Billy Porter set to write and star in upcoming James Baldwin biopic
American actor Billy Porter, known for his prolific Broadway career and Emmy-winning performance in Pose, will be taking on the role of James Baldwin in an upcoming biopic.
The film, which is currently untitled, will trace the life of the writer and activist, based on the 1994 book James Baldwin: A Biography. Alongside Dan McCabe, Porter will write the script, as well as co-producing with Byron Allen’s Media Group Pictures.
In a statement (via The Guardian), Porter explained, “As a Black queer man on this planet with relative consciousness, I find myself, like James Baldwin said, ‘in a rage all the time’.” He added, “I am because James was. I stand on James Baldwin’s shoulders, and I intend to expand his legacy for generations to come.”
Byron Allen from Allen Media Group said: “Billy Porter and Dan McCabe’s talent and commitment to amplifying James Baldwin’s legacy and contributions are invaluable and unmatched for this unique and epic story.”
Porter referenced the legendary writer in his 2019 Emmys acceptance speech when he became the first openly gay black man to win ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series’ for Pose. He quoted Baldwin’s 1960 essay, They Can’t Turn Back, “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.”
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