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Billy Porter Waves Off James Baldwin Biopic Casting Criticism
He slammed random internet critics for assuming "their opinion matters at all."
Billy Porter is paying no mind to haters who are already coming out of the woodwork to critique his casting in the upcoming James Baldwin biopic.
It was announced last week that the actor would take on the role of the influential gay writer in a film based on David Leeming’s James Baldwin: A Biography. Porter is also co-writing the script with fellow actor Dan McCabe, but it was the perception of his ability to portray Baldwin that some on social media were preemptively calling into question.
Tamron Hall brought the topic up with Porter during Wednesday’s episode of her talk show — and he had no qualms shutting the haters right down.
“First and foremost, the internet has created a space where it’s made people think that their opinion matters at all,” he said. “I am 53 years old and I’ve dedicated my life to my art and my craft. Question me at your own peril.”
Notably, the criticisms of Porter’s casting have largely been rooted in homophobic stereotypes, mocking the Pose star’s own flamboyance and insinuating that because those are largely the types of characters he’s played in the past, that’s all he, as a gay man who doesn't embody the narrow norms of masculinity, is capable of doing.
\u201cbilly porter as james baldwin:\u201d— Wendell (@Wendell) 1681337792
\u201c@mizchief Billy is going to over act this role.\n\nJames Baldwin was way more than his sexual preference. I'm afraid Billy will over exaggerate that aspect of his legacy and make it more about his liberated experience as a Black LGBT male.\u201d— TroubleFromBirth (@TroubleFromBirth) 1681527518
\u201cBilly porter as James Baldwin halfway through writing Giovanni\u2019s Room \u201d— Dylan Ali (@Dylan Ali) 1681331104
It’s also notable that a number of these critics seem to focus on saying that Baldwin was “so much more” than his sexual orientation, while declining to extend that same acknowledgement of humanity to Porter. If anything, these comments appear to betray an interest in downplaying Baldwin’s own queerness and suggest even casting a gay man in the role at all is purely for spectacle.
Part of the controversial push to cast more queer actors in queer roles is due to the public perception that actors like Porter can only be convincing playing these parts — a broad generalization that is never applied to heterosexual actors in the same manner, and which results in queer actors being shut out from playing characters that aren’t explicitly gay. If they aren’t given the opportunity to showcase their range due to these stereotypes, then of course audiences aren’t going to know what they are truly capable of.
But despite the backlash and all the ignorance it’s revealing surrounding the challenges LGBTQ+ actors face in the entertainment industry, Porter is determined to do Baldwin justice in the film.
“James Baldwin and his work and what he represented in the world, everything, he’s one of the first people who I saw who looked like me, who represented me in the fullness: Black, queer, and present. I’m alive because I was able to see him in my early 20s,” he said.
“I’ve worked hard for this… I’m going to focus on the work — that’s all I can do. People have been doubting me my whole life. This ain’t nothing new.”
Porter uses he/him pronouns.
Porter has been in eight Broadway shows thus far in his career.
Porter is probably best known for his role in FX's Pose.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
