August 5, 2022 • 11 mins
Billy Porter talks new movie, Tony Award win and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Mario Lopez. Mario Lopez joining on the phone, Grammy Tony
and Emmy Winnie. Actor and now director Mr Billy Porter.
Welcome to the show man. Thank you, how are you?
I'm doing well, bid Billy. You know, before we get
into it, I gotta tell you, um my wife and
I who you knows from Pittsburgh. I gonna tell you
every time I saw your I tell you every time
(00:23):
because I knew your sister and worked with your sister
before you knew her. That's right, Gina, Gina, and we've
the family watched you on um, oh my gosh, it
wasn't no on uh uh Lisa Coudrow show because I
did the one on PBS with the Finding of Roots.
What was the name? So I can I can get
(00:44):
this clear? Boy, it's called um damn. You forgot to
what the hell is? Who do you think you? Okay,
let me do that clean. Let me let me get
you a clean right here, So, Billy, I gotta say
everyone at Costa Lopez watched you on UM who do
you Think you Are? Which I thought was fascinating. I
(01:06):
love the show. I love that you went back to Pittsburgh.
I did a similar show over on on PBS. But
it's so cool to kind of trace your roots and
it's a very sort of surreal at least I found
um sort of emotional experience, right, It's very emotional because
I think one of the things that um, you know,
(01:26):
we don't understand um as humans is our history and
those of us and those who don't know know their
history are doomed to repeat it. And you know, I
just find it really interesting. It was very very interesting
for me to find out about this history about both
(01:47):
sides of my family. It was really beautiful and really calming,
I have to say it was, and it was it
was very entertaining as as a viewers, so that that
was very cool. And UM. With that said, Mac, congratulations
on the recent sony. When were you were you were
to put all these awards that you're that you're collecting player, Well,
(02:08):
you know, I'm just doing the work, really, that's all
I'm focused on. The awards are icing on the cake,
and I'm very grateful, Yes, very very grateful. Thank you.
You're you're making your directorial debut with Anything's Possible, UM
as the first time director. Did did you feel initially
(02:29):
overwhelmed or was it a big deal. Um, it is overwhelming.
You know, it is all day, every day seven Everything
happens at the same time. You know, it's it's navigating
and problem solving, like twenty four hours a day for
(02:54):
however long this this was like three months, four months.
At one time, it was probably the most exhausting experience
I've ever encountered. And you know, I did h week
for thirty years, you know, and this was even more
exhausting than that. However, um, I loved it. I love it.
(03:20):
I love being a storyteller. I love being able to
you know, put the kind of energy out into the
world that this film puts out. So um, that is
the goal, that's always been the goal for me, is
to use my platform and my powers for good. You know,
(03:43):
Anything's Possible really follows uh a black trans girl in
high school, and it's about the joy of being trans.
It's about celebrate breeding the transgender community. It's about the
normally the normalization and the humanization of the other. And
I just feel really blessed and grateful to be able
(04:05):
to have been at the helm of something so specific
and necessary right now, and you got to film it
in the four one two, right that your hometown and
picture must have it extra special in the four ones.
Who Yeah, well it was interesting because um as I
was reading the script that Christine b Sean Um you know,
(04:27):
sent me with her other producing partners David had Ahosta,
DJ Guggenheim and UM Andrew Lauren. You know, I read
the first pages and it sort of felt like you know,
classic Anywhere, USA. And then all of a sudden, you know,
the slug line rag Pittsburgh Conservatory. I was like, what
(04:53):
like they buried the lead like and it was just
so you know, uh, our screenwriting hamnah lahuna very believed
and I just at that point I knew, oh my god,
this is a space for me to be able to
create create a visual love letter to the hometown that
raised me. Um. You know, Pittsburgh. I still feel in
(05:21):
sort of the world gets the rap of like being
still being like uh, you know, depressed kind of steel
town or something, and it's like steel hasn't been there
for over fifty years, and we're pivoted. You know. Our
our government officials understood the pivot um and you know,
(05:44):
did not blame the losing of steel on nameless, faceless immigrants.
