Billy Porter Sibling: All About Mary Martha Ford

Billy Porter is an American actor, singer, and director known for his work in both theater and television.

He has won numerous awards, including three Tony Awards, a Grammy Award and an Emmy Award.

Porter gained notice for his role as Lola in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots, for which he won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

He has also starred in the television series, Pose, earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2019.

Porter has been open about his struggles with HIV, revealing his diagnosis in 2007 and using his character Pray Tell on Pose as a way to express his experiences.

He has also released several albums, including Billy Porter, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul and The Soul of Richard Rodgers.

Porter has been recognized for his influence and contributions to the arts, being named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020.

Siblings

Billy has a sister named Mary Martha Ford. She is Billy’s younger sister, and the two have been close throughout their lives.

Billy has spoken publicly about the strong bond he shares with his sister, often mentioning how she has been a source of support and encouragement for him throughout his career.

Billy has also talked about how his relationship with his sister has influenced his work, particularly in his role as Pray Tell on the television series, Pose.

Career

Porter’s career can be divided into several key areas. In theater, he began his career in the 1990s, performing on Broadway in productions such as Grease and Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

His breakout role came as Lola in the Broadway musical, Kinky Boots, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Porter has also appeared in various other Broadway productions, including Miss You Like Crazy, Shuffle Along and The Sound of Music Live!

In music, Porter has released several albums, including Billy Porter, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul and The Soul of Richard Rodgers.

He has collaborated with various artists, including Stephen Schwartz, Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga, and his music has included chart-topping hits like Love Is On The Way and Love Yourself.

On television, Porter starred as Pray Tell in the FX series Pose, earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2019.

He has also appeared in various other television shows, including American Horror Story, Glee and Cinderella as the Fabulous Godmother on Amazon Prime Video.

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Awards and accolades

Porter has won numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.

He has won three Tony Awards, including Best Actor in a Musical for Kinky Boots and Best Musical as a producer for A Strange Loop.

Porter also won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the Kinky Boots soundtrack in 2014.

In addition to his Tony and Grammy Awards, Porter has won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Pray Tell in the FX series, Pose, in 2019.

This made him the first openly gay Black man to win in a lead acting category.

Porter has also been recognized with a GLAAD Media Award for the Vito Russo Award in 2017 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022.

Porter has been nominated for numerous other awards, including three Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama for Pose in 2020 and 2022.

He has also received five Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations for Best Actor in a Drama Series for Pose in 2019, 2020 and 2022.

Furthermore, Porter has been nominated for four NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for Pose in 2020 and 2022.

In 2020, Time Magazine named Porter one of the 100 Most Influential People of the year, recognizing his influence and contributions to the arts.

Personal life

Porter was married to Adam Smith, a publicist, from 2017 until their separation in July 2023. The couple did not have any children together.

He has been open about his personal life, including his marriage and struggles with HIV, which he publicly disclosed in 2007.

Despite their separation, Porter has expressed gratitude for the time they spent together and the support Adam provided during his career.

Porter has not publicly spoken about having children, focusing instead on his work and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights.

His role as Pray Tell on Pose has been praised for its portrayal of a gay man living with HIV, and he has used his platform to raise awareness about the disease and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community.