The glitz and glamour of Hollywood often shield the realities that lie beneath its shimmering surface. Emmy-winning actor Billy Porter has ripped back the curtain, revealing the harsh consequences of the ongoing Hollywood strikes.
Amid the turmoil of Hollywood’s Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes, Emmy-winning Pose actor Billy Porter is making a bold move that resonates with the struggles of many. In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, Porter declared his intention to sell his house, driven by the financial strain of the ongoing strikes. But his decision is not just a personal one – it’s a spotlight on an industry in turmoil.
Porter’s frustration is palpable as he confronts the harsh reality of life amid the strikes. “Because we’re on strike. And I don’t know when we’re gonna go back,” he shared candidly.
The struggle is real, and Porter’s words cut through the glitzy façade, exposing an industry where even Emmy winners find themselves living “check-to-check.”
“The life of an artist, until you make fuck-you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still check-to-check. I was supposed to be in a new movie and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening,” he said.
The backdrop of Porter’s decision is painted with the words of an unnamed studio executive from a July report by Deadline. The executive’s words, suggesting a strategy to prolong the strikes until union members are forced to sell their homes, hit a nerve. Porter’s response was a bold challenge: “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.”
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Since May, the entertainment industry has been in the grip of strikes, with the WGA and SAG fighting for better wages in the digital age and protection against the encroachment of artificial intelligence. Porter’s struggle is a reflection of the larger narrative unfolding in Hollywood. As unions unite to negotiate with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the stakes are higher than ever.
Porter’s dissatisfaction extends beyond the strikes themselves. He turns his attention to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who referred to the strikes as “very disturbing.” Porter’s incredulous response was laced with defiance: “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; fuck you.”
As the entertainment industry holds its breath in anticipation of change, Billy Porter’s personal sacrifice serves as a poignant reminder that even the brightest stars can find themselves navigating uncharted waters.
