Billy Porter (‘Our Son’ actor and songwriter) on the chance to prove ‘fabulous and serious do coexist’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

David Buchanan
·5 min read
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Billy Porter wrote the song “Always Be My Man” before he even knew about the film “Our Son,” let alone knew he would star in it, too. The multi-talented performer had wanted to pen a piece with collaborators Joe Killington and Conor Reeves about “the complexity of a relationship,” especially because he was living through a moment in which he was “fighting” with his now ex-husband. When the script for Bill Oliver’s film came his way soon after, the actor felt “the song was the law of attraction for me to receive this moment.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

The desire to write a song for a film in which he also stars is one Porter has felt for a very long time. “I’ve been doing movies since 1999. I’ve been trying to get a song in a movie that I’m in since then. I have been completely dismissed for decades,” explains the Emmy-winning actor. He knows it is not a new concept, citing not only Barbra Streisand, who starred in and wrote an Oscar-winning song for 1976’s “A Star Is Born,” but more recently, Leslie Odom Jr., who earned two Oscar nominations for “One Night in Miami…” for Supporting Actor and for Original Song for “Speak Now.”

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Even though it took decades to arrive, the moment to star in and write “Always Be My Man” for the film “Our Son” feels especially important to Porter because “two gay, out, above-the-title movie stars — interracial couple in the film — are singing a love duet in the spirit of ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’ and ‘Endless Love.’ When has that ever happened before?” He describes the song as one of “hope,” adding, “Never give up hope. People come into your life for a reason, a season, and/or a lifetime, and this divorce, child custody drama ends on lifetime, and I love that.”

Porter stars in the film as Gabriel, an actor, husband to Nicky (Luke Evans), and stay-at-home father of Owen (Christopher Woodley) who makes a difficult decision to end his marriage and kicks off a challenging period for him and his ex as they struggle with the question of who should have primary custody of their young son. The role resonated with the Tony-winning actor because of his personal experiences: “I was in an interracial relationship. I know what it feels like to be an actor trying to make it, and I know what it feels like to be a part of the generation of the first. We’re the first generation of gay men who are able to live out loud, proud, have our rights, get married, and all that stuff… it doesn’t always work, and that’s what this story is about, and that’s what was most exciting.”

SEE Billy Porter on his 35-year journey to success: ‘I took the road less traveled’

Although he could easily identify with the role of Gabriel, Porter was struck by how “quiet” the film and character both are, something he admits he is not. “I knew that this part for me was going to be a surprise for a lot of people because everybody’s so used to me being over the top and flamboyant,” observes the actor. He says “Our Son” gives him the opportunity to prove that “fabulous and serious do coexist, and it looks like me. This is what it looks like, it’s not one or the other.” He credits Ryan Murphy — who created the series “Pose” for which Porter won an Emmy — for seeing in him the potential to be a “leading man,” sharing, “Everybody told me that my queerness would be my liability… and they were right for decades, they were right. Until they weren’t.”

“Our Son” boasts an incredible ensemble on theatre actors, including Tony nominees Gabby Beans, Kate Burton, Andrew Rannells and two-time Tony winner Phylicia Rashad. The latter is a personal friend of Porter’s who came in for two hours to shoot a pivotal scene in the movie as Gabriel’s mother. The scene occurs as Gabriel is in the midst of the worsening custody battle with Nicky, and the actor says he “needed somebody for that scene who was going to challenge Gabriel in that tough-love way. She did a tough-love thing, and it’s so beautiful.”

An Oscar nomination for his performance or for Original Song would put Porter within reach of achieving EGOT, as he has already received Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards. He first won a Tony for his leading role in the musical “Kinky Boots,” followed shortly thereafter with a Grammy victory for the musical’s original Broadway cast recording. He subsequently won the Drama Actor Emmy for “Pose.”

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