They actually you know, put in place policies and you know,
pivoted to technology and now it's sort of considered the
the East Coast Silicon Valley with Google there and Uber
(06:05):
is there, and you know, of course the arts has
always been there, and medicine, you know, over the last
fifty years U p MC have kind of taken over
the market. Is top five in the world for medicine.
You know, it's a it's a thriving, progressive metropolis. And
we get to see what that looks like through the
(06:26):
visuals of this movie. And I'm so you know, geeked
to have been able to kind of like being the
person that like changes that narrative. Yeah, no, you're right,
because you know I learned that obviously being married to
a girl from Pittsburgh. But I was so surprised just
when he became Amorta, like so many talented people come
(06:47):
from there. There really is. I didn't realize it was
such a Haydn for talent and and a lot of
people ware on Broadway and film and coming to crying O,
whether it's Jeff Goldblue, Michael Key, all these people, yourself.
I just thought it was really really cool. Um getting
back to exactly you know, Yeah, it goes on and on. Man,
(07:08):
it's it's a yeah, a special place. Um, you didn't
just direct this, you also wrote songs for the film soundtrack, right, Yes,
I did the soundtrack. I you know, am newly signed
as an artist to Republic Records and UH Island Records
in the UK. And I have my own new music
coming out, actually have a single out already called Children,
(07:32):
and I have the full album coming out really soon. Um.
And they actually signed on and you know, we did
the soundtrack for the film. I wanted to. I wanted
you know, I'm a musician. I'm a music person and
the way I tell stories it's through music. That's a
part of it. And so I joined with Justin Tranter's
(07:55):
camp and we wrote five new songs for the film.
And also I'm cure rated um a group of really talented,
mostly queer young queer new artists, and that is it's magical.
(08:15):
It's fabulous. It's like you have to sort of like
watch it and then go and experience the sound track
because it's a really it's a good one. I'm very
proud look forward to to checking it out. My man
um also on the works for you Sports comedy called
Eighties for Brady and what a cast Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda,
Rita Moreno, what what can you tell us about that?
(08:38):
Shall Fields? It's you know, it's a comedy about four old,
fabulous broads who are Tom Brady fans and they win tickets.
True story too right, it's a true story. It is
based on a true story. So funny and it's and
(08:58):
they win tickets to um the two thousand sixteen come
back super Bowl. Um. You know, sports is not my ministry,
so they had to tell me what the story was.
But it's a fantastic story. And UM, I get to
play the you know, it's the here that they that
(09:21):
they came back in the fourth quarter. Tom Brady came
back in the fourth quarter, UM with the other team
at like a thirty five point lead or something, and
they came back to win. And I think that's just fabulous.
And um, I play um the director choreographer of the
halftime show. Oh, that's great, this is great. I'm looking
(09:42):
forward to checking that out. Mare. That's great. It's fun.
It's a really fun movie. And it was really great
working with those ladies who are heroes of mine. UM
mentors you know, distant mentors of mine, not knowing, you know,
but their work throughout the years have has really shaped me,
(10:02):
helped shape me as an artist. So it was it
was really magical to be in the space and share
the space with them. Yeah. Those all right cons right there?
That's awesome. Um, hey, Billy, you're all over social media
with Twitter, Instagram, TikTok. How do you come up with
separate content for each that that was? That sounds like
a full time job right there. But listen, I'm not
(10:24):
gonna lie to you. I have help myself. Ok. I'm
not doing enough by myself, and anybody who wants or
expects me to do that is crazy because it is
a full time job. You have to. You know, I
actually have a full time job and that's my art.
And I use my social media platform to help, you know,
(10:50):
push my art out there. Um, and so I have help.
I have to. Just you know, be real with you.
I appreciate it. I appreciate what. Man. It's always nice
to catch up with you, and congratulations on everything. Anything's
Possible is out now on Amazon. Billy. Thanks for taking
the time today. Thank you, and loves and kisses and smoothes.
(11:14):
And Hubbs to the family, please thank you my friend.
