Billy Porter gets candid on cancel culture, teases ‘Hunger Games’ role

Billy Porter has spent four decades speaking out. But doing so now, in today's cultural climate, he says, can come at a cost.

"It's easy when it's easy. What are you going to do when it is not easy? What are you going to do when you have to sacrifice something?" Porter told USA TODAY on Sept. 17 at the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation's Night of Compassion gala in Beverly Hills.

Porter said that Taylor's example as an HIV/AIDS advocate at a time when it was taboo remains relevant when taking a stand can jeopardize career opportunities, brand partnerships and livelihoods.

"There will always be fear [when] standing up for what is right. There will always be backlash," Porter said. "That's my point. It's easy when it's easy."

Porter has been living with HIV since June 2007, which he revealed in a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The "Pose" star, who received the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award during the event, reflected on coming out at 16 in 1985 as the AIDS crisis devastated the LGBTQ+ community.

"We went straight to the front lines to fight for our lives during the AIDS crisis," Porter said. "Fighting for equality is all…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/entertainment/