(Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images)
Billy Porter has been making a splash over the past year, and at the recently held Emmy’d he made an even bigger splash as he accomplished a historic feat.
Porter took home an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, making him the first openly gay black man to do so. Porter won for his portrayal of the emcee Pray Tell on the hit FX show, Pose.
This newest win is an impressive addition to an already crowded trophy shelf for Porter. He had been awarded a Tony for his portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots, and a Grammy for the cast recording of the same musical play. Porter now just needs to win an Oscar for him to complete the elusive EGOT — Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Only 15 people have accomplished this feat, including Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn, Whoopi Goldberg, and John Legend.
Porter took his win as an opportunity to quote from James Baldwin’s 1960 essay “They Can’t Turn Back,” saying “it took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as if I had a right to be here.”
Check out the complete list of Emmy winners below:
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Writing for a Comedy Series
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Director for a Comedy Series
Harry Bradbeer, Fleabag
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Bill Hader, Barry
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Outstanding Reality Competition Series
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Patricia Arquette, The Act
Directing for a Limited Series
Johan Renck, Chernobyl
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal
Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama
Craig Mazin, Chernobyl
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
Outstanding Television Movie
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
Outstanding Limited Series
Chernobyl
Writing for a Variety Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Saturday Night Live
Director for a Variety Series
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Writing for a Drama Series
Jesse Armstrong, Succession
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Julia Garner, Ozark
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Billy Porter, Pose
Directing for a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Outstanding Comedy Series
Fleabag
Outstanding Drama Series
Game of Thrones
He bragging or complaining. Boring. Next story
May there be many black boys and men who are inspired to conquer the dual toxicity of racism and homophobia we often experience in this country by positive images like this, self acceptance and self love.
Represent Brotha Billy!
These awards have no meaning anymore IMO. Another BIG WIN for Affirmative Action nothing more.
I have been a big fan of his from way back glad to see he’s still going strong this is long over due for a black man to win that award
He only won because he’s what Amerikka wants to see in a gay Black man…effeminate and emasculated by a white male.
PRELATE10:
Whatever happened to “Black & Beautiful”?
The Hat surely came from “Mahogany” starring Diana Ross?
Good for him. He is telling quickly the experience of black men in particular black gay men. That narrative is that black men have no value and if your gay, useless. He revolted from that narrative that was giving to him by insecure white men and rose to be who he is today, fabulous. This isn’t affirmative action at work, this is persistence(he’s been around for a while) and hard work paying off. His success will lift up some black gay person somewhere and remind him that he has value and press forward.
Well said, “you have value, period.”