Billy Porter forced to sell house amid Hollywood strike, claims it has left him destitute.
Actor Billy Porter Claims He Must Sell His Home Amidst Hollywood Strike
Renowned actor Billy Porter recently revealed that he is forced to sell his home as the ongoing writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood continues to drag on.
Struggling Artists and the Impact of the Strike
During an interview with The Evening Standard, the star of “Pose” discussed the detrimental effects of the strike. Porter expressed his frustration, stating, “I have to sell my house because we’re on strike. And I don’t know when we’re gonna go back. The life of an artist, until you make f***-you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still check-to-check.”
Porter further revealed, “I was supposed to be in a new movie and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening. So to the person who said, ‘We’re going to starve them out until they have to sell their apartments’ — you’ve already starved me out.”
Anonymous Executives and Delayed Negotiations
Porter’s reference to an anonymous Hollywood executive stems from a statement made to Deadline. The executive claimed that studios intentionally delayed negotiations with the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) until members ran out of money.
The Need for Contract Evolution
Discussing the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, Porter emphasized the necessity for contract evolution. He explained, “In the late ’50s, early ’60s, when they structured a way for artists to be compensated properly through residual [payments], it allowed for the two percent of working actors — and there are 150,000 people in our union — who work consistently… Then streaming came in.”
Porter continued, “There’s no contract for it… And they don’t have to be transparent with the numbers — it’s not Nielsen ratings anymore. The streaming companies are notoriously opaque with their viewership figures. The business has evolved. So the contract has to evolve and change, period.”
Calling Out Disney CEO Bob Iger
Porter also directed his criticism towards Disney CEO Bob Iger. In response to Iger’s dismissal of the union’s demands as “unrealistic” and “disturbing,” Porter exclaimed, “To hear Bob Iger say that our demands for a living wage are unrealistic? While he makes $78,000 a day? I don’t have any words for it, but: f*** you.”
Porter added, “That’s not useful, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. I haven’t engaged because I’m so enraged… When I go back, I will join the picket lines.”
The Misconceptions and Hesitations
During the interview, Porter expressed his reluctance to complain about his pay due to the misconceptions held by some. He shared, “One of the reasons I can’t talk about the strike is because of the s*** that I’ve seen some lay people write about us: ‘Just a bunch of millionaires trying to get more millions.'”
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