You got it. I appreciate it. I'll talk to you,
so okay, take care. On with Mario. A little petti
Mario Lopez. Mario Lopez joining on the phone, Grammy Tony
and Emmy Winnie. Actor and now director Mr Billy Porter.
Welcome to the show man. Thank you, how are you?
I'm doing well, bid Billy. You know, before we get
into it, I gotta tell you, um my wife and
I who you knows from Pittsburgh. I gonna tell you
every time I saw your I tell you every time
(00:23):
because I knew your sister and worked with your sister
before you knew her. That's right, Gina, Gina, and we've
the family watched you on um, oh my gosh, it
wasn't no on uh uh Lisa Coudrow show because I
did the one on PBS with the Finding of Roots.
What was the name? So I can I can get
(00:44):
this clear? Boy, it's called um damn. You forgot to
what the hell is? Who do you think you? Okay,
let me do that clean. Let me let me get
you a clean right here, So, Billy, I gotta say
everyone at Costa Lopez watched you on UM who do
you Think you Are? Which I thought was fascinating. I
(01:06):
love the show. I love that you went back to Pittsburgh.
I did a similar show over on on PBS. But
it's so cool to kind of trace your roots and
it's a very sort of surreal at least I found
um sort of emotional experience, right, It's very emotional because
I think one of the things that um, you know,
(01:26):
we don't understand um as humans is our history and
those of us and those who don't know know their
history are doomed to repeat it. And you know, I
just find it really interesting. It was very very interesting
for me to find out about this history about both
(01:47):
sides of my family. It was really beautiful and really calming,
I have to say it was, and it was it
was very entertaining as as a viewers, so that that
was very cool. And UM. With that said, Mac, congratulations
on the recent sony. When were you were you were
to put all these awards that you're that you're collecting player, Well,
(02:08):
you know, I'm just doing the work, really, that's all
I'm focused on. The awards are icing on the cake,
and I'm very grateful, Yes, very very grateful. Thank you.
You're you're making your directorial debut with Anything's Possible, UM
as the first time director. Did did you feel initially
(02:29):
overwhelmed or was it a big deal. Um, it is overwhelming.
You know, it is all day, every day seven Everything
happens at the same time. You know, it's it's navigating
and problem solving, like twenty four hours a day for
(02:54):
however long this this was like three months, four months.
At one time, it was probably the most exhausting experience
I've ever encountered. And you know, I did h week
for thirty years, you know, and this was even more
exhausting than that. However, um, I loved it. I love it.
(03:20):
I love being a storyteller. I love being able to
you know, put the kind of energy out into the
world that this film puts out. So um, that is
the goal, that's always been the goal for me, is
to use my platform and my powers for good. You know,
(03:43):
Anything's Possible really follows uh a black trans girl in
high school, and it's about the joy of being trans.
It's about celebrate breeding the transgender community. It's about the
normally the normalization and the humanization of the other. And
I just feel really blessed and grateful to be able
(04:05):
to have been at the helm of something so specific
and necessary right now, and you got to film it
in the four one two, right that your hometown and
picture must have it extra special in the four ones.
Who Yeah, well it was interesting because um as I
was reading the script that Christine b Sean Um you know,
(04:27):
sent me with her other producing partners David had Ahosta,
DJ Guggenheim and UM Andrew Lauren. You know, I read
the first pages and it sort of felt like you know,
classic Anywhere, USA. And then all of a sudden, you know,
the slug line rag Pittsburgh Conservatory. I was like, what
(04:53):
like they buried the lead like and it was just
so you know, uh, our screenwriting hamnah lahuna very believed
and I just at that point I knew, oh my god,
this is a space for me to be able to
create create a visual love letter to the hometown that
raised me. Um. You know, Pittsburgh. I still feel in
(05:21):
sort of the world gets the rap of like being
still being like uh, you know, depressed kind of steel
town or something, and it's like steel hasn't been there
for over fifty years, and we're pivoted. You know. Our
our government officials understood the pivot um and you know,
(05:44):
did not blame the losing of steel on nameless, faceless immigrants.
