a love letter to Pittsburgh." (That's Billy's hometown.)

In a review, a critic in The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "The POSE star has previously directed theater, but ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE is his first venture into film. One hopes it won't be his last."

I am so proud of Billy Porter that I just had to share this trailer for his directorial debut.

ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE debuts July 22nd on Prime Video.