In a recent interview, Billy Porter revealed to Evening Standard that he decided to sell his house as a result of the ongoing strikes in Hollywood.
In the weekend profile, the renowned Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor-singer-producer broke down where he is in his career right now, and, naturally, the current state of the film and television landscape was a topic up for discussion.
Both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA are currently on strike as writers and actors in the industry fight for proper compensation and protections in the streaming era.
When asked why he made the decision to sell his house in the interview, Porter says: “Because we’re on strike. And I don’t know when we’re gonna go back [to work].” The actor goes on to describe the life of an artist as one that is paycheck to paycheck, unless you make ” f***-you money.”
“I was supposed to be in a new movie,” he shared, “and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening.”
Porter also directly addressed comments made by Disney CEO Bob Iger earlier this summer, in which, amid the strikes, he referred to the actors’ and writers’ demands as “unrealistic.”
“To hear Bob Iger say that our demands for a living wage are unrealistic?” Porter queried. “While he makes $78,000 a day?”
“I don’t have any words for it, but: f*** you,” he added. “That’s not useful, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. I haven’t engaged because I’m so enraged. I’m glad I’ve been over here. But when I go back I will join the picket lines.”
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