They actually you know, put in place policies and you know,
pivoted to technology and now it's sort of considered the
the East Coast Silicon Valley with Google there and Uber
(06:05):
is there, and you know, of course the arts has
always been there, and medicine, you know, over the last
fifty years U p MC have kind of taken over
the market. Is top five in the world for medicine.
You know, it's a it's a thriving, progressive metropolis. And
we get to see what that looks like through the
(06:26):
visuals of this movie. And I'm so you know, geeked
to have been able to kind of like being the
person that like changes that narrative. Yeah, no, you're right,
because you know I learned that obviously being married to
a girl from Pittsburgh. But I was so surprised just
when he became Amorta, like so many talented people come
(06:47):
from there. There really is. I didn't realize it was
such a Haydn for talent and and a lot of
people ware on Broadway and film and coming to crying O,
whether it's Jeff Goldblue, Michael Key, all these people, yourself.
I just thought it was really really cool. Um getting
back to exactly you know, Yeah, it goes on and on. Man,
(07:08):
it's it's a yeah, a special place. Um, you didn't
just direct this, you also wrote songs for the film soundtrack, right, Yes,
I did the soundtrack. I you know, am newly signed
as an artist to Republic Records and UH Island Records
in the UK. And I have my own new music
coming out, actually have a single out already called Children,
(07:32):
and I have the full album coming out really soon. Um.
And they actually signed on and you know, we did
the soundtrack for the film. I wanted to. I wanted
you know, I'm a musician. I'm a music person and
the way I tell stories it's through music. That's a
part of it. And so I joined with Justin Tranter's
(07:55):
camp and we wrote five new songs for the film.
And also I'm cure rated um a group of really talented,
mostly queer young queer new artists, and that is it's magical.
(08:15):
It's fabulous. It's like you have to sort of like
watch it and then go and experience the sound track
because it's a really it's a good one. I'm very
proud look forward to to checking it out. My man
um also on the works for you Sports comedy called
Eighties for Brady and what a cast Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda,
Rita Moreno, what what can you tell us about that?
(08:38):
Shall Fields? It's you know, it's a comedy about four old,
fabulous broads who are Tom Brady fans and they win tickets.
True story too right, it's a true story. It is
based on a true story. So funny and it's and
(08:58):
they win tickets to um the two thousand sixteen come
back super Bowl. Um. You know, sports is not my ministry,
so they had to tell me what the story was.
But it's a fantastic story. And UM, I get to
play the you know, it's the here that they that
(09:21):
they came back in the fourth quarter. Tom Brady came
back in the fourth quarter, UM with the other team
at like a thirty five point lead or something, and
they came back to win. And I think that's just fabulous.
And um, I play um the director choreographer of the
halftime show. Oh, that's great, this is great. I'm looking
(09:42):
forward to checking that out. Mare. That's great. It's fun.
It's a really fun movie. And it was really great
working with those ladies who are heroes of mine. UM
mentors you know, distant mentors of mine, not knowing, you know,
but their work throughout the years have has really shaped me,
(10:02):
helped shape me as an artist. So it was it
was really magical to be in the space and share
the space with them. Yeah. Those all right cons right there?
That's awesome. Um, hey, Billy, you're all over social media
with Twitter, Instagram, TikTok. How do you come up with
separate content for each that that was? That sounds like
a full time job right there. But listen, I'm not
(10:24):
gonna lie to you. I have help myself. Ok. I'm
not doing enough by myself, and anybody who wants or
expects me to do that is crazy because it is
a full time job. You have to. You know, I
actually have a full time job and that's my art.
And I use my social media platform to help, you know,
(10:50):
push my art out there. Um, and so I have help.
I have to. Just you know, be real with you.
I appreciate it. I appreciate what. Man. It's always nice
to catch up with you, and congratulations on everything. Anything's
Possible is out now on Amazon. Billy. Thanks for taking
the time today. Thank you, and loves and kisses and smoothes.
(11:14):
And Hubbs to the family, please thank you my friend.
You got it. I appreciate it. I'll talk to you,
so okay, take care. On with Mario. A little petti
Host
Mario Lopez
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