Billy Porter has conquered film, television and Broadway, and now they’re bringing their signature flair to The Hunger Games franchise. Known for their theatrical sensibility, head-turning looks and unapologetically extravagant fashion, Porter seems right at home in a world where Capitol citizens treat every public appearance like the Met Gala.
The Grammy-, Tony-, and Emmy Award-winning powerhouse is entering a new chapter with The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. But this time, Porter has their sights set on something bigger than another accolade. They’re ready for ownership.
Long before audiences were captivated by their performance in FX’s Pose, Porter had already established themselves as a formidable stage presence. As Pray Tell, the larger-than-life ballroom emcee with a heart of gold and a razor-sharp tongue, Porter delivered some of the series’ most unforgettable moments, balancing biting wit with vulnerability and emotional depth.
But Pose was only one chapter in a career built on defying expectations and taking up space. Porter has cemented their status as a Broadway powerhouse while building a music career that spans multiple albums. Whether commanding the stage, making music or turning a red carpet into a runway, Porter has never been one to fade into the background.
Now, they’re bringing that unmistakable presence to Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest installment in Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster franchise. Porter plays Magno Stift, a Capitol stylist whose extravagant world of fashion and spectacle conceals a darker reality. “He’s married to Drusilla, who in this movie is played by Glenn Close. They’re not happy,” Porter told The Quintessential Gentleman. “And he’s addicted to toad venom and has an obsession with snakes. I’m doing drugs because I don’t like what’s happening to these kids and I can’t do anything about it.”
Beyond its extravagant costumes and larger-than-life characters, Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest prequel following The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, is also drawing attention for its representation. With a cast that includes Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Percy Daggs IV, the film continues to expand the faces and stories represented in Panem. For Porter, that evolution is an essential part of the franchise’s legacy.
“It’s necessary. Absolutely. And the people who are in charge understand that in art,” Porter said. “This is fantasy. It could be anybody. It could be anything. I was really blown away by the fact that the love interest is a Black girl in this one. I was like, oh, I wasn’t expecting that. I remember seeing Viola Davis as The Game Maker. There’s no reason why these people can’t be everybody. And I feel like The Hunger Games has always been a version of that. And it gets better and better and deeper and deeper with every incarnation.”
Porter is also one Oscar away from achieving EGOT status, joining an elite group of entertainers who have won competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. Whoopi Goldberg, John Legend, Viola Davis and Jennifer Hudson are the only Black entertainers to have earned the distinction. While an Academy Award would mark another significant milestone in Porter’s career, they’re clear that recognition has never been the sole reason they create.
“I’m not going to lie and say that it’s unimportant. Because for a Black gay out man, it actually is important,” Porter said. “With that said, I’m an artist first. I don’t do this for awards. Awards are amazing, and if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. But I feel like it will at some point before I’m out of here. One way or another. I have many paths to get there, so we’ll see.”
For Porter, the next chapter is about more than adding another trophy to an already remarkable career. It’s about ownership, creative freedom and the opportunity to tell stories on their own terms. After years of bringing other people’s visions to life, Porter is ready to put their own stories at the center.
“It’s less about characters and more about ownership. I’m ready to tell my stories that I write. I’m ready to have my franchises that belong to me,” Porter explained. “I’m ready to be the boss. I haven’t done that yet. Just in terms of, it’s my show, it’s my film. I’ve directed film, I’ve directed a lot of theater, I’ve directed television. I’ve directed other people’s things. I’m ready to do my own stuff.”
As they step into the world of Panem, Porter brings the same commanding presence that has defined their work across stage and screen. But their ambitions reach beyond playing another character or adding another credit to their résumé.
They’re ready to build something of their own, create worlds on their own terms and become the driving force behind the stories they want to tell. For Porter, the next act isn’t simply about landing another role. It’s about taking the lead.
Photo Credit: Prime Video
